Subject:Compress or Maximize Volume?

Posted by: nomis

Date:1/21/2004 3:06:53 PM

Is the difference between these two approaches? If so, what is it?

1. Effects > Wave Hammer > Compressor Tab > Smooth Compression Preset

2. Effects > Wave Hammer > Volume Maximizer Tab > Smooth Compression Preset

Subject:RE: Compress or Maximize Volume?

Reply by: Big_Faced_Boy

Date:1/22/2004 3:33:20 AM

The two effects (compressor and volume maximizer - a limiter) are in series, ie compressor runs through maximizer. I took a look at this preset, and the maximizer is simply limiting the peaks to 0dB, preventing clips in your final mix. The maximizer works using two main parameters: threshold and ceiling/output level. When the volume of the audio reaches the threshold, the volume is then boosted or attenuated to the ceiling value.

So, if the bulk of your project sits at around -8dB and the peaks (typically drums) go up to, say -2dB, you might want to try setting the threshold to around -5dB and the ceiling to -0.2dB. (Always worth staying just a little below 0dB for headroom). This will now flatten off all the peaks above -5dB and increase the overall volume by +4.8dB. Release times are important, too. A short release (5-15ms) will result in a crunchy sound, whereas a long release (100ms or more) will pump the sound.

Limiters are just compressors with a high ratio (typically >10:1, although anything over 5:1 is considered limiting).

I'm not going to start on how compressors work just yet... that's a whole new can of worms. Just trust your ears, remember that when you maximize a track, anything that's too loud will trigger the compressor/limiter and cause "ducking", where the compression squashes the life out of the mix - like a dj talking thru a mic and the music drops in level. Just don't overdo it, gentle compression is the key, just make sure you're getting around -3dB to -5dB attenuation, and this shouldn't be constant. You want to see the red line return to zero quite frequently. Sit and watch it twitch! This is also a good way of seeing what is too loud in a mix, as it will pump the compressor heavily.

JUST BE GENTLE!!

BFB

Subject:RE: Compress or Maximize Volume?

Reply by: Sonic

Date:1/22/2004 8:04:07 AM

Maybe more to the point, the preset combobox is common to both pages and describes a parameter set for the entire plug-in. So whichever page you happen to be looking at is irrelevant. If you pick that preset, it will adjust settings on both pages.

J.

Subject:RE: Compress or Maximize Volume?

Reply by: nomis

Date:1/22/2004 1:10:16 PM

Thanks for your replies.

J- you have confirmed my suspicion that the same preset (soft compression) under each tab (compression and volume maximizer) will add the same exact effect to the track.

Not sure why the same preset (soft compression) would appear in more than one place, unless the end result were different, but in this case it is exactly the same. Anyway, thanks for clarifying.

Subject:RE: Compress or Maximize Volume?

Reply by: Sonic

Date:1/22/2004 2:32:20 PM

The preset box itself is part of the application, not the plug-in. The presets displayed represent a parameter set for the *entire* plug-in, not for one individual page.

While in this case it might appear that you have two separate effects, you don't. You have one instance of Wave Hammer that happens to expose it's UI as two relatively distinct components. The use of multiple pages is just a convenience for minimizing screen real-estate. Wave Hammer could just as easily have been designed with one giant property page containing all controls.

Clear?
J.

Subject:RE: Compress or Maximize Volume?

Reply by: nomis

Date:1/23/2004 7:59:19 AM

Gotcha.

Subject:RE: Compress or Maximize Volume?

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:1/23/2004 8:52:44 AM

"Wave Hammer could just as easily have been designed with one giant property page containing all controls."

In my opinion, that's the way it should have been done. I have to say that the dual tabs confused me quite a bit when I attempted to use the plugin. It's not so intuitive like all the rest of the Sony UI's. I've really never complained because I don't use the plugin for mastering, I have only used it when showing people the use of over compression and "how not to master". I attempted to use it once because I had to create a pink noise signal with a 2:1 crest factor. For some reason I could never achieve it using the wave hammer plugin. I thought that may have been due to my misunderstanding the settings and how the 2 tabs work together. I ended up using RMS Normalization and got what I needed. I just found it strange that I could get louder RMS values with Normalization than Wave Hammer.