Extensive compressor reviews and FAQ

 
What is an expander or a gate? And what is "ducking"?
 
Expanders and gates are processors that respond to incoming signal levels just like a compressor does, but they affect the levels in a different manner. An expander increases the dynamic range of your signal rather than decreasing it. The controls, and the meaning/function of those controls, are otherwise the same as the ones on a compressor. The threshold controls when your signal will trigger the increase, and the ratio controls how much the signal is increased upon crossing the threshold. Typically an expander is used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of a recording, but it can also be used for special effects like making a bass line more percussive. A gate is a type of expander; the difference is that when your signal level reaches the threshold, a gate goes from "closed" (no signal passes through) to "open" (all of your signal passes through). Some gates offer more advanced control such as ratio or attack/decay, but basic ones are just open or closed. This is a common way of controlling noise and hum from high-gain distortions, single-coil pickups, and other noisy circumstances; when you pluck your note, the gate opens, and when the note dies down the gate closes, keeping quiet until the next note. Of course this means that while you are playing, any noise you had will be there at full volume.
 
"Ducking" is a system where you have two audio channels, and the output levels of one are controlled by the input levels of the other. A common example of this is the voice-over: music plays during a show or commercial, then an announcer or actor's voice comes on, and the volume of the music is lowered to make it easier to hear the talking voice. Ducking uses compression circuitry to raise and lower the levels automatically whenever the controlling voice/audio comes on and passes the threshold.

 
 
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