Chapter 8 Compressors & Limiters

Question 1

Attack

Answer 1

A control found on compressors and limiters which allows the user to set the amount of time it
takes the unit to increase it the amount of attenuation.

Question 2

Attenuate

Answer 2

To decrease or turn down.

Question 3

Compressor

Answer 3

A device which attenuates the volume of an incoming signal in a user specified ratio. Attenu- ation begins once the level of the input signal exceeds a designated threshold, specified in decibels. This process decreases the signal’s overall dynamic range. When the signal’s overall volume is then boosted, the net result is that the signal becomes louder.

Question 4

Decibel

Answer 4

A logarithmic metric unit of measure of volume in the air and gain in electronic circuits.

Question 5

Dynamic Level

Answer 5

The current volume level.

Question 6

Dynamic Range

Answer 6

The scope of dynamic levels throughout the duration of a signal.

Question 7

Gain Reduction Meter

Answer 7

A series of lights or similar contrivance which allows the user to monitor a com- pressor or limiter’s level of attenuation.

Question 8

Limiter

Answer 8

A compressor whose compression ratio is permanently set to infinity to one. The resultant device attenuates the volume of incoming signals so that they cannot exceed the threshold setting. This is very useful for decreasing the volume of the very loudest momentary peaks in a signal.

Question 9

Makeup Gain

Answer 9

The output gain of a compressor which is used to raise the volume of the entire mix. This gain stage is used to compensate or ‘make up’ for the compressor’s gain reduction.

Question 10

Ratio

Answer 10

The control on a compressor which determines the ratio of decibels input to decibels output. Com- pression ratios are always expressed as a real number to one. Very high compression ratios can cause compressors to attenuate a signal in an unmusical way resulting in a phenomenon called ‘pumping’. A limiter is simply a compressor whose ratio is permanently set to infinity to one. Pumping on a limiter is avoided by carefully setting the threshold control so that the limiter only acts on peaks in the program signal.

Question 11

Release

Answer 11

A control on a compressor or limiter which controls how long it takes the device to stop reducing the signal’s gain.

Question 12

Threshold

Answer 12

A control on a compressor or limiter which determines when the device begins to attenuate the volume of an incoming signal.