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Figure 10. The Hard Knee compression characteristic has a 0 dB span.
The Soft Knee compression characteristic has a 10 dB span.
SIDE-CHAIN Mode and Listen
Comp
Comp selects Compressor mode for the channel.
De-ess selects De-ess mode for the channel.
Tip: A small ▼ pointer next to a control indicates a typical set-
ting for De-essing.
Listen routes the side-chain signal to the channel output,
allowing you to hear exactly what the detector "hears," and is
especially useful when making precise PEQ adjustments for fre-
quency sensitive compression or de-essing. The yellow indicator
flashes when Listen is engaged, as a friendly reminder to toggle
back to Comp or De-ess mode before show time.
The Listen source depends on the selected mode (Comp or
De-ess), so the switch operates as follows: when switching from
Comp to Listen, the Comp indicator remains lit and the Listen
indicator flashes, which signifies you are listening to the Com-
pressor side-chain PEQ response. When the switch is moved
to De-ess, the Listen and Comp indicators are turned off and
the De-ess indicator is lit. When the switch is then moved from
De-ess to Listen, the De-ess indicator remains lit and the Listen
indicator flashes, which signifies you are listening to the De-esser
bandpass filter response.
Remember: once the show begins the audience never hears
the filtered side-chain signal – unless you accidentally leave
Listen mode engaged, of course. If something sounds a bit odd
during the gig, look over at the C4 and see if any of the yellow
Listen lights are flashing. If so, casually saunter over to the rack
and toggle the side-chain out of Listen mode...as if you meant
to have it engaged for the first six songs.
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Listen De-ess
SIDE-CHAIN
SIDE-CHAIN Parametric EQ
1
0.5
oct
BANDWIDTH
The Side-chain PEQ filter operates in one of two ways,
depending on whether the channel is operating in Compressor
mode or De-ess mode.
PEQ in Compressor Mode
In Compressor mode, the PEQ section operates as a normal,
2
-order, parametric filter with independent BANDWIDTH,
nd
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FREQUENCY and GAIN controls. The GAIN control has a
center detent position indicating 0 dB, or unity gain. Use the
PEQ to adjust the sensitivity of the rms detector to specific
frequencies. Boosting a particular frequency makes the detector
more sensitive to this frequency, while cutting makes it less sensi-
tive. Broadband compression still takes place; the filter does not
directly affect the frequency response of the main signal, as is
done with the dynamic EQ used in De-essing.
Example: reducing detector sensitivity to low frequencies
helps avoid the pumping and breathing often associated with
compressing an overall mix of instruments. Start by engaging
Listen mode and set the PEQ Gain to –12 dB with a bandwidth
of 1 to 2 octaves. Adjust the frequency and bandwidth controls
until most of the low frequency sound disappears (125 Hz is a
good start). Oh...and don't forget to dis-engage Listen mode
when you're done.
PEQ in De-ess Mode
In De-ess mode, the PEQ controls define a bandpass filter in
the side-chain and a dynamic EQ in the main signal path. The
difference in the rms level of the broadband signal and that of
the bandpassed side-chain signal is compared to the threshold,
and the dynamic EQ's gain is automatically adjusted to maintain
the proper ratio of sibilant to non-sibilant content.
Example: while in De-ess mode with the Side-chain Listen
engaged, set the BANDWIDTH between 1 and 2 octaves, then
sweep the FREQUENCY control until only sibilant content is
heard (typically 3 to 6 kHz, but this frequency will vary slight
with different talkers). Lastly, adjust the COMP THRESHOLD
to achieve the desired amount of gain reduction during sibilant
passages. The PEQ GAIN control has no function in De-ess
mode.
Although it's called De-ess mode, there's nothing to stop you
from dialing in any offending frequency – like the annoying,
low-mid boost caused by a microphone's proximity effect, or
that paint-peeling high C the singer always hits during the key
change, for example – and using the C4 to improve the sound.
2
640
5
125
3.15k
10
20
20k
Hz
FREQUENCY
PEQ
0
-12
+12
dB
GAIN
Manual-7
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