BBE MAXCOM Owner's Manual page 21

• INITIAL SETTINGS FOR THE DE-ESSER FUNCTIONS
CONTROL
EXP. THRESHOLD control ...... OFF
THRESHOLD control ............+20 dB
RATIO control ........................ LIM
ATTACK control ............... 0.1 msec
AUTO switch ........................ OUT
OUTPUT CONTROL ............... 0 dB
PROCESS control ..................... IN
1 - Turn the THRESHOLD control counterclockwise until the GAIN REDUCTION meter shows an appropriate
drop in level.
2 - Now adjust the equalizer corner frequencies (generally 6 - 10 kHz) until it is within the range of the sibilant.
3- Recalibrate the THRESHOLD control, so that the unit reacts only when the sibilant sound occurs. Level com-
pensation using the OUTPUT control is not necessary. Although the recommended attack and release times for
this function are proven, the time parameters can be adjusted if necessary to achieve maximum results. The
AUTO function should not be used.
• FREqUENCY SELECTIvE FILTERING OF UNWANTED SIGNALS
Based on the setup described in the de-esser section, the unit may also be used to eliminate rumble, hum and
equipment noise (air conditioning systems, camera noise etc.). Adjust the frequencies of the equalizer to match
the unwanted frequencies and use a peak filter with a high slope. Take care to decrease the amplitudes of the
unrequired frequencies.
Proceed now as described in the previous section "the MAXCOM As A De-Esser". This will result in compression
of the selected frequencies and thus a decrease in the gain of the program material.
• SUPPRESSING INSTRUMENTS DURING RECORDING
Another function of the MAXCOM allows helpful correction of previously recorded material. If, for example, an ex-
cessively loud bass drum needs to be suppressed, reduce all the equalizers frequency bands above 150 Hz. This
setting causes frequency specific compression, which reacts as soon as increased energy is detected in this band.
By increasing the threshold level, the compression can be made to react only to loud pedal or stick actions.
• EMPHASIZING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS DURING RECORDING
You can use the MAXCOM to bring out an instrument solo or a lead vocal in a cluttered mix. Match the fre-
quencies of the equalizer to the frequencies of the instruments to be emphasized and for this it is best to use
a notch filter with a high slope. Please make sure that in this application, you only reduce the amplitude of the
selected frequencies.
The compression results is a subjective decrease in the volume of the overall program material.Only the select-
ed frequencies coming from the equalizer remain uncompressed and are therefore perceived as being louder.
This inverse type of compression also helps to emphasize instruments during low level passages, so that they
become more pronounced.
• REDUCING FEEDbACK IN PA SYSTEMS
A common procedure in sound system setup is equalizing the acoustics to remove feedback. This is generally
accomplished by turning up the system gain to purposely induce feedback, searching for the centre frequency
of the feedback and then attenuating at that frequency to remove the feedback. Once this feedback has been
attenuated, the system gain is again increased to induce another feedback point and the whole procedure is
repeated until the engineer is satisfied that the relevant problem frequencies have been corrected. In spite of this
SETTINGS
7
SPECIAL APPLICATIONS