Compressor
A compressor evens out volume: it turns down the loud moments so the quiet ones can sit higher, making a source sound steadier, fuller and more "produced". On a voice it's the difference between lurching levels and a confident, consistent presence.
Like the gate, it lives in the left panel of the config screen while an input channel is selected. Switch it in or out with COMP ON.
Above a set level (the threshold), the compressor reduces gain by a ratio. 4:1 means for every 4 dB the input rises past the threshold, the output rises only 1 dB. Then you make up the lost loudness with makeup gain.
Controls
| Knob | Range | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| THRESH | −60…0 dB | −18 | The level above which compression begins. Lower = more of the signal gets compressed. |
| RATIO | 1…20 : 1 | 4 | How hard. 2–4:1 is gentle/vocal; 8:1+ is heavy. |
| KNEE | 0…20 dB | 3 | How abruptly compression starts at the threshold. Soft (higher) = smoother, more natural. |
| MIX | 0…100 % | 100 | Blend of compressed vs original — below 100 % gives parallel compression (density without squashing). |
| ATTACK | 0.1…200 ms | 10 | How fast it clamps down. Fast tames transients; slow lets them punch through. |
| RELEASE | 10…2000 ms | 150 | How fast it lets go. Too fast can "pump"; too slow stays ducked. |
| MAKEUP | 0…24 dB | 0 | Adds back the level lost to compression. AUTO estimates a sensible value for you. |
A live gain-reduction graph shows how much the compressor is pulling the signal down.
Detection & sidechain
- Detection mode — RMS (smooth, loudness-like — good for vocals), Peak (catches fast transients), or True Peak (oversampled, strictest).
- Sidechain — toggle ON to drive compression from a Source (Internal or External) rather than the channel itself, with an HP Filter (20–2,000 Hz, default 80) so bass energy doesn't trigger unwanted pumping.
Tuning recipe (vocal)
- COMP ON, RATIO 3:1, KNEE soft (~6 dB), detection RMS.
- Lower THRESH until the gain-reduction graph shows ~3–6 dB of reduction on your loudest words.
- ATTACK ~10 ms (keep consonant punch), RELEASE ~150 ms (or use a faster release for a tighter sound).
- Click AUTO makeup, then fine-tune to match the bypassed level.
Presets: PRESET ▾ recalls saved compressor setups; RESET restores defaults (confirm). Settings can also ride inside a pack.