The gating features
permit the 422A/424A
to
handle
noise
or low-level
program
material differently
than it handles
high-level program material. The gating feature
is not the same
as
a
conventional "noise gate": It
is not intended to reduce noise
or
other
undesired sounds
below
the level
at which they exist in the original
program. Its purpose is
to
prevent
compression
from unnaturally exaggerating such
material.
If needed,
a
conventional noise
gate can
be used
before the
422A/424A.
The gating
feature
is activated whenever the GATED
lamp is on.
This
lamp
will
turn on whenever the
input level
drops
below a
threshold
set with the
GATE
THRESHold
control.
(In its
OFF
postion,
this
control
totally
defeats the
gating
feature.)
When the
GATED
lamp is
on,
the gain of the Compressor/Limiter moves slowly to
a point set by
the
IDLE
GAIN control.
This
gain
change is indicated
on the GAIN
REDUCTION meter. If the IDLE GAIN
control is set
at a
point equal to the
average
amount
of
gain reduction occurring, then
gain
will
neither increase nor
decrease during low-level program materal
or
pauses.
In
particular,
noise will
not
be
"pumped up"
as in
a conventional
compressor.
For
example, if
you are
compressing
a particular
track in
a
multitrack mixdown, tape hiss
or
low-level
material below the
gating threshold
will not
be
increased in level
at
the
beginning
of
the
mix (before
high-level
program material first appears on
the track), or
during pauses
in
the track.
If the
IDLE
GAIN
control
is set
lower than the
average
gain reduction, then it
can leave a "hole" when
high-level
program material reappears and
turns the
GATED lamp
off.
This
is
because the Compressor/Limiter must recover to
a
higher
gain
to
produce full loudness, and this cannot
happen
instantaneously: The
time
necessary
for recovery is
determined
by
the
RELEASE TIME
control.
To
Use
The De-esser: To use the De-esser, switch the
DE-ESSER
OPERATE/DEFEAT
switch
to
OPERATE
and adjust the De-esser
SENSITIVITY
control until
"esses" sound naturally balanced with the
rest
of
the voice.
The threshold of de-essing
is
fixed
by
the
SENSITIVITY control, and does not track
the average vocal level
(as
in
the
Orban dedicated
de-essers). For consistent
de-
essing,
it is important that the level presented
to
the De-esser
be
relatively
constant. This is ordinarily achieved
by
compressing the voice
with the
Compressor/Limiter, which is functionally ahead
of
the
De-esser.
It
is sometimes possible
to
de-ess
vocals which have
been
mixed
with
other
material.
Each
case must
be evaluated
by
ear.
The DE-ESSER
OPERATE/DEFEAT
switch
does
not
introduce
clicks, pops,
or discontinuities
into
the program, so
the
De-esser can be keyed in
or
out in the middle
of program
material
as
required.
This
may be
the
best way to handle
a
few problem "esses" in mixed
program
material.
3
To Next Page
Loading...