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OPERATION ORBAN Model 8400
MB DownExpStCpl (Multiband Downward Expander Stereo Coupling) determines
whether the multiband downward expander stereo coupler is on or off.
B1/B2 Xover
(Band 1 to Band 2 Crossover Frequency) sets the crossover frequency be-
tween bands 1 and 2 to either 100 Hz (as it was in all previous versions of the 8400 soft-
ware) or 200 Hz. It significantly affects the bass texture, and the best way to understand
the differences between the two crossover frequencies is to listen.
Band 1-5 MaxDeltGR
controls set the maximum permitted gain difference between the
left and right channels for each band in the multiband limiter. The 8400 uses a full dual-
mono architecture, so the channels can be operated anywhere from fully coupled to inde-
pendent. We recommend operating the bands fully coupled (
Band 1-4 MaxDeltGR = 0)
for best stereo image stability. However, audio-processing experts may want to experi-
ment with lesser amounts of coupling to achieve a wider, “fatter” stereo image at the cost
of some image instability.
Limiter Attack
controls allow you to set the limiter attack anywhere from 0 to 100% of
normal in the Five-Band compressor/limiters. Because the limiter and compressor charac-
teristics interact, you will usually get best audible results when you set these controls in
the range of 70% to 100%. Below 70%, you will probably hear pumping because the
compressor function is trying to create some of the gain reduction that the faster limiting
function would have otherwise achieved. If you hear pumping in a band and you still
wish to adjust the limiter attack to a low setting, you can sometimes ameliorate or elimi-
nate the pumping by slowing down the compressor attack time in that band.
Delta Release
controls are differential controls. They allow you to vary the release time
in any band of the Five-Band compressor/limiter by setting an offset between the
MB Re-
lease
setting and the actual release time you achieve in a given band. For example, if you
set the
MB Release control to medium-fast and the Band 3 Delta GR control to –2, then
the band 3 release time will be the same as if you had set the
MB Release control to me-
dium and set the
Band 3 Delta Gr control to 0. Thus, your settings automatically track
any changes you make in the
Multiband Release control. In our example, the release time
in band 3 will always be two “click stops” slower than the setting of the
MB Release con-
trol.
If your setting of a given
Delta Release control would otherwise create a release slower
than “slow” or faster than “fast” (the two end-stops of the
MB Release control), the band
in question will instead set its release time at the appropriate end-stop.
Lookahead
activates or defeats the look-ahead functionality in the multiband compres-
sor/limiter. Defeating look-ahead improves transient impact at the expense of distortion,
particularly on speech. To mitigate this tradeoff, a selectable “auto” mode turns look-
ahead on for speech material and off for music, using an automatic speech/music detec-
tor. Switching is seamless and click-free because we change the delay in the compressor
control sidechains; this is not a way to reduce the 8400’s throughput delay.
Choices are
Lookahead In, Out, and Auto.
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