Compressor

Use the Compressor tab to limit the dynamic range of your audio.

Compression can add punch to your audio, or it can be used to create analog-like distortion when overused.

1. Open the Wave Hammer Surround dialog and click the Compressor tab.

2. Choose a preset from the Name drop-down list, or adjust the controls as desired:

   1. Drag the Threshold fader to set the level at which the dynamics processor begins acting on the signal.

   2. Drag the Ratio slider to set the compression ratio of input to output levels.

      IMPORTANT

      Excessive compression starting at a low threshold will usually produce distortion.

   3. Drag the Output gain fader if you want to apply a gain after processing.

      IMPORTANT

      If the Auto gain compensate check box is selected, the output gain is still applied afterwards. This can result in clipped signals.

   4. Drag the Attack time slider to set the time required for the dynamics processor to start acting on the signal once the level rises above the threshold.

      A low Attack time preserves percussive attacks. Higher values cause sounds to slowly swell up in volume.

   5. Drag the Release time slider to set the time it takes the gain of the dynamics processor to change from one to zero once the level falls below the threshold.

      A long Release time preserves natural-sounding decays; otherwise long decays will be cut off.

   6. Drag the Smart release slider to automatically adjust the release time to compensate for sustained notes and sharp transients. The higher the setting, the more the specified Release time will vary internally to match the release speed to the source material.

   7. Select the Peak or RMS radio button to determine the method used to estimate the loudness, or power, of the audio. In RMS mode, since an average of the loudness over time is taken, some very fast transient peaks will not be compressed.

   8. Select the Auto gain compensate check box to apply gain during processing to keep the maximum input and output levels constant. In general, this gain will be equal to the decibel level of the highest signal in your file.

   9. Select the Use longer look-ahead check box if you want the compressor to scan further into the incoming audio to determine how much compression is needed. This will result in compression starting before the attack, allowing for slower attack time settings to be used.

      NOTE

      In some applications, this option may produce unnatural pre-compression (i.e. fades before attacks).

   10. Select the Smooth saturation check box to decrease the amount of distortion produced when performing heavy compression. When the check box is selected, the compressed sound will sound warmer and not overly bright.