ART tubepac compressing

mutt

mutt

New member
Anyone out there know how to set an ART tubepac to equal a 0db digital threshold when recording vocals to a TASCAM 564 digital 4 track recorder? I'm trying to avoid the distortion which comes from going above 0db on the TASCAM but still keep a good strong signal. Is there a basic setting for the threshold control, or will the gain control variances make a big difference on the compression setting?

mutt
 
I have a Tube PAC.I'm not very familiar with your recorder,however.One general comment on threshold;it determines the level at which the compressor kicks in,so if you set it at say,-6db,whenever the strength of your signal reaches that level,compression will start.Now,it follows that if you send a stronger signal to the threshold/compressor,the same threshold will be crossed sooner and more often,so yes,the gain control does have an effect here.I'd suggest setting your gain and threshold and ratio with the type of sound you find appropriate as your priority 1st,then play with the output control on the PAC to get as close as you can to the overload point on your recorder.Cheers!
 
Thanks for the tip. Do you understand how the LED meters work?

The manual speaks to the top of the display being the levels for setting the gain control, but it doesn't talk about the numbers at the bottom (-12 -6 -3 0db). I notice when I increase the compression by turning the threshold counterclockwise,the lights move farther to the left, but what do the numbers represent? Does the 0db mean that the compressor is set to limit at 0db, -3, etc. It seems that to get the sound I like the -12 # is flashing a lot. Is that over compressing?? How would these #'s line up if I want to limit to 0db for digital recording?

So much to learn, so little time. :(

mutt
 
Mutt,
I also dont know the ART compressor but the meters you are
taking about represent the amount of processing that is taking place once the signal is crossing the threshold.
It is calibirated in dB. In short - the amount of gain reduction your compressor is doing

To eliminate clipping use a limiter and not the compressor.
This will insure that your'e signal will not cross(or barely) the line at the threshold that you set.

Why do you like the -12 (overcompressed) ? becuase you like the sound or becuase it stops it from clipping?.
If the latter then you should realize that the track is being compressed hard and you are probably doing some damage to the track.
As I said before with a limiter you will be compressing only the peaks and the natural sound of youre track will still be there.

[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 07-08-2000).]
 
It seems the sound is better when the -12 is flashing. YOu would think it would sound really squashed. ?????? :confused:

mutt
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mutt:
It seems the sound is better when the -12 is flashing. YOu would think it would sound really squashed. ?????? :confused:

mutt<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Not necesrely squashed but perhaps dynamicly limited.
You might feel that the vocals sound very stable and with out fluctuations in dynamics.

You might just be limiting the peaks but if it's flashing quite a bit then it would seem that your Threshold is to low
to me, but then again I cant hear the track and you can so if you like it then you like it, what can I say....



[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 07-08-2000).]
 
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