EQ and Compressor?

[Newbie dude]

Anyone in here know anything about EQ presets such as RCIAA, Columbia 78, Columbia LP, Decca FFRR Micro, RCA Victor 1948, etc.? Which ones are good for which instruments and situations? On the compressor, what exactly does the threshhold and attack time do? If anyone could reply with a dumbed down explanation for me or email it to audioaddicted1@aol.com, it would be greatly appreciated.

[LfO]

I'm guessing those preset names are from a software effect - sorry, but they don't mean anything to anyone except people using that particular effect. If you want to use EQ (and trust me, you do), you're just going to have to buckle down and work at it - try some of the links here:

http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/articles6.htm

The same thing applies for compressors ( http://www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com/articles3.htm ), but I'll make a feeble attempt at explaining threshold and attack in plain language.

I assume you know what a compressor does - it reduces the volume of whatever you're compressing whenever it gets too loud. Threshold simply allows you to define what "too loud" is. This setting will be different on every track, because every track you record is at a different level, if only slightly. Attack time defines how long it takes for the compressor to "realize" the input has passed the Too Loud mark, and lower the metaphorical fader.

[XLR]

Originally Posted by Newbie dude

Anyone in here know anything about EQ presets such as RCIAA, Columbia 78, Columbia LP, Decca FFRR Micro, RCA Victor 1948, etc.? Which ones are good for which instruments and situations?

It appears you're referring to Audacity's EQ preset curves.

EQ presets are just examples or starting points... you don't just apply presets to certain situations. It's a tool that requires that you use your ear and judgement.

Tim

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by Newbie dude

Anyone in here know anything about EQ presets such as RCIAA, Columbia 78, Columbia LP, Decca FFRR Micro, RCA Victor 1948, etc.? Which ones are good for which instruments and situations?

Those sound like their trying to emulate equalization curves used to make old vinyl recordings. They have very little application today except for very special purpose situations used in maybe 0.01% of situations. If you want to read up on the historical signifigance of those curves, there should be plenty of info via Google, but it really will be little more than an entertaining histroy lesson with little or no relation to 21st century home audio recording.

Originally Posted by Newbie dude

On the compressor, what exactly does the threshhold and attack time do? If anyone could reply with a dumbed down explanation for me or email it to audioaddicted1@aol.com, it would be greatly appreciated.

if you do a search of these forums for "compressor settings" you'll find a whole slew of information on what compressor controls actually mean.

G.

[noisewreck]

This thread is an excellent example of how useless and ultimately dangerous presets on EQ and Compressor plugins are.

[SonicAlbert]

Originally Posted by SouthSIDE Glen

Those sound like their trying to emulate equalization curves used to make old vinyl recordings. They have very little application today except for very special purpose situations used in maybe 0.01% of situations.

Rather, I think those presets are attempting to emulate the *sound* of those recording formats, not the curves they used to make the records at that time. There's a big difference.

For the original poster: chances are those eq presets are intended for a post-production situation where the mixer needs to simulate the sound of an old recording. Like if they are doing a film that has a flashback to 1940, for example. Or if a character in a scene puts an old record on the phonograph.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by SonicAlbert

Rather, I think those presets are attempting to emulate the *sound* of those recording formats, not the curves they used to make the records at that time. There's a big difference.

They're still useless. Unless one is cutting laquer to try and reproduce some old sides, nobody gives a rat's ass about the difference between the Columbia and the Decca response curves upon which these are based.

You want to make something sound like an old recording, pretty much all you gotta do is shelf everything below about 220Hz, roll off above about 3.5kHz, compress the shit out of what's left and add a hiss/stratch special effect.

G.