Can you suggest a 'simple' compressor/expander plugin?

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sync

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I'm looking for a compressor/expander plugin that has threshold, ratio, gain, attack and release controls and nothing else. The ones I've seen have too many controls for me.
 
michaelst said:
Check out the compressors at Kjaerhus Audio

Even the free compressor is very good.
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Their classic free compressor is the first one I've seen that is simple enough for me. But I want one that also does downward expansion.
 
You can't get much simpler than an LA-2A. Threshold and gain. That's it.

Doesn't do anything with expanding though.
 
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mshilarious said:
Well, the SSL LMC-1 technically has three knobs, but it LOOKS simpler :D
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Yeah, 'less' or 'more' has got to be about as simple as it gets. :D
 
Wow, so there are actually few compressor plugins that are simpler that what I'm looking for.
 
I downloaded the trial for the Golden Audio Gate at Kjaerhus. I'm trying to use it for downward expansion of background noise. I'm finding that signals about the threshold level are being compressed.
 
sync said:
Wow, so there are actually few compressor plugins that are simpler that what I'm looking for.
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I think the trick is you aren't really looking to do something simple. Simple compressors don't often do downward expansion.

I'm not sure what kind of noise you are dealing with, but have you tried a noise reduction plug?
 
I'm looking for the software equivalent of one of the DBX compressors that also do downward compression.
 
sync said:
I'm looking for the software equivalent of one of the DBX compressors that also do downward compression.
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All "standard" compressors apply downward compression. If you're talking about DBX noise reduction techiques, then that's actually using upward compression followed by re-expansion.

If you're looking of rsomething simple that'll do both upward and downward compression and expansion, you can't get much simpler that the "graphical dynamics processor" plugs that come standard with moth editors. The problem with most of those, though, is though they're simple, they usually don't sound all that great.

For one of the best up/down compander plugs in the business check out www.rogernicholsdigital.com.

G.
 
I meant to say "software equivalent of one of the DBX compressors that also do downward expansion".

I took a look at the Graphic Dynamics plugin that comes with Sound Forge. It does exactly what I need and it is simple and intuitive. Unfortunately, it doesn't work very well like you said. Does anyone produce a high quality Graphic Dynamics plugin?
 
Why don't you just use a noise gate and dial down the noise reduction?
 
Yareek said:
Why don't you just use a noise gate and dial down the noise reduction?
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The ratio control in a downward expander allows you to control how much noise you let through. A noise gate is a downward expander without a ratio control.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Yep. Check out the "Dynam-izer" at Roger Nichols Digital.

http://www.rogernicholsdigital.com/dynam-izer.htm

There's no other graphic compressor/expander like it, and it actually sounds quite neutral.

G.
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I downloaded the manual and it looks very interesting. I think it might be a little complicated for someone like me who is just starting out using this stuff. Regardless of that, I don't see myself paying that much for one plugin right now.
 
sync said:
The ratio control in a downward expander allows you to control how much noise you let through. A noise gate is a downward expander without a ratio control.
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Floorfish has a tunable frequency, sensitivity, attack, release, and ratio for free.
 
sync said:
I downloaded the manual and it looks very interesting. I think it might be a little complicated for someone like me who is just starting out using this stuff. Regardless of that, I don't see myself paying that much for one plugin right now.
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I once had a freind who, with his dad, ran a structural engineering firm. Really brilliant people...in a limited fashon.

When talking with his dad, whenever the subject came around to my area of media engineering, he would always famously say. "I want a VCR that'll record what I want, when I want, how I want, but I want it to have only one button, no menus, and I don't want to have to pay more than $100 for it."

I could only tell him, "Well. Mr. M______, you'll have to wait until the 21st century (I was optimistic back in the 80s ;) ) when voice recognition control has been perfected and on the market long enough to be both reliable and cheap. By then you'll either be dead or all the TV shows that you're interested in will be long cancelled anyway."

You want versatility, quality, and ease of use, and you don't want to pay much for it? Try the 22nd century. (I'm still optimistic :D )

G.
 
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