Compressor - ratio = gain?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mark Sparkle
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Mark Sparkle

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Hi, I can't find this answer anywhere.. Why, when I increase the ratio of my compressor or multipressor in Logic, does the perceived level get louder? I have the gain make up set to 0db. I thought increasing the ratio reduces the peaks by the stated amount?
Thanks.
 
Sounds to me like your compressor has automatic make up gain engaged. Check that out.

It might even be impossible to turn it off. Certain limiters (Like the L3) have automatic make-up gain by default.

What kind of compressor is it?
 
Is this your compressor?

ZlYsrZ5.png


As Rami have said , is the auto gain set to off such as the image here?
 
I checked that. Auto gain is off - and yes, that's the compressor. I know about the L3s etc - but particularly with the logic multipressor - the volumes increase as the ratio is increased. . . ?
 
3.jpg


The multipressor has multiple gain options, one for the whole (total) signal output and multiple "Gain Make Up" knobs for each band.

If the Autogain (for the total volume in the right-up corner of the screen) is set to off, then check out if the multipressor is changing automatically the separate gain controls, when adjusting the ratio.
I see no other other reason for the volume to be changed without you doing it. I rarely trust auto make up gains on compressors (except the L1, L2, L3 limiters which have a perfect auto make up function).

Most of the time disable every "auto make up" thing you may see, and adjust the gain by yourself.

If it still nothing works, it's either faulty, cracked or just the way it's been created, so go get a different multiband compressor and
avoiding wasting your time on a plugin that reduces your time instead of enhancing your workflow :D
 
Haha - good advice. I will do as you suggested. Thanks.
 
Let's make sure we're all talking the same language. When you say "the threshold is increased", are you sure you mean "increased"? Or do you mean "decreased"? If you're actually increasing the threshold, the signal SHOULD get louder. If you're bringing it down (decreasing), then that's another story.

EDIT: Sorry, my bad. You didn't say anything about the threshold. You're talking about the ratio. Forget what I said above, it's irrelevant.
 
Mark Sparkle said:
I thought increasing the ratio reduces the peaks by the stated amount?
Click to expand...
OK, I'm sort of nit-picking, but just for the sake of accuracy, that's not true. When you have your ratio at 4:1 (for example), it's not reducing the peaks by 4 db. What it's doing is, when the signal goes 4db's over the threshold, it only allows 1db to get through. At 3:1, when the signal goes 3db over the threshold, it allows 1 db to go through, etc...

This has nothing to do with your original problem, but might be good to know for future reference.
 
Some comps automatically change the threshold as you change ratio. So if you were to say increase the ratio to get it to dig deeper for example, it wont. Gee thanks.
Don't know that would do what you're describing here though.

(Sorry that was a poor analogy there; 'ratio wouldn't 'dig deeper'.. How about 'harder' ;)
 
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