Confused with my New DBX 266XL Compressor/Gate

[gethypedmusic]

I purchased this because I found it for dirt cheap and figured If i added it to my chain It would help for when I hit notes to loud. But I also figured it would help bring up the low vocals that I maybe didnt pronounce to well.

Does it actually boost the lower said vocals?

For 2 I knew i'd need it for performances when I did them so I couldnt pass up $40 on it.

Another thing im confused on is that it has an expander gate.... I researched for a few days about compression before i bought it but I don't know how to use the expander gate functioning part of it. Its just a threshhold and a ratio.

Can someone explain what that does.

I'm more used to just using Plug Ins for everything, but im not going to lie I always thought I had great takes RAW with no compression but some things were lower than others and some were higher so I looked more into compression to see how to do and use it, then I purchased this.

Any recommended starter settings for this thing?
I read Fast Attack, Fast Release, -4 to -8 Threshold and a 2:1 Ratio should keep me good and on track.



PS I also purchased this to add some "Color" to my vocals, My M audio Sputnik is so warm sometimes It feels so fake, but so clear that I love it. Hard to explain haha.

Thanks everyone

-HyPe

 

[Farview]

Does it actually boost the lower said vocals?

Well, technically it lowers anything that goes over the threshold. But since it turns down all the really loud bits, you can turn the overall level up. That's what the makeup gain is for. When you set the compression the way you want it, you turn up the makeup gain the same amount that the reduction meter is reading.

Another thing im confused on is that it has an expander gate.... I researched for a few days about compression before i bought it but I don't know how to use the expander gate functioning part of it. Its just a threshhold and a ratio.

Can someone explain what that does.

It's a noise gate. If you set the ratio all the way up, it won't pass any signal that is below the threshold. You can adjust the ratio so that it progressively opens as the signal approaches the threshold.

Any recommended starter settings for this thing?
I read Fast Attack, Fast Release, -4 to -8 Threshold and a 2:1 Ratio should keep me good and on track.

There are no generic starter settings. It is very dependant on what you are putting through it and what you are using it for (color or control).

For general use, medium attack and release is a good place to start. Fast attack and release times are used more for effect than dynamic range control. The threshold depends entirely on the signal level you are feeding it and the ratio depends on what you are trying to do.

I generally start with 4:1 on the vocals and set the threshold so the reduction meters reads -6db at the most. (more like bouncing between -2 and -4)

 

[mixsit]

..Does it actually boost the lower said vocals?

..Another thing im confused on is that it has an expander gate...

The compressor will only actively work on (reduce) signals above the threshold. As this reduces the final total output often you will add back gain at its out put to make up for that loss. But that isn't the same as saying it is turning the low parts up and down as an automatic function.
This will help some.
ftp://ftp.dbxpro.com/pub/PDFs/Manuals/English/dbx266XLManualA2.pdf
The gate is the opposite- turns down signal below that threshold. At high ratio it acts like 'on-off' -a 'gate. At low ratio it acts like a softer attenuator, like noise supression. Set low threshold and low ratio it acts on most or all of the signal and increases the dynamic range -an 'expander'.

 

[gethypedmusic]

Still just a little bit confusing but I think I get the jist of it! Appreciated! Thank you very much!