Release timing, 6 release timing – Sonnox Oxford Limiter User Manual
Page 11
6 RELEASE TIMING
6 Release Timing
The
RELEASE
control has a very wide range to accommodate
the maximum possible extent of programme
and production style. The ability to set very fast
release times specifically allows for the modelling
of short-term peaks over restricted gain reduction
ranges, up to a maximum of around 4dB.
Such settings will result in high levels of distortion
for larger gain reduction ranges, and are therefore
unsuitable for overall level control situations.
The
AUTO GAIN function can be used very
effectively to compensate for large level changes,
while still allowing fast peak modelling for shorter peak events, as the
ATTACK and
RELEASE controls are permanently functional. So it is a good idea to keep AUTO GAIN
selected under most circumstances.
Generally speaking, faster release times produce the greatest perceived loudness, since
gain recovery happens quickly after peak events have passed, and average programme
levels are affected only during the shortest possible periods. However, since the gain
recovery can begin to occur between the waveform peaks of lower frequencies in the
programme, there is a trade off to be made between the speed of release and the
generation of distortion. Such distortion may be desirable under many conditions,
particularly in loud popular music productions, where some low frequency harmonics may
add warmth and presence to the programme. Adjusting release timing over a wide range
provides a method to ‘tune’ these effects to suit the production style.
Longer release times are far more forgiving of gain changes, and allow greater overall
compression, but will result in a quieter sounding output programme.
If the
AUTO GAIN function is not selected moderate release time settings (above around
0.2 seconds) may produce audible gain ‘pumping’ due to longer and more noticeable
recovery periods. If such settings are needed the aim becomes one of ‘fitting’ the release
timing to the natural rhythm of events in the programme. Under these conditions better
results may be achieved by increasing the input gain somewhat thereby compressing
further and applying the Soft Knee function in order to compress gently over an increased
portion of the dynamic range. In this way the transition in and out of compression will