Omnia Audio Omnia.9/XE - Manual (Page 55)

To un-protect a preset, return to the Preset Protection menu, enter your password, click on “OK,” and then
on “Unlock Preset.”
Downward Expanders Menu
The Downward Expanders menu allows you to control the maximum gain reduction (downward
expansion) for all bands in the Downward Expanders section as well as the threshold, attack and release
speeds for each individual band. The total number of bands available in the Downward Expanders section
is determined by the number of bands of processing used in the Current Preset.
The Downward Expanders operates in a manner similar to a traditional “noise gate,” and is useful for
reducing unwanted background noise from less-than-perfect program material or from a noisy studio
environment. The ratio of these expanders is 2:1.
• The Maximum Gain Reduction control determines the greatest amount of gain reduction for all
available bands.
• The Threshold control for each band sets the point at which downward expansion begins. The
range of this control is from -90 to 0dB. The Threshold (Coupled) control allows all bands to be
adjusted simultaneously by an identical amount.
• The Attack control determines the speed with which the Downward Expanders act to reduce gain
in each band when the program audio falls below the threshold. Lower settings provide slower
attack speeds, while higher settings result in faster attack speeds.
• The Release control determines the speed with which the Downward Expanders act to return gain
to each band when the program audio rises above threshold. Lower settings provide slower release
speeds, while higher settings result in faster release speeds.
Input AGC Menu
The Input AGC Menu is used to set the ratio, maximum gain, attack rate, release rate, target, gate
threshold, freeze threshold, and sidechain equalizer controls.
The Input AGC is the first gain control stage in Omnia.9/XE following Undo, and is designed to be used as
a slower-acting leveler ahead of the Wideband AGC1 and multiband compressor sections that follow it.
It is worth noting that traditional processors only act upon audio above a particular threshold. They are
driven into various amounts of gain reduction, but once the audio falls below the threshold, they “run out
of room” or “top out,” and are incapable of increasing the audio any further. They require some sort of
make-up gain control later in the audio chain. The compressors in Omnia.9/XE operate above AND below
threshold, controlling the dynamics over a much wider range and do not require makeup gain.
The Station Menu - Processing Menu
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