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audacious compressor settings

Added by Bran Berg about 10 years ago

I'm using Audacious 3.4.3 on Lubuntu, and I don't understand the compressor settings.
There are only 2 parameters: "center volume", and "dynamic range", and they are by default on 0.5.
Center volume can go from zero up to 1, and dynamic range can go up to 3.
But what does that all mean exactly? What do those settings do?
I know what a compressor is, and what it does, but I cannot understand this one.
I cannot find an explanation anywhere, and it's very different from another compressor that I have used.
Thanks


Replies (2)

RE: audacious compressor settings - Added by John Lindgren about 10 years ago

"Center volume" should be set to the average peak level of the track you're playing. The default 0.5 means 50% of the available digital range [1] and is probably good for most tracks.

"Dynamic range" is the degree to which other volumes will vary from the center volume. If you set it to 1.0, the plugin will not change the audio at all. If you set it to less than 1.0, quiet sections of the track will be made louder while loud sections will be made quieter. If you set it to more than 1.0, quiet sections of the track will be made quieter still while loud sections will be made louder still.

Some examples:

Center volume 0.5, dynamic range 0.5 (compression):
  • A 0 dB sound will be played at -3 dB.
  • A -6 dB sound will be played at -6 dB.
  • A -12 dB sound will be played at -9 dB.
Center volume 1.0, dynamic range 2.0 (expansion):
  • A 0 dB sound will be played at 0 dB.
  • A -6 dB sound will be played at -12 dB.
  • A -12 dB sound will be played at -24 dB.

[1] in linear terms, or roughly -6 dB where 0 dB is the full digital range

RE: audacious compressor settings - Added by Bran Berg about 10 years ago

Thanks John, now I see how it works.

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