Manual: Compressor Plugin

Compressor plugin window

The Compressor plugin reduces the dynamic range of audio signals by automatically lowering the volume of loud sounds and optionally adjusting the overall gain of the compressed signal. Compressors are an essential tool for achieving consistent volume levels, adding punch to drums, and removing peaks in the signal.

Parameters

Gain

• Sets the final output gain. Use this for example to compensate for volume reduction caused by compression.
• Range: -60 dB to +60 dB

Attack

• Determines how quickly the compressor responds to signals that exceed the threshold. Faster attack times (lower values) immediately act on loud transients, while slower attack times allow more of the initial transient to pass through before compression begins.
• Range: 0.01ms to 500ms

Release

• Controls how quickly or slowly the compressor recovers from compressing the signal after the signal drops below the threshold again. Fast release times restore the signal quickly but may cause undesired pumping effects, while slow release times provide smoother compression but may over-compress subsequent sounds.
• Range: 50ms to 3,000ms

Threshold

• When the signal level is above the threshold, the signal will be compressed according to the ratio setting. Lower threshold values mean more of the signal will be compressed, while higher values only compress the loudest peaks.
• Range: -60 dB to 0 dB

Ratio

• Determines the amount of compression applied to signals above the threshold. A ratio of 1:1 means no compression, while higher ratios provide more aggressive compression. A ratio of x:1 means that for every x dB above the threshold, the compressor increases the output by 1 dB.
• Range: 1:1 to 100:1

Predelay

• Introduces a small delay between when the compressor “looks” at the input signal to determine whether it is above the threshold or not, and when it applies them to the output signal. This allows the compressor to “look ahead” and begin compression slightly before loud transients occur, resulting in more consistent compression of fast attacks.
• Range: 0ms to 4ms