NewTek TriCaster 2 Elite (3 RU) - Manual (Page 187)

P a g e | 169
The vertical sliders attenuate or boost the tonal range centered on the frequency shown at the top. The
effect applied falls off gradually as sound draws closer to
neighboring frequencies on either side. Click
Reset to return all
sliders to 0dB.
Hint: Naturally, reducing or increasing the level of one or more
tonal bands affects the overall output level as well. This may call
for you to trim the main level setting for the affected input or
output.
C OMPRESSOR L IMITER
The Compressor/Limiter is capable of preventing clipping (see
Section 16.9.1) from unexpected peaks or transients, and making
talent sound better than they do in real life, bringing voices, music
and other audio sources into an optimal dynamic range.
Being able to do this independently for each output too is icing on
the cake, especially for Internet streaming, as it ensures correct
levels at any time.
T HRESHOLD
Sound above the set Threshold level will be compressed; the
amount of compression and the manner in which it is applied are
both dictated by the other settings.
R ATIO
A Ratio of 4:1 means that if input level is 4 dB over the threshold,
the output signal level after compression will be just 1 dB over the
threshold. The gain (level) is reduced by 3dB. Very high ratio
settings are the reason the word “limiter” is part of the title for this
feature.
The highest ratio setting will effectively reduce any signal that would rise above the threshold all the way
down to the threshold level (with the exception of a brief period during a sudden increase in source loudness,
as dictated by the
Attack setting).
A TTACK
Attack is also in milliseconds. The setting represents the amount of time it takes for the gain to change by a
specified amount.
It would not be grossly incorrect to think of this setting as changing the slope of a graph depicting how
aggressively the compressor pursues the target value (defined by applying the
Ratio setting to the amount
the signal surpasses the Threshold ). Shorter values are more aggressive, while longer values are more subtle
(and tend to be less noticeable to the audience).
R ELEASE
Release is like Attack in many ways but refers instead to the speed with which the compression effect is
removed as a source signal falls back on its own so that it no longer exceeds the Threshold .
Compressor … Limiter – what’s
the difference, anyway?
Compression and limiting are
not really different processes,
but rather a matter of degree
and perceived effect.
Compression, ideally, takes the
form of a subtle, almost
imperceptible modulation of the
sound level to bring it into a
more pleasing and convenient
range. A limiter is applied more
for the purpose of managing,
even
‘ crushing ’ , unwanted
spikes and transients.
That distinction aside, a limiter
is essentially just a compressor
set to a high ratio and, generally,
a fast attack time. Audio
engineers typically consider
‘compression’ with a ratio of
10:1 or more as ‘limiting’.