Behringer DSP1200P User Manual

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The parameters:
VARIATION: Bass Frequency: this parameter controls the maximum frequency of bass components to be

retained in the mix signal.
EDIT A: Gain:

adjusts the level of the output signal by +/-6 dB.

EDIT B: Bass Pan: adjusts the panorama of the low-frequency range.
EDIT C: Treble Pan: controls the stereo balance of the mix signal.

Compressor / Limiter

In broadcasting and recording studios signal levels often exceed the headroom of signal-processing devices

and must therefore be reduced in their dynamics to avoid distortion. This is done with compressors or limiters.

Although these devices perform similar functions they differ in one essential aspect:
Limiters limit signals abruptly above a certain threshold, while compressors provide a smooth control process

over a wider range. The limiter monitors the signal continuously and reduces its dynamics as soon as it

surpasses the threshold. Any signal level exceeding the threshold is immediately cut back to a safe value.
Compressors, too, monitor the program material and work with a threshold. However, they dont control the

signal abruptly as limiters do, but continuously. Once the signal has exceeded the threshold it is smoothly

reduced in level, independently of the amount of excess level. The compressor side-chain implemented in the

DSP1200P has a soft-knee characteristic.
The parameters:
VARIATION: Ratio: controls the ratio of input vs. output level for all signals surpassing the threshold. If set to

maximum, the DSP1200P works as a limiter.
EDIT A: Threshold: adjusts the compressor threshold from -60 dB to 0 dB.
EDIT B: Output gain: this parameter allows you to raise or lower the output signal in level by max. 24 dB.
EDIT C: Attack: the attack control determines the time the compressor needs to respond to signals that are

surpassing the threshold (5-200 ms).
EDIT D: Release: controls the time the compressor needs to restore the original level, once the signal has

dropped below threshold (50-500 ms).

In all dynamics algorithms the Mix function is disabled: because a compressor processes the

entire signal, any other operating mode would make no sense!
Expander

Many audio signals are limited in their dynamics by nature. For example, recordings made outdoors usually

suffer from a high level of background noise (traffic noise, wind, etc.). Guitar pick-ups, amplifiers, etc. can

produce high noise levels or other sounds that inevitably limit the dynamic range of the wanted signal. Back-

ground noise of this kind is inaudible as long as the level of the processed signal is considerably higher than

the noise floor and hence masks the interference noise.
Expanders are used to effectively enlarge the dynamic range of signals by attenuating signals with small

amplitudes, which also reduces the background noise level.
The parameters:
VARIATION: Ratio: this parameter determines the ratio of input vs. output levels for all signals below

threshold.
EDIT A: Threshold: adjusts the expander threshold within a range from -60 dB to 0 dB.
EDIT B: Output Gain: allows for raising/lowering the output signal by max. 24 dB.
EDIT C: Attack: controls the time the expander needs to respond to signals that are below threshold

(5-200 ms).

EDIT D: Release: sets the time the expander needs to restore the original signal level (1:1) (50-500 ms).

1. INTRODUCTION