Sonnox Oxford Inflator - Manual (Page 8)

2.6 MixingwiththeOxfordInflator 2 OPERATION
soft portions of the programme, with a minimum of intermodulation effect. The sonic
character has a much enhanced warmth and harmonic detail, adding presence and
texture to instruments, especially in the low frequency register. The highs and peaks in
the programme are softened in character without loss of apparent presence, attack or
‘bite’. Occasional peak programme overloads are softened and become less intrusive and
can therefore be tolerated more readily. With the CURVE control in this position, the
Inflator produces a gentle and forgiving behaviour, which has many aspects in common
with the character of good valve amplification systems, including a natural tolerance to
overload conditions. For example, when used in direct mode (band splitting de-selected)
with CLIP 0dBr selected and the EFFECT level set to 100%, even clipped programme
signals can be rendered musical in nature. This can be used to produce artistic distortion
effects on single instruments within a mix or produce dynamic ‘breaking up’ effects, much
like that possible with valve amplifiers. Or you may just want to obtain an overall valve-like
character and warmth to the sound.
At positions between 0 and +50 the CURVE control provides increasing ‘fatness’ and
volume enhancement at the partial expense of dynamic precision, producing the loudest
and most exciting effects at +50. In this position the sound becomes most powerful with
a harmonic profile reminiscent of systems under great stress and running to their very
limits. The music will take on an ‘in your face’ quality, creating the maximum excitement
yet fine detail and subtleties within the mix will be retained. Despite rendering the signal
significantly louder, the impression of considerable dynamic range is retained even though
the output peak level range is largely unchanged. The low level and background parts of
the mix will become enhanced and more audible and extreme LF contributions from
instruments such as basses will stand out more readily on smaller reproduction systems.
Programme treated with this process will produce louder sounds on all reproduction
equipment, and in particular it will produce unsuspected volume and power from small
domestic and portable systems.
2.6 MixingwiththeOxfordInflator
The Inflator can bring added benefit to the mixing process if it is inserted on the main
output buss throughout the mixing session. In this case it is possible to use the valve-like
harmonic characteristics and the extra overload area to greater advantage, because these
form part of the sound of the mix as it is built up. In some respects this process is
reminiscent of analogue mixing where line-up operating levels may be breached by
transients without actual signal clipping, and the sonic character of the signal chain is to
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