Gain Staging With Compressor/limiters, Auto boost in level when plug-in engaged? Options

[corsi617]

I'm currently working in Logic X. I love the P&M compressors and limiters, however there seems to be a trend that as soon as I apply a plug-in as an insert into my chain, there is a 2dB - 3dB increase in level going through the plug-in. This is at the default setting with no compression or limiting applied. I then have to take the Trim back 2dB - 3B to make it even.

However, the more I increase compression/limiting, the gain gets louder. It's almost as if there is an auto gain setting, but it goes beyond what it should be.

Because of this, I never have to reach for the Make Up knob because its already too loud.

Maybe those Make Up knobs could default at 12:00 allowing the user to increase or decrease the output instead sort of like the Trim knob?

This post has been edited by corsi617: Aug 12 2014, 11:17 PM

[Nick]

I'm currently working in Logic X. I love the P&M compressors and limiters, however there seems to be a trend that as soon as I apply a plug-in as an insert into my chain, there is a 2dB - 3dB increase in level going through the plug-in. This is at the default setting with no compression or limiting applied. I then have to take the Trim back 2dB - 3B to make it even.

However, the more I increase compression/limiting, the gain gets louder. It's almost as if there is an auto gain setting, but it goes beyond what it should be.

Because of this, I never have to reach for the Make Up knob because its already too loud.

Maybe those Make Up knobs could default at 12:00 allowing the user to increase or decrease the output instead sort of like the Trim knob?

Hello corsi617,

It is a bit strange that there would be a boost in level with the P&M compressors and limiters. There should be no change if there is no compression or limiting.

As you probably know once we apply compression or a limiter we have to make up the overall level as it drops as the compression lowers the levels overall.

I will take a look at this and get back to you.

Are you noticing the level reading on the channel or on the master when the track is soloed?

Best Regards,

Nick

[corsi617]

Thanks, Nick.

As quick test to be sure it wasn't my ears, I used the test oscillator plug-in in Logic X and generated white noise at -12dBFS. On my channel and main output meter is shows up correctly and level sits at -12.

When I insert, for example, the Retro Compressor, the meter in Logic X then jumps louder to -9dBFS. It is audible as well. This is just putting the compressor into the signal chain without modifying the settings. In order to equal the level again, I have to cut the Trim by -1.5 dB to get the main output level back to -12.

In theory, this would be a workable fix, however, when compression is added with a very fast attack, the output then increases again, as if some kind of auto gain is on.

For example, if I leave the attack setting all the way left at 0.20 ms and increase the compression to - 3 dB gain reduction, the main output then comes back up to -9 dBFS. But here's whats strange, when I increase compression even more, say to -5 dB and beyond, the level then starts to reduce as you normally would expect. Its almost as if there is a bump. This can also be achieved by setting the attack all the way to the right, applying -3 dB gain reduction, then sweeping the attack all the way to the left. Its more apparent to see the level increase as the attack moves faster.

One of the reasons I love the Retro Compressor so much is the way it smashes with the very fast attack. If that's a result of the volume increase buggy thing, then maybe its a good thing and shouldn't be fixed!

This post has been edited by corsi617: Aug 14 2014, 03:44 PM