Dynamics controls

On the left side of the main compressor panel sit the controls that shape the detection path feeding the compressor.

• The Threshold knob sets the side chain level above which gain reduction begins. Wrapped around the Threshold knob, the circular side-chain level meter displays the filtered, optionally stereo-linked signal that drives detection, and this live feedback makes dialing in a sensible Threshold value far easier.

• The Auto Threshold button (the AUTO label beside THRESHOLD) switches auto mode on and off. Once active, the threshold behaves in a level-independent way, so triggering on a given source at different input levels yields the very same amount of compression. This proves especially handy for dialog processing, for instance, where some passages run noticeably louder than others yet still demand the same kind of dynamic treatment.

  The instant you enable Auto Threshold, a Lock Auto Threshold button appears. When it is engaged, the current Auto Threshold value stays fixed as you step through presets.

• With the Audition Triggering button at the top left of the Threshold button, you can hear exactly which parts of the audio Grip 3 is reacting to and how much compression is happening. This is another aid for setting a fitting Threshold level, making sure Grip grabs the peaks that matter.
• The Ratio knob controls how much compression is applied. At a ratio of 10:1, only one dB of output above the threshold survives for every 10 dB of input above the threshold. Move the knob fully left (1:1) and no compression occurs at all. Move it fully right (infinity) and everything above the threshold is compressed away entirely, letting Grip act as a limiter.
• The Knee slider beneath the Threshold knob controls the 'roundness' of the compression around the threshold, ranging from 0 dB (hard knee) all the way to 72 dB (soft knee). A softer knee helps make the compression more gradual and transparent. At very soft knee values (> 60 dB) paired with a fast Attack setting, you can reach almost saturation-like results.
• The Range slider beneath the Ratio knob caps the maximum amount of gain change that can be produced. Contrast this with the Ratio slider, which instead scales the dynamics behavior.

Tips

• To dig deeper, read the Basic compressor controls article in our online Sonivex Learn tutorials.
• Rather than letting the incoming audio trigger the compressor, you can also drive it using the external side chain, a pulse locked to host tempo or MIDI. See Side chain section.
• The Threshold knob is reverse-linked with the Character Drive slider. That makes it simple to 'trade' compression for saturation in a single move.
• Given the nature of the Vari-Mu algorithm, adjusting the side chain level control (that is, feeding the compressor a hotter or softer signal) yields a markedly distinct result compared with shifting the threshold. Spend time exploring it, because it truly unlocks a broad palette of tonal colors.

Next: Time controls

See Also
Side chain section
Using Sonivex Grip 3