Compressor

• Select a Threshold and Ratio that provide the desired dynamic range reduction. A ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 is generally a good starting point for most situations and should not get you into too much trouble!
• Select a Knee value. A Knee of 5 dB is adequate to reduce distortion at the Threshold.
• Set the Attack and Release values. Moderate amounts of dynamic range gain reduction (a few dB) can use an attack time of 25 to 100 ms with a long release time about five times the attack time. With moderate compression, makeup gain is generally not required. High levels of dynamic range gain reduction (8 to 12 dB and beyond) work best with an attack time of 10 to 50 ms and a release time of at least ten times the attack time.
• Decide whether or not to use Auto Mode. With both moderate and high gain reduction, Auto Mode allows a wider range of attack and release settings without causing unwanted artifacts.
• Set the output makeup Gain. When a lot of dynamic range reduction is required, output makeup Gain is also required to restore the output level. The output meter is a good tool for setting the optimum headroom at the output.

tip: Keep in mind that the basic idea of a compressor is to reduce the dynamic range of a signal so that it fits a particular listening-environment or recording medium. The best approach to this calibration is a combination of using the graph, viewing the side-chain meter, and listening. Using all three functions gives the user an excellent understanding of what the compressor is doing.