Waves Audio C1 Compressor Setup Guide

Setup Guide

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 ........................................... Introduction .... 2

Chapter 2 .................................. Basic Use of Setups .... 7

Chapter 3 .......................Basic Dynamic Processors .. 15

Chapter 4 .......................................... Simple Setups .. 21

Chapter 5 ...........................................Compression .. 26

Chapter 6 .................................C1 Noise Reduction .. 31

Chapter 7 ..................................................DeEssers .. 38

Chapter 8 ............................................... Enhancers .. 43

Chapter 9 ..........................................Keying Setups .. 50

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

Chapter 1 - Introduction

The Setups Library’s purpose

The C1 at heart is simply a compressor and expander/gate with some added filters, but its unique design, evolved through many years of experience and refinement, makes it a versatile tool for any number of specialized and useful audio processing tasks. Moreover, its performance at most of these tasks is state-of-the-art, either comparable to or superior to dedicated professional products available elsewhere. Many of the tasks it can do are unique to the C1.

The C1 Setups Library allows the C1 to be configured to become any of a number of dedicated processors. The Library consists of a variety of setup files, each of which when loaded turn the C1 into a specialized problem solver or creative tool.

What can you do with the C1?

Among the tasks the C1 can perform using the setups library are the following, with relevant setups and their chapters listed:

• Conventional high-level compression

Chapter 3: C1 Classic Compressor/Gate

C1 Classic Compressor/Expander Chapter 5: C1 HLcompress + DeHiss Chapter 8: C1 HLcompress+bass/treb enhance

C1 HLcompress+treble enhance

• Conventional Low level expansion

Chapter 3: C1 Classic Compressor/Expander Chapter 4: C1 EQ + LLexpander

C1 Multimedia Speech 2

• Versatile conventional gating

Chapter 3: C1 Classic Compressor + Gate

C1 Classic DeEsser + Gate Chapter 4: C1 Multimedia Speech 1

• De-esser - reducing excessive speech or vocal sibilance

Chapter 3: C1 Classic DeEsser + Gate Chapter 7 - all setups

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

• Noise reducers - reducing background noises

Chapter 5: C1 HLcompress + DeHiss Chapter 6 - all setups Chapter 7: C1 De-Ess + De-Hiss 1

C1 De-Ess + EQ + De-Hiss 2 C1 De-Hiss + EQ + De-Ess 3 C1 De-Hiss + EQ + De-Ess 4

• De-reverberation - reducing the audible effect of room reverberation, especially on speech

Chapter 5: C1 Compressor + De-Reverb

• Hiss removal

See Noise Reducers above

• Rumble removal

Chapter 6: C1 Rumble Reducer

C1 High-pass filter

• Mid-level compressor - making sounds louder without compressing the dynamics of loud sounds

Chapter 4: C1 Multimedia Speech 1

C1 Multimedia Speech 2 Chapter 5: C1 Compressor + De-Reverb Chapter 8: C1 MLcompress+bass/treb enhance

C1 MLcompress+treble enhance

• Low level detail enhancer - bringing up the level of quiet sounds to make them more clearly audible

Chapter 4: C1 EQ + LLcompressor Chapter 7: C1 De-Ess + LLcompress Chapter 8: all setups

• Spectral enhancers - giving sounds more depth, brightness or impact without the unpleasant side effects of conventional equalization or the harshness and artificiality of some commercial enhancers.

Chapter 8: all setups

• Dynamic equalization - permitting a sound to be equalized in different ways at different sound levels, giving effects impossible with a simple equalizer.

Chapter 8: all setups

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

• Speech/Vocal intelligibility enhancer - makes speech and vocals more clearly audible under difficult listening conditions without sounding artificial under ideal conditions

Chapter 8: C1 Speech Enhancer

• Louder multimedia files - allows optimum sound quality to be obtained even from 8 bit 22 kHz multimedia files without “squeezing the life out of” the original sound file.

Chapter 4: C1 Multimedia Speech 1

C1 Multimedia Speech 2

• Ducking of one signal keyed by another

Chapter 9: C1 Ducking 1

C1 Ducking 2

• Gating of one signal keyed by another

Chapter 9: C1 Keyed Gate

• Expansion of one signal keyed by another - ideal for creating convincing rhythmic tracks out of any continuous sound effect.

Chapter 9: C1 Keyed Expander

• Duck-EQ - keyed ducking within a frequency band of one signal keyed by another, to allow space to be created in a mix when several sounds conflict in the same frequency band.

Chapter 9: C1 Ducked EQ 1

C1 Ducked EQ 2

• Creative keyed equalization of one signal by another, allowing the dynamics of a key signal to alter the sound of a second signal

Chapter 9: C1 Keyed EQ Expander

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

Combinations of effects

Also, the C1 allows one-pass real-time preview and processing of many combinations of two or even three effects at the same time, for example allowing you to compress a sound file and at the same time to remove side-effects such as increased audibility of noise or room reverberation. These combined effects include:

• Compressor + Low-level expander

Chapter 3: C1 Classic Compressor + Expander Chapter 4: C1 Multimedia Speech 2

• Compressor + gate

Chapter 3: C1 Classic Compressor + Gate Chapter 4: C1 Multimedia Speech 1

• Compressor + equalizer

Chapter 4: C1 EQ + LLcompressor

C1 Compressor + EQ

• Equalizer + Gate

Chapter 4: C1 EQ + Gate

• compressor + noise reducers

Chapter 5: C1 HLcompress + DeHiss

• expander + de-hissing

Chapter 6: C1 Noise Reducer

• compressor + de-hissing

Chapter 5: C1 HLcompress + DeHiss

• compressor + de-esser

Chapter 7: C1 Compressor + DeEsser 1

• compressor + enhancer

Chapter 8: C1 HLcompress+bass/treb enhance

C1 HLcompress+treble enhance C1 MLcompress+bass/treb enhance C1 MLcompress+treble enhance

• De-Esser + gate

Chapter 3: C1 DeEsser+ Gate

• Enhancer + gate

Chapter 8: C1 Bass/treb enhance+Gate

C1 Treble enhance + Gate

• compressor + de-reverberation

Chapter 5: C1 Compressor + De-Reverb

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

In most cases, the compression may either be of conventional high-level type, including limiting, or mid level compression leaving the dynamics of the loudest parts of sounds unaffected, but bringing up quieter details.

On using setups

All the setups in this library should be treated as starting points. You will always have to adjust the setups for use with each individual sound file, to match its loudness, spectral content, dynamics, and specific problems it suffers from, as well as the specific results you desire.

For your convenience this manual describes for each setup which controls are most useful and how they should be adjusted to achieve the desired effect. The actual adjustment uses your skill as a listener to decide the most satisfactory effect, and suggestions and hints are for guidance, not limitations on your creativity or skill.

The guidance for each setup describes not just its purely technical use but a little about what kind of effects and side-effects can be expected so that the user can listen for these and make a judgement as to the best trade-off in any particular case.

In many setups you may in particular have to adjust the output gain to prevent overload clipping on particular signals, due to transient overshoots etc. Instructions on how to prevent overload clipping are given in section 2.5 (Output level and clipping) of this manual.

In all setups, you have the option of using or not using lookahead. This will not affect the basic functionality of any setup but may affect fine details of sounds. For further details on the effects of lookahead see the C1 User’s Guide section on Lookahead and section 2.6 (Lookahead) of this manual.

This manual is divided into a number of chapters, several of which are devoted to setups performing a particular kind of task.

These specialized chapters may be considered almost as product manuals in their own right, devoted to describing the use of a specialized “product” obtained when the C1 is loaded with a particular kind of setup.

There is however, considerable overlap between chapters, because many of the setups in effect involve two processing effects working together, so that some degree of cross-reference between chapters is necessary when the “other” effect belongs to another chapter.

In using this setups Library manual, it is assumed that you have the basic skills in using the C1 found in the WaveSystem Plug-in General Controls chapter of the C1 User’s Guide. If not, please review this chapter!

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

Chapter 2 - Basic Use of Setups

Quick tour of the C1

This section is not a substitute for the C1 User’s Guide, but simply an overview that may be found useful in using the setups library, since extensive reference is made to the module structure of the C1 in setups descriptions.

The C1 user interface is divided into the main areas shown in the above figure.The C1 user interface is divided into the main areas shown in the above figure.

The C1 user interface is divided into the main areas shown in the above figure.

The C1 user interface is divided into the main areas shown in the above figure.The C1 user interface is divided into the main areas shown in the above figure.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

These areas are:

Two dynamics processing modules, and their controls and metering:

• The Comp/Exp (“Compressor/Expander”) module This acts as a compressor or an expander (which may operate at low, middle or high input levels). It includes two bar meters to monitor respectively gain reduction (in red) or increase (in yellow), and input dynamics control level (in blue). The various buttons and Value Windows control the operating parameters, as described by the captions, and in detail in the main C1 User’s Guide.

• The Gate/Exp (“Gate/Expander”) module This acts as a Gate, or a low-level (downward) expander or low-level compressor. It includes two bar meters to monitor respectively gain reduction (in red) or increase (in yellow), and input dynamics control level (in blue). The various buttons and Value Windows control the operating parameters, as described by the captions, and in detail in the main C1 User’s Guide.

• A filter module, including graphical display of filter responses This filter module may be used to equalize just the control sidechains of the dynamics processor, or to split the audio into two bands only one of which is dynamically processed, or any combinations of the two. Filter type, frequency and Q buttons and Values Windows are provided for filter adjustment. A graphical display shows the frequency responses of the “active” filter band in red, and the complementary “passive” band of the bandsplit in blue. The filters may also be adjusted by clicking and dragging the cross-marker on the graph.

• An input/output (I/O) graphical display of dynamic signal levels This displays the way the output level of the two dynamics modules (yellow for the Comp/Exp module, light blue for the Gate/Exp module) varies with input level, and shows the moment-by-moment variations of level on the graph itself. The triangular grab markers below the graph display, and can be used to adjust, the threshold settings of the two dynamics modules by clicking and dragging.

• An input and output signal level control and monitoring area

• A number of controls for saving, loading, copying and altering setups

• Controls for previewing and processing sound files

• A title bar indicating name of loaded setup

• An IDR button for optimizing digital resolution at the 16 or 20 bit wordlength.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

This includes an output level slider, input level controls for left and right channels (which are normally left at 0 dB unless alterations in balance are required), peak-reading output level meters for the 2 stereo channels, and buttons to switch between normal stereo operation and keyed operating modes, and a monitor button to allow auditioning either of the processed audio or of the sidechain or passive bandsplit signal band signals for setting up purposes.

Detailed instructions on the use of controls are given in the main C1 User’s Guide.

Controls which are recommended for use with setups below are indicated within the text in bold typeface.

Loading setups

Place the setup files you wish to use in one (or more) folder of your choice. We shall call this folder the C1 setups folder, but you may choose any other names, and any location on your hard (or other) disc(s) you wish.

Please be sure to keep safety copies of all setup files in the setups Library in another location (e.g. on a floppy disc) so that you have the original setup files in case you accidentally alter the ones in the C1 setups folder(s).

To load the setup you wish to use, click on the Load button, and select the setup file you wish to use, and either click on the Open button or double click on the setup file name. The setup name will appear at the top of the C1 window, and all buttons, Value Windows and graphical displays will be set up to the pre-set settings in that setup.

You may load two setups in the C1 at a time. The SetupA/SetupB button may be clicked to change from one of these setups to the other. If you load a setup in the setup B position, this will not affect the setup loaded into the setup A position, or vice-versa. This is useful for making quick switched A/B comparisons between two different setups, for example to check whether one sounds better than another.

The name of the last setup loaded or copied into or saved from Setup A or Setup B will be displayed in the title bar at the top of the C1 window.

Making use of Setups

Once you have loaded a setup, you may alter the value or setting of any control on the C1 in the manner described in the main C1 User’s Guide.

In most setups, certain controls are important in adjusting the effects and other controls should not normally be used. In the instructions for each setup, the controls that may be adjusted are indicated in bold type.

The simplest way to develop new customized setups for your own use is to modify the values of controls from a single setup in the Setups Library. However, there is another way of compiling new setups from existing ones, i.e. editing by copying and pasting controls settings from one setup to another. Editing allows you to take “bits and pieces” from different setups and incorporate then all into a single new setup. This, for example, you can take some or all of the Comp/Exp module button and Value Window settings from a first setup, some or all of the Gate/Exp module button and Value Window settings from a second setup, and some or all of the filter button and Value Window settings from a third setup.

Editing is most useful when the Comp/Exp and Gate/Exp modules are set up to do completely independent tasks. Then you can take one module from one setup and the other from another setup to compile a new combination setup. However, be warned that if both use the filter module (i.e. if neither are in Wideband EQ mode), this will only work if both use the same filter module setup. If either of the modules is in Wideband

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

mode, this will not be a problem.

You can do editing by compiling the setup you want in setup A and loading the setups you wish to edit from, one at a time, into setup B.

Hint: To save time, load the first setup you are compiling from straight into setup A. Then you do not have to paste its control settings from setup B to setup A.

Saving and Editing setups

After a setup has been altered, according to the instructions given and your judgement, you may wish to save it for future use on similar sound files. This is done by clicking the Save button. You will enter a dialog box which allows you select a folder in which to locate the setup, or even to create a new folder to save it in, according to the usual Apple conventions. You should type the name you wish to give the setup in the “Save file as:” window, and then click the Save button in the dialog box. After you have done this, the name of the setup in the title bar at the top of the C1 window will change to the new setup name.

Warning: Before saving a setup, ensure that the monitor button is in Audio mode, unless you specifically want the setup to load later in another monitor mode.

The simplest way to develop new customized setups for your own use is to modify the values of controls from a single setup in the Setups Library, or from previously prepared setups you may have. However, there is another way of compiling new setups from existing ones, i.e. editing. Editing allows you to take “bits and pieces” from different setups and incorporate then all into a single new setup. This, for example, you can take some or all of the Comp/Exp module button and Value Window settings from a first setup, some or all of the Gate/Exp module button and Value Window settings from a second setup, and some or all of the filter button and Value Window settings from a third setup.

You can do editing by compiling the setup you want in setup A and loading the setups you wish to edit from, one at a time, into setup B. To paste the settings of a number of control buttons, value widows and/or grab markers from setup B to setup A, proceed as in the following example.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1010

First, in setup B, select the desired buttons, Value windows and/or grab markers by click and holding down the mouse button at a point outside the desired controls (not in a button or Value Window!), and dragging the mouse to form a rectangle intersecting or including just the desired controls as shown in the following illustration for all the Comp/Exp module controls:

Letting go of the mouse button, you will have selected all controls intersected by the rectangle. Then press the c key on the keyboard (NOT control C !) to copy the control settings. Then switch to setup A by clicking the Setup A button, select the same controls as before by click and drag, and then press the v key on the keyboard (NOT control V!) to paste the control settings.

This completes the pasting operation.

You may switch back to setup B by clicking the setup B button, load a new setup from the setups Library into setup B, and paste control setting from another part of this setup into setup A by repeating the above procedure. And so on until you have compiled your new setup in setup A. Then you can save it if desired, or just use it for processing.

The same method can be used to compile a setup into setup B from setups loaded into setup A.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1111

Hint: To save time, load the first setup you are compiling from straight into setup A. Then you do not have to paste its control settings from setup B to setup A.

Output level and clipping

You may sometimes find on particular sounds that use of setups Library setups will cause clipping or overload distortion. Such clipping can be caused by excessive gains or from transient overshoots.

The internal processing in the C1 is designed so that clipping distortion cannot occur in the internal signal processing algorithm, so that the only risk of clipping comes from excessive output gain. Thus all you need do to prevent clipping is to reduce output gain appropriately.

Output meter showing ten clippings and with mouse positioned to reset the overload indication by clicking.

The windows above the output level meters show the number of overload clippings occurring during preview or during processing a file in red. They may be reset before a preview or processing by clicking on them. If, after processing, clipping is shown, you may wish to undo the processing and to re-do it with a lower output gain to prevent clipping, although one or two or very few clippings only may prove not to be audible.

The readings at the bottom of the output level meters shows the maximum peak level achieved during preview or processing. It may be reset before preview or processing by clicking on the meter itself. These readings are useful to allow increase in output level if the sound is undermodulated. If for example, the peak level shown in previewing or processing a file is -4.7 dBFS (relative to digital full scale) in the highest of the two channels, then you may increase the output level by say 4.6 dB without the re-processing of the file (after undoing previous processing) causing overload.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1212

However, be aware that the peak level occurring in processing a whole sound file may not be indicated during preview of just a limited segment of that file. You can check peak levels either by

(i) processing the file, and then undoing the processing after taking meter readings, or

(ii) clicking the playback button so that it is illuminated, and then playing the entire sound file under Sound

Designer II™, or at least all parts of the sound file which are loud enough to be expected to cause clipping problems.

Hint: Especially when using compression or limiting, you may find that transient peaks are reduced in level, often by 2 or 3 dB, if you process using Lookahead in Yes mode, rather than process without Lookahead. However, this can also subtly affect the sound, so use your judgement here as to whether this is desirable in your case.

Lookahead

The use of the lookahead button will not seriously affect any of the setups in the setups library and may be set to “Yes” or “No” as desired by the user.

To some users, the function of the lookahead button may seem mysterious, as it at first sight seems to do little. Internally, it delays the audio signals just enough to match inevitable delays required to derive the gain control signals used to alter signal gains in compression, expansion and gating. Most analog dynamic processors do not have lookahead. The C1 provides the option of simulating analog processing by switching lookahead out (i.e. the lookahead button displays No). With lookahead in (i.e. the lookahead button displays Yes), generally, the shape of compressed transients is better, with less overshoot (see the illustrations below), and there is less premature gating of initial transients such as sibilants or drumstick sounds.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1313

4 kHz test signal with sudden 20 dB step

Effect of compression on 4 kHz test signal without and with lookahead for limiting at threshold -30 dBFS with 5 msec attack time. Note the reduced overshoot of the transient. The effect is less extreme on most real world audio waveforms!

Thus in most situations, the processing is better behaved with lookahead, and setups in the setups library are loaded with lookahead.

However, the actual sound without lookahead is different - for example, transients often sound brighter if compressed without lookahead, so this may be preferred on the basis of sound. The initial gating of transients like short sibilant sounds may also sometimes be wanted to modify the sound - and again no lookahead would then be preferred.

Also, because lookahead starts modifying the sound slightly before the start of a transient, it can sometimes cause a subtle but noticeable “pre-echo” effect sounding like a slightly disturbing room echo, especially on high-quality speech. If this effect is audible, you may again prefer not to use lookahead.

As seen in the above waveform illustrations taken from Sound Designer II™, the time delays used to implement lookahead have no effect on the timing of processed files, which remain exactly synchronized to unprocessed files.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1414

Chapter 3 - Basic Dynamic Processors

Classic processors

This chapter describes a few setups that are what may be termed “classic” dynamic processors, the kind of basic workhorses used for most dynamic processing in the audio industry: the Compressor/Gate, Compressor/ Expander and DeEsser/Gate.

Classic Compressor and Gate

This is a classic (high-level) soft-knee compressor/limiter with a classic gate.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1515

Setup name: C1 Classic Compressor/Gate

The Comp/Exp module is here set up as a wideband high-level compressor, and the Threshold, Ratio, Attack and Release controls are conventional in use, provided that the ratio is kept within the range 1 to 50. Above a ratio of 20, the compressor acts as a soft-knee limiter. The Makeup gain allows extra gaiun to compensate for any loss of level due to the compressors reduction of high-level gain. The PDR (program-dependent release) allow the compressor to respond more rapidly to transients of limited duration, giving a faster release for short transients. The setting here is the duration in msec of transients for which the release time is more rapid. For morte sustained sounds of longer duration, the release time is that set by the Release control. PDR minimizes prolonged gain reductions caused by short transients.

For A/B comparisons of the processed with the original signal, the gain of the bypassed signal may be adjusted by using the bypass gain value window (below the bypass button) so that there is little audible gain change when switching between bypass in and out.

The Gate/Exp module is set to a classic fully-functioned gate. As loaded, the GateOpen and GateClose levels are pre-set 4 dB apart to minimize gate “chatter”. The hold control ensures a minimum gate on time which again helps prevent chatter. Attack and Release may be adjusted in the usual way. If it is desired to retain some of the background atmosphere during quiet passages, the floor control may be used to adjust the remaining signal level when the gate is “off ”.

The Compressor may be switched in or out by clicking on the Comp/Exp bypass button (over the Comp/Exp bar meters).

The Gate may be switched in or out by clicking on the Gate/Exp bypass button (over the Gate/Exp bar meters).

Classic Compressor and Expander

This is a classic (high-level) soft-knee compressor/limiter with a classic soft-knee 2:1 downward expander.

Setup name: C1 Classic Compressor/Expander

The compressor is identical to that in the previous setup, and used in the same way.

The Gate/Exp module is now in low-level (downward) expander mode. GateOpen controls the expander threshold. Attack and Release may be adjusted in the usual way. If it is desired to retain some of the background atmosphere during quiet passages, the floor control may be used to adjust the remaining signal level. The expander is a soft-knee 2:1 device, but the effective expansion ratio below threshold may be increased by using the “negative” polarity settings of the floor control (indicated by “N” after the dB indication in the floor window), with increased effective ratio as the floor setting moves between -100 N and -10 N.

The Compressor may be switched in or out by clicking on the Comp/Exp bypass button (over the Comp/Exp bar meters).

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1616

The expander may be switched in or out by clicking on the Gate/Exp bypass button (over the Gate/Exp bar meters).

Classic De-Esser and Gate

This is a classic de-esser with a classic gate.

Setup name: C1 Classic DeEsser + Gate

The Comp/Exp module here is used to implement a de-esser to reduce the level of high-level sibilants. This is implemented as a limiter responding to the level of an equalised sidechain signal in the “Ess” frequency band. The attack and release times are intentionally short to minimise the effect on the signal once an “Ess” sound is over. The degree of de-essing ixs adjusted by moving the threshold up or down. The only other controls used for deessing may sometimes be the frequency to tune the precise band of “Ess” frequencies.

The gate is identical to that in the C1 Classic Compressor/Gate setup above.

The De-Esser may be switched in or out by clicking on the Comp/Exp bypass button (over the Comp/Exp bar meters).

The Gate may be switched in or out by clicking on the Gate/Exp bypass button (over the Gate/Exp bar meters).

About Compression

Compression is the process of reducing the dynamic range of a sound, by altering the gain. So, for a given number of dB change of level at the input, a smaller number of dB change of level takes place at the output. The ratio

Input dB change Output dB change

is termed the compression ratio, so that if every 2 dB input change causes a 1 dB output change, the compression ratio is 2.

Conventional “hard knee” compressors normally have a constant compression ratio when the input signal rises above a user-preset “threshold level, but the C1 has a more sophisticated compression characteristic matched better to the way the ears hear sound, rather than to an abstract mathematical law. This is not only a “soft knee” law - designed to be neither too hard nor too soft, but involves other features allowing uses in different kinds of compression modes.

C1 Set-up Guide Manual

1717

+ 40 hidden pages

Waves Audio C1 Compressor Setup Guide

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual