Antares TA-1VP Manuale Utente

Examine the 99:1 curve in the above graph. This setting 

reduces all sounds above the threshold to the same 

loudness. This is called limiting. Limiting is usually 

employed to allow a dynamic signal to be recorded at a 

maximum level with no risk that transient peaks will result 

in overload. In this application, the threshold setting 

(usually set relatively high) determines the extent to 

which the peaks will be limited.

Sometimes, it is desirable to increase the difference 

between the quietest signal and the noise in a recording 

by using a downward expander. A typical application 

would be eliminating room noises and breath sounds that 

can be heard between the phrases of a recorded vocal 

part.
The graph below shows the curveÉ<or a downward 

expander. Notice that above the threshold, the curve 

follows a 1 to 1 ratio (i.e., is unaffected by the gate). For 

each unit of input change below the threshold the output 

changes by two units. This is called a 1 to 2 expansion 

ratio.
As the input signal drops below the threshold, its output 

level drops at twice the rate it would using a 1 to 1 ratio. 

In effect, sounds below the expander threshold are “faded 

out” more quickly than they would be normally.

OUTPUT

LEVEL

INPUT LEVEL

LOUDER

LOUDER

THRESHOLD

1 TO 2 EXPANSION RATIO

1 TO 1 RATIO

When expanders use ratios higher than 1:10, sounds 

below the threshold are faded out very rapidly. This effect 

is called gating and can sound very abrupt. Adjusting the 

gate ratio can smooth out the abrupt change. The graph 

below shows the input/output curve for a typical gate.

OUTPUT

LEVEL

INPUT LEVEL

LOUDER

LOUDER

THRESHOLD

1 TO 99 EXPANSION RATIO

1 TO 1 RATIO

Sounds that are louder than the threshold get “through 

the gate” unchanged. Sounds that are below the 

threshold are not heard. Gates can be used to great 

effect in processing drum tracks where sounds from the 

other instruments in the drum set leak through the mike 

of the instrument being recorded. Gates are also used 

frequently to “gate off” a reverb tail or the ringing from an 

insufficiently damped drum head.

The TA-1VP allows you to use both compression and 

expansion simultaneously. This ability is useful in taming 

the typical problems that arise when processing vocal 

tracks. The graph below illustrates the use of compression 

with a downward expanding gate.

OUTPUT

LEVEL

INPUT LEVEL

LOUDER

 GATE THRESHOLD

 COMPRESSOR THRESHOLD

1 TO 99 EXPANSION RATIO

4 TO 1 RATIO

Using this setting, levels above the compressor threshold 

will be compressed at a 4 to 1 ratio. Levels below the 

compressor threshold but above the gate threshold will 

not be changed. Levels below the gate threshold will be 

gated out completely.