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Why is it when i put audio through a lot of compressors
it gives me like a Milky Creamy Fat sound?

What makes the compressor circuit turn the audio to
the Milk and creame?

I put 4 compressors in series and i got more Milk and Cream
and Thick sound out of the audio but why?

I though compressors just squeezed the sound together?

Comments

AudioGaff Sun, 05/08/2005 - 14:18

4-compressors all working a little almost always sounds better than one compressor working a lot. When you use gear like that in series you are building and layering sound to create an overal tone. This can be good or bad depending on many variables.

What you call milk and cream are likely the artifacts of cheap compressors that are struggling to give high quailty non colored sound. The milk and cream outcome is likely at the expense of gving up detail, loss of hi-end, lack of depth and dimenision and a sloppy low end. But then there are times when that is what is exactly what is needed or desired.

Squeezing sound is only ONE thing compressors do. I use compressors all the time, and often in series as a form of eq and tone generators. Sometimes with very little to no compression.

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 14:52

i use the Dynacomp MXR compressors 2 before my MXR phase 90
and 2 Dynacomps MXR comprssors after the phaser and it gives
a very layered creamy milky silky Buttery thicknes to it why
is that?

How can a compressor function to make a audio signal thick
and layered ,layered to the point that its silky and buttery?

Guest Sun, 05/08/2005 - 15:29

jonnyc wrote: Content deleted by moderator.

Holy Moly Batman!
Pipe down! I get stressed too, but then I go hit the bong. Just like the President does! And Montel Williams, and Woody Haroldson, and Bill Clinton, and the Pope. Ohh that's right...they haven't uncovered that one.............YET

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 15:43

It has to do with the amount of time that the audio passes through when using multiple compressors. The few nanoseconds added actually contributes to the time/space continuum, similar to the flux capacitor. This combination of physics and chemistry takes the pico-electrons and "melts" them together in a new stereoisomeric pattern. Thus the creaminess. The milk is just a by-product.

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 15:54

whats a flux capacitor?

stereoisomeric pattern?

Even Just one MXR Dynacomp compressor really squeezes the
guitar sound this squeezing gives that creamy Buttery thickness
sound but most compressors don't do this?

Some compressors are transparent and add no colour this
MXR adds not colour but Thickness and very Layered making it
creamy and buttery why is that

If i put the MXR dynacomp on my tracks it thickens and makes
them very layered thick

Is it because of the Attack and its struggling to work hard
what is it that give that cheap compress that sound?

jonnyc Sun, 05/08/2005 - 15:58

he's jerkin your chain man, a flux capacitor is the time machine thing from back to the future the movie. not many people are taking you seriously on here. some compressors are better than others just like other equipment. that compressor must be ok cause thats pretty much what you want, i like my joe meek comps.

AudioGaff Sun, 05/08/2005 - 17:44

Yo walters, Assuming that your not a troll, use the search function here and on the net in general for specifics on what and how compressors work. It seems clear that at this point in time, that you need not worry about why, but to do what sounds best to you which has far more value. Knowing why isn't going to make any difference with those toys your using. It's hard to believe you can like or even hear milk and cream over all the noise those toys generate. Have fun with your toys. Leave the why and the details for the grown ups. You might find more specific info at your level at homerecording.com.

Someone move this to the budget forum...

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 18:34

AudioGaff what are the right term that im trying to say
about the Creamy Buttery Milky Thick that compressor
do only some compressor do that mostly the cheap ones
can you enlighten me so i know what i can go for because
i have recording book and went online and i can't find info
of this functionality about this what am i missing ?

AudioGaff Sun, 05/08/2005 - 18:53

What are you misssing? Education, skill and experience. Go get some. You aint gonna learn it all in a few postings, or reading one book or one or two websites. You very likely will need to take a great deal of time to read many books, websites, and spend hundreds of hours gaining experience using professional, or at least semi-professional tools. Only then will know the power for the force, uhhh, I mean source.

Now be a good boy, and go do your homework. You got a lot of catching up to do if you want to hang with the adults. If you still can't catch a clue, hire a tutor. Most of us don't have the time to baby sit...

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 19:01

AudioGaff but do you know what i am talking about
about this function of the compressor what is the right
terms for this what im saying and do you know what i am
explain myself better for this function of the compressor more

You said you can use the EQ are a Tone generator how do you
do this ?

Is the squeezing effect what makes the creamy buttery thick
sound what is it please?

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 21:07

Well i know the compressor is a peak detector , comparator ,
and a VCA to control the gain but i been looking at the
schematics of each studio compressors and they all are different
so the funtionality is going to be different on each one.
The RC time constant of the Attack and Decay Release times
are all different mostly a big difference in time constants
it get that layered sound its the FLAVORS of the compressor
different MODES and flavors of them

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 21:12

Im still wondering what the other guy said about a compressor
as a tone generator some positive feedback to make it
oscillate into a tone generator
Or he must mean just using it as a passive circuit letting the
audio flow through it and add some Colouration and using the
compressor as a EQ.

Most compressors are transparent and don't add colour depends
on the design

But other compressors have different time constants which make
the FLAVORS i think

Im not sure right now about how to use the compressor as
a EQ i guess just let the signal just flow through it and the
design and circuitry of the active and passive components
would give it a VOICE and TONE to it .

jonnyc Sun, 05/08/2005 - 21:14

Hey walters this is from tweaks guide on tweakheadz.com this may tell you your problem. and by the way what tracks do you use a compressor?

On it's way to the recording device, you can patch a compressor/ limiter/gate. The Gate simply cuts out any audio below a certain threshold so that any hiss or noise coming from your synths or mixer is eliminated before the music starts. The limiter keeps your peaks under a certain fixed level and will not let them go higher. A Compressor is a volume slope applied to the audio material going through it. It can amplify the "valleys" and attenuate the "peaks". Essentially compression reduces the dynamic range we have just struggle to achieve in our mix. You might wonder why you would want that. In many circumstances, you don't want it. However, in the majority of cases you will find it useful, especially if you want your music to be "hot", "have punch" "be as loud as possible", or have the consistency of a radio mix. The stereo compressor also helps balance the song and give it a uniform character we are so used to hearing in commercial music. It essentially gives you the strongest and smoothest mix and calms down some of the 'jaggged edges' that might disturb the casual listener. However, it is also very easy to make a mix totally lifeless with a compressor and reduce its dynamic power. What started as a powerful orchestral arrangement can end up a wimpy piece of Mall Muzak so be careful and bypass it frequently to make sure you like what you are tweaking up. I think compression works well to attenuate that occasional peak that rips through the roof of a digital audio recorder and ruins the track. Also if you have the cash for a fine analog tube compressor. or even a high quality compressor plugin, there is lots of magic you can do at this stage.

hope this helps.

anonymous Sun, 05/08/2005 - 21:29

Compressor is a volume slope applied to the audio material going through it. It can amplify the "valleys" and attenuate the "peaks".

Yes i have notice that the compressors do have Volume Slopes
from the time constants this is very important to create
different WAVEFORMS because if you put in a square wave into
a compressor it can put slopes and curves on the edges of the
square wave and now the output is not a square wave its a
different waveform

A compressor is very complex it can be used as a EQ or a
Waveform manipulator or to Thicken your sound and etc.
the pumping and breathing function which is cool too.

Ampilfy the valley i think thickens up the sound alot

The way i look at a compressor is that if you put in a 1Khz
sine way and its really really thin if you look at the output
its THICK the lines of the sine way are THICK and FAT how
did it do this im not sure im not a design just looking at the
waveform on my oscilloscope.

Kev Mon, 05/09/2005 - 00:08

A compressor can be very simple.

If you want to talk about schematics then choose one compressor and we can talk.
the LA2a for example.
That's pretty simple as it centres on the T4B electroluminesence and LDR units.

Ampilfy the valley i think thickens up the sound alot

if it follows the peaks and valley too closely it will cause excessive distortion.

A single band compressor changes the level of the overall signal and even though you may have filters in the sidechain or the units itself has an overall freq resp ... the opto unit can only ride the level.
Attach and release is inherit in the opto device.

put 1 k in and you should get 1 k out
if there is too much distortion you may see more 2k and 4k and so on
not something you strive for in designing.

Now do your homework and take direction and instructions from AudioGaff
be good now

anonymous Mon, 05/09/2005 - 00:21

The curves and Slopes , emphasis, Charteristics, personalities,
the Shape of the Waveforms are all different why?

A compressor is a Gain Controlled Device

The interfacing are different FET based, Opto Based, JFET based
LDR what does this do to the sound ?

What about the overtones of different compressors?

What about the Waveforms the shapes and curves and slope
are all different why? what makes them different ?

Kev Tue, 05/10/2005 - 01:32

waveform is thicker
?
you are looking at a DAW ... The level has been increased.

ask one question at a time and we might have a chance to help without having to write a book. :P

better still
... how about you use the search function and have a read.
you haven't asked an original question yet ... well ?? the way you have asked is pretty original.

... and you're over 100 post already
did you set a record ?
8-)

anonymous Tue, 05/10/2005 - 04:16

Dude. Seriously though. It's a freakin compressor. It takes down your hi volumes and brings up your low volumes. Plain and simple, put 20 of them in series if u want and have fun twisting all the knobs just get the sound u want thats all. PERIOD. Why do you give a flying hoot about the shematics of one. Spend more time using it and less time caring about how many resistors there are in it.