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  4. Vienna suite Compressor Ratio

  • Vienna suite Compressor Ratio

    P
    P

    Hi everyone !

    Recently, i tried to compress a VST instrument which had too much dynamics.

    (ppp= -46 dB, fff= -6 dB)

    In order to halve its dynamics, i decided to use vienna suite compressor, with a ratio of 2:1, and a threshold as low as possible (-50 dB). (lowest attack and high release).

    But it was not enough at all. Infact, in order to have my 20 dB of dynamics, i had to set the compressor to 20:1 ! Ten times what it should be, if I understand correctly how all of this should work (I may not, though ^^).

    So I was wondering if there were an explanation.

    Thx.

    David Jacomy
  • DietzD
    VSL Team
    DietzD

    dB is not indicating a linear scale, it's logarithmic. As a rule of thumb, 6 dB more is twice as loud. 

    -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel

    Kind regards,

    /Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library
  • P
    P

    Thx for the answer.

    I know that dB is not a linear scale, but i always assumed the ratio was applied on the dB in a linear way. (For example, at 5:1, 5 dB above the threshold would give 1 dB above it at the end). That's what i read almost everywhere on the internet, but it doesn't seem to work that way...

    I also read that 6 dB is twice the amplitude, but that 10 dB is the amount to double the intensity (or perceived sound).

    ->http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-soundlevel.htm

    For the compressor, if the ratio isn't referring to a linear division of the dB scale, what does it stand for ?

    David