Creative Emu 1820m Manual

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
E-MU Digital Audio System91
The wide dynamic range of the RFX Compressor aside, its generally a good idea to 
maintain the hottest signal levels possible without clipping at the input to any audio 
processor.
Parameters
Threshold
Threshold sets the input signal level above which dynamic range compression takes 
place. Everything above the threshold will be brought down in volume. The 
compression threshold ranges from -0 to -60dB, relative to full scale (0dBFS)...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
92Creative Professional
Gain

Caution! The Gain 
control can increase the 
signal level to the point of 
clipping. Excessive signal 
levels can damage 
speakers as well as your 
ears!Sets the compressors output gain in dB, from +60dB boost to-60dB cut. This control 
follows all of the other elements in the compressors signal path, so positive gain boost 
can be used to make up for the gain reduction normally applied to signals above the 
compression threshold....

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
E-MU Digital Audio System93
fTip: Setting a high 
Ratio with the Threshold 
at 0dB and the Soft Knee 
at -60dB creates a 
compressor whose ratio 
varies smoothly from 
gentle compression at 
lower signal levels to 
peak limiting at maximum 
signal levelIn the region between the lower knee and upper Threshold, a variable amount of gain 
reduction is applied depending on the signal level and Ratio setting. To keep this gain 
reduction from “dragging down” the signal...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
94Creative Professional
Gate
This parameter enables automatic gain reduction on signals that fall from 1 to 120dB 
below the Threshold point (or Soft Knee threshold, if enabled.) This can act effectively 
as a “noise gate” on low-level signals that have been boosted by the action of the Gain 
or Soft Knee parameters. The gating action follows a somewhat soft-kneed contour of its 
own so that turn-on and turn-off at the gate threshold is not too abrupt.
Note that,...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
E-MU Digital Audio System95
“bite” of signal attacks while subsequently compressing the sustained portions of the 
sound.
In general, both positive and negative values of this parameter are useful for applica-
tions where the normal envelope of a signal is being creatively manipulated to achieve 
special effects.
Auto-Release
This parameter causes the effective Release time to be extended automatically based on 
the dynamics of the input signal. This parameter...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
96Creative Professional
Max Compression
This parameter is used to limit the amount of gain reduction that the compressor can 
apply. The limit is set as a maximum number of dB of gain reduction, from 3dB to 
UNLIMITED.
This feature emulates the phenomenon of the compression “tail” found in the gain 
curves of some classic analog compressor/limiters. The phenomenon results from the 
inability of these devices to apply more than a certain amount of compression to the...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
E-MU Digital Audio System97
The diagram above shows the gain curves using a Threshold at -30dB and a range of 
negative compression ratios.
At just past 1:INFINITE,  the setting of 1:-100 causes input signals approaching 0dB to 
be only slightly decreased below -30dB. In contrast, the compression ratio of 1:-1 causes 
a 2dB gain reduction for each 1dB of additional input signal level, resulting in an output 
signal level that is folded down over the Threshold.
Input...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
98Creative Professional
Example Settings
Here we have provided a few examples to show the varied uses of this useful tool. Bear 
in mind that these examples are simply starting points and that you will undoubtedly 
need to fine tune the parameters to fit the program material and to suit your own taste.
Increase Drum Punch:
Adjust the Threshold control to control the amount of compression.
•Threshold: Adjust so that all hits are being compressed.
•Ratio: 4:1
•Attack: 8...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
E-MU Digital Audio System99
Vocal Compression/Spoken Word:
This setup compresses the entire dynamic range of the vocal. Whenever there is a signal 
present, there is some compression taking place.
•Threshold: Adjust so that the first bar of the meter comes on even on soft pas-
sages.
•Ratio: 2:1
•Attack: 0.1 msec
•Release: 100 msec
•Gain: Set to compensate for lost gain.
•Soft Knee: Off
•Gate: Off
•Comp. Lookahead: 0 msec
•Auto-release: Off
•Max. Compression: 12dB...

5 - Effects
Core Effects Descriptions
100Creative Professional
Creating a De-esser:
A de-esser reduces the sibilance or “sss” sound in a vocal part. The sidechain feature of 
the RFX Compressor makes it possible to create a effective de-esser using the compressor 
and the Multimode EQ. The Wet/Dry Mix on each effect should be set to 100%
The idea is to boost the high frequency content going to the sidechain (R input) so that 
the compressor will turn down the volume in the presence of sibilance....