Becos ultimate compressor

[GisserD]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

it's not a quantum pedal.

shame. i could use a bit more space on my board.

[Vaska]

From Becos CompIQ Twain manual: 

Quote

Available for each engine, the Auto Dynamic Timing adjusts Attack & Release in real time, responding to playing dynamics. Auto Fast (F) is 5‐7ms for Attack, 70ms for Release. Auto Slower (S) is 10‐15ms for Attack and 100‐220ms for Release. 

At 5ms attack is pretty fast for limiting purpose, I’d say. 5ms is only one cycle of 200Hz frequency. 

Edited February 18, 2020 by Vaska

[Vaska]

20 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

The key point I was making is given the dual band nature of this mega-Becos it would potentially allow both functions under one bonnet, but it can't be in two places at once: it's not a quantum pedal.

In stacked mode it could be set as limiter in the first engine, with fast timing, hard knee, high threshold and high ratio, leaving most of the signal unaffected, and as a regular compressor on the next engine. And when adding sidechain filter and band dry blending you get a lot of control for just one box.

EDIT: I suppose even in dual band mode it could be set for something similar, where the low side would be configured as limiter, since there is the higher amplitude content. The crossover would set the point on the strings where limiting fades into compression.

Edited February 18, 2020 by Vaska

[51m0n]

58 minutes ago, krispn said:

Still keen to know who the “many folk typically would have a comp at the start... limiter at the end” are you were talking about?

The reasoning is as follows:-

Compression at the start of the fx chain is likely to mean that all fx that follow will get a steadier signal, especially good for tracking fx like synths and octavers. Less obviously useful for overdrives and distortions (can depend because a compressor is a transient shaper).

The limiter at the end is basically there to stop peaks from certain fx damaging speakers/pa. In normal use nothing should be causing the limiter to start limiting, but a heavy filter sweep or whacked out synth or octaver patch is going to be protected against.

I know @pantherairsoft used to use a pretty mad board for his EDM stuff and I think he told me he was investigating this approach at a bassbash years ago.

I wouldn't exactly call this a common approach for less ambitious setups though.

 

[Vaska]

I vote for limiting and compression at the start of the chain, but truth is there are no rules, especially if the music sounds good.

[Al Krow]

43 minutes ago, Vaska said:

In stacked mode it could be set as limiter in the first engine, with fast timing, hard knee, high threshold and high ratio, leaving most of the signal unaffected, and as a regular compressor on the next engine. And when adding sidechain filter and band dry blending you get a lot of control for just one box.

EDIT: I suppose even in dual band mode it could be set for something similar, where the low side would be configured as limiter, since there is the higher amplitude content. The crossover would set the point on the strings where limiting fades into compression.

What I particularly liked about your post was the imagery it brought to mind of fine-tuning a 6 litre muscle car engine for maximum performance!

[krispn]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

It was a generic point as to the common prefs for location of said pedals for many folk on BC based on their posts.

The key point I was making is given the dual band nature of this mega-Becos it would potentially allow both functions under one bonnet, but it can't be in two places at once: it's not a quantum pedal.

My bad I thought you were talking about folks who routinely run a comp and limiter on the same board in their regular set up. 
 

[51m0n]

On 18/02/2020 at 16:29, Vaska said:

From Becos CompIQ Twain manual: 

At 5ms attack is pretty fast for limiting purpose, I’d say. 5ms is only one cycle of 200Hz frequency. 

Sorry but that's slow for catching a transient about to cause havoc to your pa...

Or the transient of a metallic percussion instrument, which you need to tame in a mix.

Or the transient of your thumb striking a string, or the pick transient edge.

Plus it's 5ms after the RMS level goes over the threshold, because it's a compressor not a limiter.