Compander: how do you use it?

[frankencat]

This is probably not an FM3 only question but that’s what I have so there ya go.
I was reading an old thread about how people were using a compander setup after the amp and cab blocks and getting great tones. I made a preset with an XTC Blue and put the compander after it and have been messing around with it trying to figure out the benefit of it. i think I like it and I am wondering how you folks might be using it. Please share.
Thanks -Frank

 

[Eman7422]

Never tried it but here is the wiki

Compander — The Transients control adjusts the transient modification. Values less than zero soften the attack, value greater than zero emphasize the attack.

"A Compander is a compressor followed by an expander. If the time constant of the compressor and expander are the same (and the "channel" is perfect, i.e. linear and lossless) then a Compander is transparent. If you change the time constant of one vs. the other the transients will become distorted. The "Transients" knob controls the time constant mismatch. Negative values smooth the transients, positive values enhance the transients. A Compander with transient enhancement can be used on kick drums, bass, etc. to add punch. Transient reduction can be used to reduce plosives. For guitar you can use the Compander to add or remove pick attack." [1]

"The first step in adding compansion to the delay block was creating a compander algorithm. So I created a Compander type first in the Compressor block. Once that was working I used that algorithm in the Delay block. The Compander allows you to set the Ratio, Time, Transients and Level. Turn Transients down and the attack is reduced, turn it up and the attack is enhanced. You can use it with kick drum to enhance the punch, put it on vocals to reduce plosives, etc." [2]

 

[frankencat]

Yep. But how do YOU use it?

 

[Eman7422]

Sounds like you can either sharpen your tone or soften it.
make it more aggressive or less aggressive.
more attack or less

 

[Ugly Bunny]

In other words, no one really knows except studio pros.

 

[chrisjnyc]

This is probably not an FM3 only question but that’s what I have so there ya go.
I was reading an old thread about how people were using a compander setup after the amp and cab blocks and getting great tones. I made a preset with an XTC Blue and put the compander after it and have been messing around with it trying to figure out the benefit of it. i think I like it and I am wondering how you folks might be using it. Please share.
Thanks -Frank

Its's from AC\DC's rig:

https://solodallas.com/how-it-all-started-the-history-of-the-svds

 

[Petrocelli]

The Compander is special to the other dynamic algos because it is level independent.
So the effect is the same if you play loud or soft. Maybe you know the "SPL Transient Designer" (mostly used for drums), this is a bit similar. So you can make a signal more percussive or with softer Attack. You also have to dial with the time parameter to avoid distortion of the signal.
Use it for nearly Swell like effects with negative values of the "Transients"- Parameter or a funky single note line with positive Values.

 

[joakim_suarez]

Compander in the delay was great to get the dly out of the way from the main. Like a better ducker I think

 

[Petrocelli]

Just figured out that the compander is a great tool to shape the acoustic models of my Variax JTV59! The attack never seems right (to pronounced) - now with the compander i can shape it. Ratio 3.5; Time 50ms aund Transients -2 works great for me.