Input gate vs. gate/expander

Spawn2031

Inspired
So in my digging and tweaking I have run into something that either I'm not doing right or something is not working right. I have noticed when I run into high gain amp models and need to adjust the threshold on the input gate it pretty much does nothing. If I toss in a gate / expander it immediately works just as I want it to. My understanding was that to just control things like finger squeaks / hiss / buzz / etc... I shouldn't have to throw in a GTE block, just use the input one. Am I wrong in this? Is there possibly something disabled?

Thanks!
 
Threshold should activate it.

I set the mode to intelligent and the ratio to 2.

Then adjust the threshold so that when I'm not playing, there is no hiss.
 
I use both ratio & threshold, usually 2.25 and somewhere between -60dB & -50dB respectively. That's for face melting just plain stoopid high gain with the Uber model.
 
Wow, judging by everyone else's settings, my are extreme. If I use it, I usually set it at threshold: -30 and ratio: 2.
 
I set mine at -72.4 and 2.32 for my high gain. I don't use the intelligent, it doesn't seem to work as good for me.
 
Wow, judging by everyone else's settings, my are extreme. If I use it, I usually set it at threshold: -30 and ratio: 2.
If you need your input gate that high to suppress noise, you are either using facemelting gain settings or have a noise issue to troubleshoot.

Now, for me, I don't ridicolously crank the gain, but I never needed more than -70 at threshold.
 
I set mine at -72.4 and 2.32 for my high gain. I don't use the intelligent, it doesn't seem to work as good for me.
Hey REDD we have the same threshold: -72.4, but my ratio is lower: 1.64.
I feel intelligent mode is more accurate but classic mode is what we are used to.
If I put a gate/expander block I can put off the input gate (set threshold to 0).
 
If you need your input gate that high to suppress noise, you are either using facemelting gain settings or have a noise issue to troubleshoot.
Yeah, 99% of the time I don’t use any gate. When I do use it, it's for high gain leads or high gain rhythms that need tight staccato stops.
 
Hey guys, so yeah... the ratio was the issue. The ones that it wasn't working on just happened to be set at 1. Changed that and I am a happy camper again. Personally I always put my gates at the beginning of my chain and only one of them unless I need to play something with a bunch of hard stops and I need it to be dead silent after them. At that point I will usually add a second one after the amp or drive, whichever works best for it.
 
a second gate is not necessary if you set input gate well...experiment with attack and release times, my settings are attack 1 ms and release 10 ms, find the best for you
 
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I use the same, or very similar settings as ETOLKIEN has for attack and release, at least on high gain amps. You really have to just experiment with threshold and ratio. Gain amounts and drive pedals are going to impact where you have your gate settings, particularly with staccato riffs. It took me a while to get it right on my presets, but the input gate works great. I prefer the intelligent setting.
 
I'll have to try those settings and your suggestions. I'm used to having to use 2 gates from other equipment in the past to get that dead stop I'm after sometimes.
 
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