But for feed-forward compressors, these controls are not optional if you want a great result. Of course, there are plenty of feedback compressors that also include additional controls for these parameters, such as the Urei 1176 (which can be very fast) and Neve 33609 or 2254. This is where you, “The Engineer”, take control! While feedback compressors can sound pretty good without much fuss, feed-forward compressors must utilize additional circuitry for threshold, attack, and release to further refine the final output.Ī well-known example of this kind of design is the dbx 160 series of compressors. However, the problem with the feed-forward design is that the detector cannot “hear” the output of the compressor circuit it controls, potentially leading to erratic behavior and over-compression. If we want to really control a signal or place it further back in the mix then we generally want a fast, feed-forward design that can even out the attack, making it closer to the sustain in level, thereby resulting in that track feeling like it’s further back in the mix. If we know this about the basic nature of compressors than we can make a better informed decision as to which tool is best suited for the task at hand. The disadvantage is that the attack and release times are less precise, and in the digital domain, the fastest possible attack time may be infinitesimally slower than in a feed-forward compressor. The main advantage of the feedback style of compression is that the detector spends most of its time reacting to a signal that’s already been compressed, leading to smoother compression and less over-compression.
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