[Zapp_Fan]

I've heard that from a few people. Okay, I'm convinced, so no compression on playback. It's extremely engaging just to play around with the concepts on real-world software and equipment though.

Definitely. If you're interested in this stuff, you should download the demo of FL Studio 20. (they just released a version that jumps ahead 8 version numbers, idk). But you can drop in whatever MP3, WAV or (maybe FLAC?) audio you have lying around and experiment very extensively with DSP in an environment that's actually designed for it.

Of course it's mostly meant for writing music, but it's very functional for a free demo and comes with several compressors and EQs, just for starters. Also will run whatever VST you throw at it.

If you look at it as a prototyping environment for DSP setups to be used elsewhere I think it might be fun. The Scopes / visualizers are also quite informative.

Most of the foregoing stuff applies to other DAWs too, I just don't have as much experience with other ones.

 

[RRod]

I don't see anything wrong with using a compressor or expander on playback, but it would only be helpful in a very small number of recordings and would be a lot of work to optimize the settings. More trouble than it's worth.

Being a person who loves classical and is in a car a lot, I find compression essential. Big ratio, short attack, long delay, RMS-based seems to work fine to make everything audible. Would sound like total a$$ in any semi-serious environment, of course.

 

[Zapp_Fan]

Being a person who loves classical and is in a car a lot, I find compression essential. Big ratio, short attack, long delay, RMS-based seems to work fine to make everything audible. Would sound like total a$$ in any semi-serious environment, of course.

Indeed, I've heard that cited as the reason that radio stations supposedly use a lot of compression. Can't hear crap in a car. Disclaimer: I have not been in many radio stations and never actually checked if they had compressors running even when I was, this is hearsay.

 

[bigshot]

Compressors are a valuable tool. Whether or not they improve sound or degrade it depends on the taste and skill of how they're applied.

 

[RRod]

Indeed, I've heard that cited as the reason that radio stations supposedly use a lot of compression. Can't hear crap in a car. Disclaimer: I have not been in many radio stations and never actually checked if they had compressors running even when I was, this is hearsay.

SoX gives this as a radio-like example:

 play track1.wav gain −3 sinc 8000− 29 100 mcompand \
     "0.005,0.1 −47,−40,−34,−34,−17,−33" 100 \
     "0.003,0.05 −47,−40,−34,−34,−17,−33" 400 \
     "0.000625,0.0125 −47,−40,−34,−34,−15,−33" 1600 \
     "0.0001,0.025 −47,−40,−34,−34,−31,−31,−0,−30" 6400 \
     "0,0.025 −38,−31,−28,−28,−0,−25" \
     gain 15 highpass 22 highpass 22 sinc −n 255 −b 16 −17500 \
     gain 9 lowpass −1 17801

I occassionally run into some decently dynamic recording I own on air, and it sure sounds like they are compressed.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

Compressors are a valuable tool. Whether or not they improve sound or degrade it depends on the taste and skill of how they're applied.

They can be quite helpful, except when used as volume control.

 

[gregorio]

They [compressors] can be quite helpful, except when used as volume control.

Compressors are usually absolutely invaluable, especially when used as a volume control!

G

 

[TheSonicTruth]

Compressors are usually absolutely invaluable, especially when used as a volume control!
G

^^^^^
This - Everything I need to know.

 

[bigshot]

I don't know what you'd use a compressor for that didn't involve controlling relative volume levels. The operative word here is "relative". Music with random volume levels can be very irritating to listen to. You need to control the volume the same way you control every other aspect in recording. The balance is what counts. More isn't necessarily better and less isn't necessarily bad. You need to take the context into account if you want to make value judgements like that.

 

[TheSonicTruth]

I don't know what you'd use a compressor for that didn't involve controlling relative volume levels. The operative word here is "relative". Music with random volume levels can be very irritating to listen to. You need to control the volume the same way you control every other aspect in recording. The balance is what counts. More isn't necessarily better and less isn't necessarily bad. You need to take the context into account if you want to make value judgements like that.

I'm talking about using compressors strictly to get the average level of entire stereo mixes, in mastering, as high as possible. At of course the expense of life-lending peaks.

 

[gregorio]

This - Everything I need to know.

You mean "everything you need to know" to continue making incorrect statements and spamming every thread? Compressors are a fundamental music production tool and reducing and modifying peaks is a requirement of popular music production and has been since the 1960's. So, what are you saying, that all popular music genres of the last half-century should be banned? If not, then clearly you're a very long way from "everything you need to know"!!

G

 

[bigshot]

I'm talking about using compressors strictly to get the average level of entire stereo mixes, in mastering, as high as possible. At of course the expense of life-lending peaks.

So basically, you’re defining the question by the desired conclusion.

 

[Zapp_Fan]

I'm talking about using compressors strictly to get the average level of entire stereo mixes, in mastering, as high as possible. At of course the expense of life-lending peaks.

Eh, there are a lot of other uses for compressors than that. They can even be used to emphasize, rather than limit, peaks. They're one of the key tools in a mixing or mastering engineer's toolbox, (often on every single instrument / part, not just the master channel-) somewhere between screwdriver and saw in importance.

 

[pinnahertz]

I can think of a few uses for compressors that don’t involve volume change: spraying paint and inflating tires.

To think that a “compressor” completely describes loudness-war processing is quite naive. Just not that simple, likely the least of your worries.

 

[Zapp_Fan]

True, if compressors were banned tomorrow, the loudness war would rage on. You can make signals too hot without one, it's just more work...