AR Compressor Question - "HIT"?

jamrod · 2014-07-17T20:42:48.000Z

I’m curious about what the “HIT” setting is for on the sidechain EQ for the compressor. I get what LPF and HPF do. Here’s what the manual says:

“HIT results in a balanced equalization of the sidechain signal, making the compressor react similarly to all frequencies of the signal.”

So my question is: how is this different from the OFF setting, where the sidechain isn’t being altered at all? In practice, I’m getting less compression using HIT than OFF. I’m curious as to what’s happening here and what the intended use is.

stutech · 2014-07-17T20:50:29.000Z

Good question, have been wondering about it as well…

_mr · 2014-07-21T10:29:34.000Z

""jamrod"":

I’m curious about what the “HIT” setting is for on the sidechain EQ for the compressor. I get what LPF and HPF do. Here’s what the manual says:

“HIT results in a balanced equalization of the sidechain signal, making the compressor react similarly to all frequencies of the signal.”

So my question is: how is this different from the OFF setting, where the sidechain isn’t being altered at all? In practice, I’m getting less compression using HIT than OFF. I’m curious as to what’s happening here and what the intended use is.

With the OFF setting, the signal isn’t being altered. But since bass frequencies tend to have higher amplitudes than treble signals in music, it reacts more to bass signals. That’s why simple compressors tend to act in a pumping fashion primarily to the bass drum, not so much to the hihats and mids.

With the HIT setting, it reacts more evenly over the whole spectrum.

Regarding the amount of compression:
The four different sidechain eq settings often give different amounts when just switching between them - partly depending on the music coming in. The other compressor parameters like threshold generally need to be adjusted to find the desired sweetspot after changing eq setting.

stutech · 2014-07-21T10:35:57.000Z

So, the HIT mode is a highpassed sidechain, but not as aggressively hipassed as the HPF setting?

_mr · 2014-07-21T13:30:43.000Z

Not exactly highpassed, but similar to how you picture it.
EQ-ish, reducing the bass a bit and raising the treble a bit.

jamrod · 2014-07-21T14:06:32.000Z

Thanks /mr, good to know. A slightly more detailed description in the manual might help people in the future.