DynaMaxx
8
Multi-band compressors split
the input in several bands to
overcome pumping effects.
Mixing the bands back
together creates phase inter-
modulations resulting in
audible sound colouration and
loss of dimensions.
The full-band technology of
D
YNA
M
AXX
does not reduce
dimensions and avoids
incoherence and
sound colouration.
D
YNA
M
AXX
can be set up much
faster than a Multi-band
system.
An example illustrates the
problems of adjusting the
Attack time.
Full-Band versus Multi-Band
S
ome compressors try to solve the problem of high frequencies
being modulated by low frequency compression by moving to a
split band system, so why don't we do that?
Multi-band compression seems like a good idea to overcome
the pumping effects caused by heavy bass compression also
causing high frequency sounds to be pulled down in level. For
example, with a regular compressor, you may be compressing a
bass-drum but the Release time is set a little too long with the
result that the following hi-hat gets ducked in level. Multi-band
technology splits the original signal into two or more bands to be
processed individually, and in this way, heavy gain reduction at
the bass end doesn’t affect the level of the high frequencies. The
problem is that unless the design is very elaborate and well
thought out, phase differences and other problems can occur
between the bands, resulting in a less natural sound or in an
obviously processed sound (“radio sound”).
Until now, you had to choose between using a conventional
full-band compressor or a multi-band design, but D
YNA
M
AXX
works differently from either and has significant advantages over
both.
The secret is D
YNA
M
AXX
’s new Double VCA Drive Technology
TM
using the excellent „2181 Super-VCAs“ from THAT Corporation,
and in addition to a very clean signal path, it provides two main
advantages:
1. As explained, Multi-band technology has a significant sonic
short-coming due to the way the original signal has to be split up
into various bands, compressed, then mixed back together in a
summing stage. Due to different levels of processing within the
various bands, each band’s output may be changed in phase
response, so that when the bands are recombined, the signal
tends to have reduced dimensions and sounds incoherent and
coloured. Because D
YNA
M
AXX
doesn’t split the signal into separate
frequency bands, this problem is avoided.
2. D
YNA
M
AXX
offers simplicity of control. With Multi-band
systems you have to set all the time constants plus GAIN,
Threshold, and Ratio for each band. With a fully manual Four-
Band-compressor, this would mean 20 parameters to set up per
channel. D
YNA
M
AXX
only needs 2!
Dynamic intelligence: Attack time automation
How does DynaMaxx adjust the Attack time?
To understand this, it’s first necessary to see what happens when
a compressor is used with a fixed Attack time setting. For
example, the sound of low bass guitar note can either come in
smoothly (especially with fretless basses), or with a very fast tran-
sient attack when slapping or popping playing techniques are
used. If the Attack time is set to minimum (very short), the
compressor is able to catch the peak of the transient attack but
