6. EXPLANATION OF FEATURES
THE FB/FF CONTROL
We added the FB/FF control so you can get the full benefits of applying Feed Forward (“FF”) compression
to the UnFairchild circuit. FF compression is a wonderfully aggressive sound but can be a bit unwieldy at times.
Being able to blend the Feed-Forward (“FF”) signal with the Feedback (“FB”) signal allows you to add just the right
amount to get that amazing aggressive sound without having the compression fall of a cliff of over compressing.
If any of you have experimented with FF compression by using the included “Y” cables, you probably know that it
is a very extreme effect that can easily cause the compressor to sound like it is malfunctioning. Wildly over com-
pressing to the point where the signal is being cut off entirely. Blending in some of the FB signal eliminates that
issue. On more percussive signals like a drum mix, we have found that setting the control around 4 or 8 on the FB
side can give you some really great aggressive, grabby compression without freaking out too much. Lower set-
tings in the 12 to 16 range on the FB side, can be really great for overall mix buss compression if you want to hear
the compression effect more. Higher settings like 8 to 12 on the FF side can give really extreme drum compression
that isolates the transients and can be blended in with the mix control. It can serve as a “Transient Designer” type
effect.
THE HP FREQ CONTROL
This is pretty straight forward at this point. Many of you are likely already aware of the practice of High
Passing the side chain signal on a compressor. For those of us that like to have a lot of low end in our mixes, it is
helpful to make the compressor LESS sensitive to those frequencies so it is not mostly reacting to only the low fre-
quencies and pulling down the volume of the overall mix. The HP FREQ control allows you to control this issue. It
is really helpful when compressing a drum mix. If you like A LOT of kick drum in your drum mix and are compress-
ing the overall drum mix, the compressor will mostly just be compressing the kick drum hits and make it impos-
sible to maintain the level of the kick drum in the drum mix. Simply turn up the HP FREQ control to the 83 to 113
range until the compressor is equally compressing both the kick and snare in the mix. The same principal applies
to an overall mix buss but the setting is typically a little more subtle. Usually in the 44 to 60 range. If additional
processing of the side chain signal is needed, it is best to add it between the INSERT RCV snake XLRs and the Un-
Fairchild Insert Returns.
THE MIX CONTROL
This is also pretty straight forward at this point. Many of you are likely already aware of “parallel” compres-
sion. With parallel compression, you are blending the compressed signal with the original uncompressed signal in-
stead of only hearing the compressed signal. It allows you to use more extreme compression settings without hav-
ing the signal sound too compressed. Why is this useful? Why wouldn’t you just use a less extreme compression
setting if you want it to sound less compressed? Blending more extreme compression can sound very different
than simply setting the compressor less extreme. When compressors are imparting more significant amounts of
compression (in the 15 - 20 dB range of gain reduction) you get more artifacts from the compression effect (distor-
tion, pumping, etc.) Sometimes these artifacts can be very desirable but make the source sound too compressed.
By blending in some of the uncompressed signal you restore the dynamics of the original source while keeping the
artifacts of the extreme compression setting. I like to apply this feature by starting with the mix control in the fully
clockwise position at 100% wet blend. I find an extreme compression setting that has all of the desirable color-
ation I am looking for, then blend in some of the dry signal (by turning the mix control counter-clockwise) until
enough of the dynamics have been restored.
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