# Compressor/Limiter/Gate: Help/How To



## Studio (Feb 15, 2010)

My school had a new theater built in 2003 and had a very good sound designer. We have a lot of stuff that we don't use and I am trying to make use of it to make our shows better. One of the items in our booth rack is what I believe to be a PreSonus Audio ACP88Eight Channel Compressor/Limiter/Gate (or something similar). We have an insert snake to our Soundcraft Series TWO (which has inserts) but it looks if the inserts have never been used. I was wondering what people use Compressor/Limiter/Gate's for, and how they can be used in the system?


So my question is why/how do you use a Compressor/Limiter/Gate?


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## GreyWyvern (Feb 15, 2010)

Check the Wiki. Compressor covers compressors and limiters and Noise Gate covers gate.

Dave


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## Kally123 (Feb 15, 2010)

Studio said:


> I was wondering what people use Compressor/Limiter/Gate's for, and how they can be used in the system?
> 
> 
> QUOTE]
> ...


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## mbenonis (Feb 15, 2010)

Sad to hear such a good piece of gear is sitting collecting dust.

I use the ACP88 to compress wireless mic inputs. Singers often have a fairly wide dynamic range, and when they peak loudly, they can often cause feedback or just sound bad. A tad bit of compression on each input (individually) helps immensely.

I use the gate and compressor on percussion, such as drums. Gates help by keeping drum kit noise out of each mic individually, cleaning up each mic a bit. Compression can soften the sound a bit.

Oh, to use it, plug the single plug end into the insert port on the console, the tip (send) plug into the input jack on the back of the compressor, and the ring (return) plug into the output of the compressor.

That help?


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## SHARYNF (Feb 15, 2010)

Let me at least give you a general description 

A compressor, basically reduced the level of the output so that variance from quiet to loud is "compressed", or the dynamic range. Typically it is used for instance with a singer so that the quiet passages can be raised because the loud passages have been reduced.

Limiter, basically prevents the signal from going above a certain level 
Typically it is used to prevent a signal for overloading the system

Gate, is set so that unless the signal gets to a certain level, that channel is cut off, Typically used for instance on drums or to prevent open mices from pickihg up a signal and sending it thru the system until a minimal level is met


This is very much an oversimplification, but give you some idea

Sharyn


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## gpforet (Feb 17, 2010)

How are you using a compressor in a live application to control phasing/comb filtering and feedback?


Kally123 said:


> Studio said:
> 
> 
> > I was wondering what people use Compressor/Limiter/Gate's for, and how they can be used in the system?
> ...


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## TimmyP1955 (Feb 18, 2010)

Compressor:

Vocals, to even out the oftentimes large volume differences between words or even syllables.

Keyboards, to even out the oftentimes huge volume differences between "patches" (sound presets).


Gate: To keep close mic'd, underdamped toms from droning on incessantly. The ACP88's gates are not all that good (I used to have three in my rig), but they are often better than nothing. (One really needs both Hold and Release controls to shape a drum's sustain. The Behringer has these, and as a result is more useful IME)


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