Compressors, Limiters, Gates & Expanders

Achieve precision control over your audio’s signal with compressors, limiters, gates & expanders. Sound Productions carries top brands including ART, BSS, dbx, Rupert Neve, Universal Audio, Warm Audio, and Yamaha.

A compressor evaluates a signal and automatically increases the quieter, low-frequency signals while decreasing (attenuating) the louder, high-frequency parts. This makes the signal—and by extension, the sound—more cohesive and focused.

A limiter operates slightly differently, putting a cap on how loud or quiet a signal can go while it’s being recorded. In a way, it’s a pre-compression tactic that puts certain restrictions on the type of signals you want to capture.

A gate (sometimes called a “noise gate” or “audio gate”) is used to prevent unwanted noise from being captured on the recording, without stopping the recording altogether. Gates share similar controls as compressors or limiters; however, they lend a more natural sound by muting the signal rather than stopping it altogether.

An audio expander is like a gate, with the major difference being that the expander slightly stretches the sound signal’s limits so that the sound is captured, but slightly modified. For instance, a loud cymbal crash would still be recorded, but at a lowered level for a less jarring dynamic to the overall sound.

For more information, e-mail us at info@soundpro.com or call our knowledgeable Account Managers at 800.203.5611.