Samson S.com Plus

 

사양

- 주파수 응답 : <10Hz 20kHz까지 0 /-0.1dB 효과 아웃 0.4dB @ 100kHz, <10Hz 20kHz까지 0 /-0.1dB 효과에,-3dB @> 100kHz

- 다이나믹 레인지 : 116dB, 취소 가중, 22Hz로 22kHz

- THD : 0.008 %의 일반. @ 4 dBu, 1kHz 효과 밖에서 0.016 %의 효과

- 누화 :> 100dB의 0.016 %의 효과, 22Hz로 22kHz

- 운영 단계 : 선택 가능한 4 dBu/-10dBV

- 맥스. 입력 레벨 : 21 dBu, 균형

- CMRR : 민. 40dB,> 50dB @ 1kHz

- 맥스. 출력 레벨 : 21 dBu, 균형

- 크기 : 44.5mm (H) × 482.6mm (W) × 197mm (D)

- 무게 : 5 IB (2.3kg)

 

 

◈ 운영이 쉽고 고품질의 오디오를 절대적으로 필요로 하는 곳에 있어서 signal level을 강화하고 제어하도록 만들어진 one rack size의 dual채널 다이나믹 프로세서입니다.

 

◈ Compressor/Limiter, De-Esser, Peak Limiter는 녹음기나 앰프로 보낸 Signal을 최대로 했을 때 치찰음의 증가와 clipping예방, noise감소, 음의 증가를 모두 처리합니다.

 

◈ Expander/Gate기능은 release times을 빠르게 또는, 느리게 할 수 있는 스위치와 다양한 Threshold level의 특징을 가지고 있습니다.

 

◈ 특히 Gate 스위치는 폭 넓게 변화를 줄수가 있습니다.

 

◈ Compressor section controls은 Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, Output기능으로 구성되어 있습니다.

 

◈ Auto mode상태에서는 지속적으로 audio input을 분석하고, input level의 변화를 토대로 하여 attack과 release parameters를 조절합니다.

 

◈ 그 밖의 기능으로 I/O metering스위치, Key input, Key Output, Key Listen스위치로 구성되어 있습니다.

 

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Samson S•Com plus is a one rack space, dual channel dynamics processor optimized for recording, live sound reinforcement systems, DJ set-ups and

commercial installations. The S•Com plus is a complete dynamics processing solution offering two channels of full function Compressor, Expander/Gate, Limiter

and De-Esser. S•Com plus’ convenient meters provide instant status of important gain management settings.

FEATURES

> Full featured, dual channel dynamics processor including Compressor/Limiter, Expander/Gate, De-Esser and Peak Limiter.

> SKD (Smart Knee Detector) switches from soft to hard knee based on the level of input signal.

> AEG (Automatic Envelope Generator) mode constantly adjusts the Compressor’s Attack and Release times based on input signal. Manual adjustment of Attack

and Release time is also facilitated.

> 12 Segment LED Input/Output Meter, plus 12 Segment LED Gain Reduction Meter.

> External Keying with Key Switch available on front panel.

> Adjustable De-Esser with independent LED meter for

reducing sibilance from recorded tracks.

> Expander/Gate with variable Trigger control and switchable Fast and Slow Release time.

> Gate function can be switched from hard off to light

Downward Expander.

> Gate Open and Closed LED's.

> Peak Limiter with independent threshold control and Limit LED.

> Advanced circuit design, utilizing low noise operational

amplifiers and high quality VCAs.

> Stereo Link Switch.

> Servo balanced inputs and outputs on XLR and 1/4” connectors.

> Switchable +4 and –10 operating levels.

> High quality, 41 position detent pots and backlit switches.

> Three-year extended warranty.

ARCHITECT’S & ENGINEER’S SPECIFICATIONS

The S•Com plus shall be a 2 channel compressor/limiter. It shall have XLR and 1/4 inch inputs and outputs with a +4 / -10 operation output level switch. Each channel shall have a 1/4 inch key input and 1/4 inch key output. A Key enable switch will also be available on the front panel. Each channel shall have an expander/gate with a switchable Release time, variable Trigger control, and gate open/close indicator.

The compressor controls shall be Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, and Output level. An Auto switch will be available for automatic automatic attack and release time settings on the compressor. An independant limiter circuit and variable

The use of compressors and limiters in recording and mixing are some of the most important tools available and much more useful than many realize. To me, compression is much more of a sound than a dynamics control device. Each model has its own sound and ideal application which is why I have about forty units to choose from. Learning which type of unit and what settings to use takes a lot of trial and experimentation but eventually you’ll find the best applications.

Peak limiting and soft compression are basically good for maximizing levels to tape or disk without a lot of coloration. Essentially knocking the peaks down and bringing the quieter portions of a sound up louder by narrowing the dynamic range. Slow attack and fast release times allow for more transparent sound. I personally like the sound of compression and use it at times to extremes. Depending on the type of unit and the settings, so many tonal characters can be achieved from thickening, adding ambience, toughening, softening, equalizing and much more. My favorite 'manic compression"' trick is to make vocals feel suspended in the mix, dry and intimate, as if the singer is right there in your face but not too loud. My partner Steve Earle says the amount of compression we use on the vocals on his records lets people know what he had for breakfast.

In many ways, it becomes a replacement for reverb and used in extreme, it pulls in all the ambience around a vocal mic as well as digging out character from down in your vocal cords. On an overhead or room mic, you can actually change the perceived size of the room by making it suck in the decaying sound as it travels away. Again slow attack and fast release times will bring the best results because you can hit the threshold much harder.

Stereo bus limiting and compression is also a very good method for actually gluing tracks together and making bands sound tighter than they really are. It also allows for more saturation to analog two track as well as fuller modulation to digital formats. For me, it is not unusual to hit three stereo limiters before getting to the hard disk in mastering, which the final parts will be cut from. 

Quite often running a signal through several compressors will allow some interesting results which cannot be achieved with one unit. There certainly are no rules but it is important to know that there are many different designs in squashing sound. Some are entirely tube, some tube and optical, just optical, FET transistors, VCA's (voltage control amplifiers) Pure Class A, Class A/B, Digital, as well as other combinations.

Now, we have finally arrived in an age of very high quality VCA's which are not too expensive and are allowing for very sophisticated and versatile designs, as are the S-Class units from Samson.

Dynamics Processing 101

To begin to understand dynamics processing, we must first understand what dynamics are. Dynamics, or the dynamic range of a signal or audio device, is the amount of level between the softest and loudest possible output.

Dynamics processing is applied to a signal to manage the changes in level. Various types of processing units are available to control dynamics including Noise Gates, Expanders, Compressors, Limiters and De-Essers.

All of these processes have a unique effect on a signal, but one common element they share is that in one way or another they control gain. Some dynamics processors control gain in a subtle way by slightly reducing how soft and loud a signal is, while others make drastic changes in gain like reducing the signal until it’s off. Applications for dynamics processing can be categorized by two distinct groups; first, to treat a signal that has an unpredictable dynamic range and make it predictable, and second, to create a "sound" by squeezing out the dynamic range. Whether used for a live sound application, recording, mixing or mastering, dynamic processors like the S•com plus are valuable tools for controlling gain. The following is a basic overview of dynamics processing and how it is used to improve the quality of recorded and live sound.

COMPRESSOR

A good compressor is one of the most useful tools in live sound and recording. Compressors are used to control the dynamic range of a signal, which offers a variety of benefits including leveling a signal that’s being recorded, having an instrument sit in the mix, and increasing the loudness of a sound system to name a few. Drastic amounts of compression will also result in an effect that becomes more of a sound, than just controlling gain. To understand how a compressor works, it is necessary to become familiar with the basic parameters which include threshold, ratio, attack time, and release time.

Threshold

Threshold is the level that once the signal exceeds, gain reduction is applied. The normal range of adjustment for the threshold level is –40 to +20 dBu. If the threshold level is set above the highest level of the signal being sent to the compressors, the gain reduction is never triggered. Therefore, the compressor is virtually by-passed. If the threshold level is set very low so that any signal will trigger gain reduction, the compressor is working as an automatic leveler.

Ratio

The ratio control is used to set the proportion of gain reduction in relationship to the input signal. For example if the ratio is set to 2:1 and the signal crosses above the threshold level, an increase in level of 2 dB will produce a 1 dB increase in level at the output. A ratio setting of ∞ to 1 means that an infinite amount of input signal is needed to raise the output level by 1 dB. This means that the output level stays constant even when the input crosses over the threshold level.

Attack Time

Attack time is the amount of time that a compressor takes to effect the gain reduction after the signal rises above the threshold level. A well-designed compressor has adjustable attack times ranging from 100 μs (microseconds) to 150 ms (milliseconds). A good compressor will sound smooth as it begins to control the gain regardless of the

attack time. 

Release Time

The release time is set to control how long the compressor takes to return the input signal back to its original level once the signal falls below the threshold level. The acceptable range for release time is from 50μs to 5 seconds. In normal use, faster release times are used for spoken word and longer release times are generally better for instrumental music.

Auto Attack and Release

Today, sophisticated compressors often incorporate a dynamic or Auto Attack and Release mode. The S•com plus’ AEG (Auto Envelope Generator) is such a mode which when engaged, automatically adjusts the attack and release time based on the dynamically changing input signal.

Dynamics Processing 101 - Continued

Soft-Knee / Hard-Knee

In order to prevent harsh, unnatural envelopes on compressed signals sophisticated dynamics processors like the S•com plus feature an SKD (Smart Knee Detector) or automatic knee circuit. The Smart Knee Detector automatically switches from Soft-Knee when the signal is less than 10 dB over Threshold, to Hard-Knee when the signal is 10db above Threshold. In Soft-Knee mode, there is a gradual effect on gain change, which begins as the signal approaches the Threshold level. In Hard-Knee mode, gain reduction is linear based on the Threshold and Ratio controls. Any signal that falls below the Threshold level will be unprocessed.

Noise Gates

Noise gates are used to remove unwanted noise and/or bleed from recorded tracks in the studio or from open microphones in live sound systems. Noise gates can also be used as a sound effect, most commonly to chop the end of a reverb let’s say on a snare drum so that the entire snare sound ends just before the beat. The basic principle of a noise gate is to work as an automatic mute switch. Mute off (Gate Open) when the desired signal is present and mute on (Gate Closed) when the desired signal is not present. In order to get the gate to work predictably, it is necessary to set a threshold, or trigger level that will determine when the gate will open. If the signal is below the trigger the gate will remain closed. When the signal is above the trigger, the gate will trigger open allowing the desired signal to pass and be heard. Noise gates often have other adjustable controls like attack, hold, range and release. Many noise gates like the S•com plus use sophisticated circuits to control some of these parameters automatically.

Downward Expander

The purpose of a well-designed Downward Expander is to increase the perceived dynamic range of a system. This is accomplished by decreasing the gain during the softer sections, thereby lowering the relative noise floor. When the signal level is below the desired trigger level, the expander lowers the overall gain by the selected amount.

Limiter

A Limiter is a specific form of a compressor configured to prevent peaks and for general overload protection. The S•com plus offers a Limiter section with independent controls designed to work in conjunction with the Compressor section. The operating range of the Limiter is from 0 to +20dB and when engaged, protects against signal peaks, overloads and excess modulation in broadcast situations.

Stereo Link Mode

The S•com plus can be configured from dual-mono operation to stereo by using the Stereo Link switch. In Stereo Link mode, Channel 2 functions are controlled by the settings of Channel 1 with the exception of IN/OUT, KEY and LIMITER.

Side Chain / External Key

The S•com plus features a side-chain or external Key function. The external Key function is used to externally process the compressor’s detector circuit. There are many useful applications for processing the detector circuit including Equalizing for frequency dependent compression, De-Essing - the use of EQ to remove sibilance, and externally keying off a vocal track for Ducking effects to name a few. Selecting the Key function on S•com plus’ front panel, interrupts the compressors detector path and routes it to the Key Output jack. The Key Input jack receives the externally processed signal, which will now control the compressor’s detector.

   

 

  Applications

Using the Expander/Gate to Remove Hiss and Noise The S•com plus is an extremely useful tool in reducing the level of unwanted noises. By using the Expander/Gate

you can effectively fade the noise into the noise floor or abruptly turn the unwanted signal completely off.

Let’s say you want to reduce the bleed or cross talk that occurs when different instruments are recorded in close proximity to each other. You have recorded an acoustic guitar simultaneously in the same room as with some other acoustic instruments. The problem is that you hear a lot of the other instruments playing when the acoustic guitar is silent. This can cause phasing and comb filtering problems due to microphone placement, so having the bleeding signal drop into the noise floor is desirable. To do this, set the S•com plus to Expander mode with the Release switch to Slow and adjust the Threshold so that the acoustic guitar signal is well above the threshold level. When the signal from the acoustic guitar track falls below the threshold level, the signal subtly fades into the noise floor.

Now let’s say you’re attempting to remove the pick-up noise and hum from a guitar track that was recorded through a loud amplifier. The hum and noise is most noticeable in-between the rhythm of the performance, so you want to have the gate close during the silent parts and open during the musical passages. To do this, set the S•com plus to Gate mode and adjust the Trigger level so that the gate is open just during the musical guitar parts, and so that the gate is closed during the silent passages so that the hum and noise is muted.

Gating Drums

Using noise gates on drums is particularly useful in recording and in live sound. When a drum kit is set up with individual microphones on each drum in a live PA system, there’s potential for great sound. However, there are several gain management problems that can occur. Several microphones like the ones on the tom-toms, will only be used occasionally and until the time that the tom-tom is actually played, its microphone is merely picking up unwanted sound from other instruments on stage. This adds a lot of unwanted mush in the mix and also adds to feedback problems. Use the S•com plus to gate the signal of the tom-tom by selecting Gate with the Expander/Gate switch. Now adjust the Trigger control so that the gate opens only when the tom-tom is played,

and at the same time, so that the gate is closed even when the adjacent tom-tom is played. This same technique is useful on drums that have been recorded on individual tracks. By using the Gate to mute the bleed of the other drums, you can effectively reduce the comb filtering produced by phase cancellation due to microphone proximity.

Gating Longer Sounds

When using a noise-gate on sound with a longer decay like piano, it is usually necessary to use a longer release time. Run the piano signal through the S•com plus and set the Expander/Gate Release switch to Slow. Adjust the Trigger level on sustained passages to get the best results. Be sure to listen for the natural decay of the instrument and allow the gate to remain open until just after end of the decay.

Leveling a Vocal Track

When recording a vocal track, the vocalist may change the distance between them and the microphone, or they may naturally have a lot of dynamic range in their performance. In either case, the sound engineer must decide how much compression should be used to balance the natural performance and printing a good level to tape or disk. Set up the S•com plus with a medium attack and release time and a ratio of 4:1. You can also use the Auto button to engage the AEG (Auto Envelope Generator) for automatic attack and release. Now adjust the Threshold level so that the Gain Reduction meters show 6 to 10 dB of gain reduction. Adjust the Ratio control if necessary.

Leveling a Guitar or Bass

Guitar and especially bass guitar can have a lot of level change between strings and even frets on the fingerboard. Using compression when recording guitars and bass will even out these differences. Set up the compressor section of the S•com plus with a medium attack and release time and a ratio of 4:1. You can also use the Auto button to engage the AEG (Auto Envelope Generator) for automatic attack and release. Now adjust the Threshold level so that the Gain Reduction meters show 10 to 12 dB of gain reduction. You’ll notice that the each note is at the same loudness and the overall sustain is increased.

Compressing Drums

Adding compression on drums can make a boomy kick drum tighten up, almost as if you were tightening the head of a drum. Set the S•com plus to a fairly quick attack time and use a ratio of 6:1. Set the Threshold so that the Gain Reduction meter reads 12 to 15 dB. Adjust the Ratio control if necessary. You can use the same basic set up on snare and toms as well.

Getting a Track to Sit in the Mix

By using a heavy amount of compression you can get the effect of the vocal suspending in the mix. While this may be a bit radical for some, the effect can be dramatic especially if the vocal is mixed without any reverb or delay. Set up the compressor section of the S•com plus with a medium attack and release time and a ratio of 6:1. You can also use the Auto button to engage the AEG (Auto Envelope Generator) for automatic attack and release. Now adjust the Threshold level to so that the Gain Reduction meters show 21 to 24 dB of gain reduction.

Speaker Protection

There are several ways to use a compressor to protect a speaker system and many considerations can be made including whether the speaker system is crossed over actively or passively. If the speaker system is stereo using a passive crossover, then the line output of the mixer or equalizer is run directly into the S•com plus inputs. The S•com plus should be last in the chain before the power amps with its outputs feeding the inputs of the amp. Now set the S•com plus to Stereo Link mode and use the Auto button to engage the AEG (Auto Envelope Generator) for automatic attack and release. Adjust the Threshold and Ratio so that the system’s entire dynamic range is under control. Set the Limiter control to +12 and gradually adjust it until it is 1 to 2dB below the clip level of your power amps.

When using an active crossover, multiple compressors can be used to compress each section of the PA. For example, if the PA is using an active crossover to run a four-way mono system, two S•com plus’ can be used for four band compression. By compressing each output of the crossover, you can maximize the output level while minimizing

the gain to sensitive speakers like the mid-range. Run the low and low-mid frequencies into two channels of the first S•com plus and the high-mid and high frequencies into channel one and two of the second S•com plus.

 

여기까지가 제가 네이버검색과 영문 메뉴얼에서 검색하여 발췌한 자료입니다..

구글에는 리뷰한 자료가 많은데 제가 영어실력이 넘 딸려서..도저히 해석이 않되고..

영문 메뉴얼 올리고 싶은데..자료가 않올라가지네요..ㅠ.ㅠ

일반 컴프에 리미터, 디에서, 게이트 기능까지 있다보니..전 조작이 좀 어렵습니다..

어떤 조언이라도 부탁드립니다..특히 노브들 조작에 대해서;;