Author: Peter Mosier

One of my previous posts contained a link to a Youtube video (produced by Waves, maker of many DAW plug-ins). That was a great overview, but if you really want to get into the nitty-gritty, checkout the Wikipedia page on this subject: Dynamic Range Compression (on Wikipedia).

There are dozens of charts and graphs in this article, like this one.

At a glance, it explains the difference between “downward compression” (knocking down the loud bits) and “upward compression” (raising up the quiet bits).

More Great Audio Concepts Explainer Graphics

Check out all the graphics posted to Wikimedia Commons by user Iain Fergusson. Amazing!

I have been tweaking some Fx chains in my DAW of choice (Reaper). To facilitate comparing them, I made this video. Using the same original recording, the audio switches between the three different Fx chains.

What do you think? Which do you prefer, and why?

In case you are wondering:

• “B” is based on this free “broadcast chain” available at the Reaper Stash
• “R” is based on the tips outlined in a ReaperBlog video “Dialog FX Chain with stock plugins in REAPER DAW“
• “W” is based on paid plug-ins I purchased from Waves.com

You can jump to 6:10 in the video to get straight to the details on each Fx chain.

The video details the specific audio processing steps involved in creating three different FX chains for improving voice recordings. Each FX chain includes noise reduction, EQ adjustments, compression, and limiting to enhance the audio quality. The comparison of the FX chains demonstrates varying results in terms of audio clarity and tonal balance. The discussion highlights the importance of selecting appropriate plugins, adjusting settings, and understanding the impact of each processing step on the final audio output