Expander

The Expander is a device used to increase the dynamic range of audio material. It does this by decreasing the audio level when it falls below the threshold value.

THRESHOLD
Set the level the detector signal must fall below for processing to begin. When the detector signal is above the threshold, the audio signal is unaffected. When detector signal is below the threshold, the level of the audio signal is reduced based on the ‘Ratio’ value and the level of the detector signal relative to the threshold.

RATIO
Determines how steeply gain reduction increases as the audio signal goes below the threshold level. The larger the ratio value is the more drastically level reduction is applied.

KNEE
Determines the transition of processing around the threshold. When the value is zero we call this a ‘hard knee’ and processing is engaged immediately if the signal is below the threshold. Higher values soften this knee, resulting in a gradual increase of processing as the audio level approach the threshold.