Dynamics Expander

An expander increases the differences in volume between quieter and louder sections of audio. It works by turning down the volume when the volume level stays below the threshold level, and turning the volume back up when the level goes up above the threshold. The attack time is how fast it responds to levels above the threshold, and the release time is how fast it reacts when the levels drop below the threshold.

Another way to describe the dynamics expander is that it is the reverse of a compressor. An expander works by reducing the volume of the audio when the levels drop below a certain threshold. The ratio determines how much to turn the volume down, with a larger ratio resulting in the volume being turned down more. A high ratio of 12:1 or more is considered a noise gate. The attack and release times behave the same way as in a compressor. The attack time is how fast it reacts to the level dropping below the threshold, and the release time is how long before the volume returns to normal after the level goes above the threshold.

Expanding is useful when you want to increase the dynamic range of the audio. It is also useful if you have a noisy recording and want to reduce the volume of the quieter passages so you don't notice the noise as much. It does have the side effect of changing the way sounds decay and can end up silencing some parts that are quieter.


Show Title Page