• Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Topic: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Hello!

As mentioned in the other thread I rebuild my life-set at the moment. Today I tested and adjusted the compressor in TotalMix FX. The setup: Jomox MBase 11 goes in Analog In - BD isn't very 808 clean like but that doesn't matter. The compressor settings: Ratio:3.0 Gain:2.0 Attack: 75 Release: 285. With this settings and a Threshold so that the comp only have a GR of some dBs I can clearly hear some very strange and not good sounding distortion on the BD on my headphones (Beyerdynamic DT880 Pro). I thought "Okay, the release is too fast and the comp rides on the basswave". But increasing the release doesn't helped anything. In fact nothing helped but no compression. I know, this compressor isn't something special like a 1176 emulation from UAD but it shouldn't make so obvious unsexy things like that. I recorded it, with and without compression so you can hear it for yourself:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByAI3Am … sp=sharing
What is your experience with that compressor? Any ideas would be appreciated.

With best regards.
El Duderino

  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,778

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Please check for driver updates, I believe this has long been fixed...

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Sorry, I thought I had the latest drivers but in fact, that wasn't the case. Thanks for the fast response!

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Now I see what was the problem: After going in the device manager of Win 7 I clicked Update Drivers... selected the newly downloaded and clicked next. Win 7 thinks the the driver isn't newer so doesn't do anything. When you are just clicking through it as fast as usual you may oversee this and think you have updated.

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Sorry to say that guys, but something is wrong with that compressor. After the update the distortion is not gone - only a little bit shorter in it's duration(?). The driver is up to date 1.0.30.0, TotalMix FX says Version 0.989. Is there anything I may oversee?

6 Reply by MC

  • MC
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Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Is your firmware as outdated as the driver was?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

No. I purchased the UCX last week and downloaded everything after that from your site. The FUT says everything is up to date. I flashed it none the less. The driver wasn't updated last week but yesterday - as it was my fault to oversee that Win 7 just wanted to use the older driver instead of updating.

8 Reply by MC

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Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

I listened to the samples but am unsure what 'distortion' you mean. The original sample (2) has a fluttering background sound, easy to hear when you listen to the sample with low cut at 100 Hz. It seems to me that it is this vibrating fluttter sound that gets more hearable when processed by the compressor. Release and Attack do have an influence on how audible this gets.

You could also try the factory preset for bass drum to see if it causes the same effect (sounded better to me).

Which doesn't mean that you won't find a sample where some 'noise' becomes audible that is caused by the dynamics function itself. Although it will usually not be audible in real-world situations (especially when using a DSP version after 190, current is 220).

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Okay, first of all the distortion I am hearing is clearly not in the signal but comes with the compressor. I tested every compressor plugin I have with all settings possible to achieve a similar sound - without success.  I tested other Bassdrum-samples and with them it is also happening but not so obvious. So maybe the Jomox BD seems to be very challenging for your compressor. Speaking of obvious: I first didn't heard it on my speakers (Dynaudio BM5-A) but only on my headphones (Beyerdynamic DT-880 Pro). With an EQ I can make it good audible with an peak around 1-2 kHz. There it is happening. Also the moment of distortion is not happening with the beginning of the BD - at it's loudest moment - but more in the sustain when the compressor reacts. Although it IS very subtle and maybe not audible in a mix anymore it kind of puts me off...
I appreciate every effort you do regarding this problem and I would be really happy if you can optimise the compressor in the future. If you need any more sound examples - no problem.

With best regards
El Duderino

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Now I tried it in a cleaner approach:
Ableton Operator Synth generating a simple Sinus melody. Adjusting the compressor to very slow attack timing because with this setting the distortion got obvious (release 431 ratio 3.3 btw). Hear you can hear it for yourself:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByAI3Am … sp=sharing
Recorded via Loopback and then eq the bass out and a peak at mid frequencies...
Also an spectrometer will make it visible very clear. For me it sounds like "quantization steps" of the compressor gain reduction feed.
So common guys. It is there and shouldn't. No other compressor makes such a mistake. Please, please correct this behaviour.

11 Reply by MC

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Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

We will have a look. Can you please provide the original sound sample as well?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Thanks! What do you mean by "original". The last link contained 6 bars of compressed melody and then 6 bars without. The eq is always on. But would be no problem to render some other variants...

13 Reply by MC

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Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Thanks a lot for providing these samples and your patience. We improved the dynamics function so that your test signals no longer show problems. More details and a link to the new firmware are here:

http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic … 832#p93832

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

Thanks for updating that specific thread! Really happy that you optimised the compressor. I will investigate tomorrow if I am satisfied. ;-)

  • Registered: 2008-12-06
  • Posts: 198

Re: Strange distortion from TotalMix Compressor

I am satisfied with the compressor now. :-)