FabFilter User Forum
Pro-C3 - character mode question
Good question. Basically Character mode is a small drive module placed before or after the compressor algorithm. The default setting of 0dB will give a very subtle character to the signal. Adjusting the range will either increase or decrease the signal going into the character algorithm, increasing or decreasing the added character. The opposite is done on the output of the character algorithm, so if you set the drive to +6dB there will be a 6db boost going into the character circuit and a 6dB attenuation on the output, so you will keep the same loudness. The dB value is simply how much louder or quieter the signal is being sent into the character algorithm.
Like I said the 0dB drive can be (very) subtle, just like in Pro-Q 4. However, when you put character mode on all tracks and disable all of them, you will notice that on all tracks combined it will make a bigger impact.
Hope that clears it up.
Hey!
Pro-C3 is awesome and I'm starting to use it for and and all compression now, so thanks Fabfilter, your rock!
Does anyone understand and can explain to me the numbers in db that the character mode has? It has -24db to +24db, but it doesn't make sense to me - changes this big should be drastic, but any way I use those, the differences are all subtle.
I've read the manual too and it's kinda cryptic as well there.
Thanks!
PS:
This is what it says in the manual:
The Character button right below the Style button opens the Character panel with the following settings:
Character mode sets the type of analog saturation, color and drift. You can choose between Off (disabled), Tube, Diode and Bright. All three options have their own character and introduce different harmonics and coloring. Try them!
Drive sets the level at which the saturation circuit is driven internally which affects the amount of saturation and harmonics.
Routing determines whether saturation takes place before (Pre) or after compression is applied (Post). By default, it's set to Post, which will nicely saturate transients that remain when applying compression with higher attack values. When set to Pre, the signal and peaks in the input will be saturated before compression, which results in a wholly different character.