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Using the Smashup
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Operational advice
Gain structure
Extreme settings will lead to extreme results. If you turn the
threshold down all the way, the Smashup will do what it's being
told to do: turn the level way down. If you then try to
compensate by cranking the [OUTPUT] control to its maximum,
you'll amplify the noise of your source and the Smashup itself.
The noise will fade itself in whenever the input signal stops,
resulting in the classic "pumping" and "breathing" problems.
Noise is present in every system, and improper use of any
compressor will amplify it to an obnoxious level.
For low noise operation, make sure your mixer, Smashup,
and amplifier settings are set properly. As a general rule, you
want as much gain as possible in the front of the system (at the
instrument or microphone preamp), so that a good line-level signal
is travelling through the whole signal path. If you have a weak
signal to start with, and then amplify it at the end of the signal path
(by turning the main outputs of the mixer all the way up, for
example) it will be excessively noisy.
When using a compressor on a live P.A. system, improper settings
can cause feedback. Make sure that a channel is well below the
feedback point when there is no gain reduction active. If you hear
feedback every time the music stops, you must lower the overall
level of the system.
Setting Levels
Proper setting of the output levels is crucial in order to achieve the
maximum signal-to-noise ratio. As a good rule of thumb, it is
usually best to first set the [OUTPUT] level control at 12 o’clock
or 50%. Then, press the [BYPASS] button in and out while
listening to signal through the unit. Turn the [OUTPUT] level up
or down so that the output level is roughly the same whether the
unit is bypassed or compressing.
About stereo compression
The Smashup is, in fact, two separate compressor channels joined
by one set of controls. The detectors of the two channels are
linked. This means that if the left channel's signal rises above the
threshold, the right channel's gain will be reduced by the same
amount as the left channel, and vice versa. This keeps the stereo
image from wandering from left to right when compressing a
stereo mix.