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COMPOSER PRO MDX2200
5.1.1 The COMPOSER PRO in digital recording and sampling
In an analogue recording, too low recording levels lead to an increased noise level, whereas too high levels will
cause a compressed and squashed sound. In extreme cases, it will cause distortion due to tape saturation.
In contrast to analogue, side effects in the digital field always become extremely audible: with decreasing level,
a tape previously recorded with insufficient level loses resolution: the recording sounds hard and loses at-
mosphere. With excessive level, the recording sounds harsh and heavily distorted. In order to avoid these
effects, the Peak Limiter section of the COMPOSER PRO should be placed before for example a sampler. As
a result of this process, a digital recording or a sampling event can be optimally set in level without any
problem.
5.1.2 The COMPOSER PRO in mastering
The mastering process is one of the most critical processing steps in recording. In this production step, it is
the goal to achieve a maximum level copy of the recording, without any noise or distortion. In many applica-
tions it is further required to produce a high average volume. In the field of commercial media for example, this
is apparent especially with records and cassettes which are processed with high average volumes. Quite often
in these cases, dynamics suffer drastically, because the program material has been compressed and limited
too heavily. Using the Compressor and the Peak Limiter section of the COMPOSER PRO allows you to
drastically increase the overall volume, without audibly affecting the dynamics.
Proceed as follows:
1. Limit the dynamics of the program material by 6 dB using the Peak Limiter section. By softly clipping just
the transients, the real audio signal will not be limited, resulting in a higher headroom. The overall gain can
now be increased by 6 dB, which leads to a higher volume. More than 6 dB should not be limited, otherwise
side effects could become audible.
2. Therefore, in addition, you should also use compression. It is recommended that the compression is limited
to the first 6 dB of the dynamic range only. A high threshold level in addition to the auto mode will give good
results.
This effect is particularly noticeable with DAT recorders, whose level indicators achieve a response time of less
than 1 ms. Set the DAT recorder at unity and now reduce the LEVEL control of the peak limiter until the LIM
LED starts to illuminate. The cut signal peaks cause a reduced recording level of about 6 dB, which is visible
on the level indicators of the DAT recorder. Now increase the recording level of the recorder back to unity. The
result is a clearly louder recording without any loss of sound.
5.2 The COMPOSER PRO as a protective device
Sound system distortion is usually a result of amplifiers and loudspeakers being driven beyond their limitations
by signals clipping. The signal limitations that occur lead to unpleasant distortion that is dangerous to the
speakers.
A speaker diaphragm is required to accelerate, slow down, smoothly change direction and accelerate again in
normal operation. Distorted operation (clipping) leads to instant acceleration, instant stop, change of direction
and instant acceleration again. Since speaker diaphragms are subject to the laws of physics, they will not take
this kind of punishment for long: the diaphragm will either break up or its voice coil may overheat.
In addition to the damage caused by sustained overload, the speaker may also be damaged by an occasional
high level overload, e.g. the sound of a microphone falling onto a hard floor. Even if this type of transient does
not destroy a speaker outright, it may damage the speaker surround in such a way, as to cause mechanical
abrasion and future failure. It is recommended that you use the BEHRINGER COMPOSER PRO in order to
protect the speaker. Brick Wall peak limiters are not normally necessary for PA systems, as amplifiers and
loudspeakers are tolerant of short signal peaks.
Nevertheless, conventional limiters have to be generally driven far beyond the headroom limit of an amplifier, in
order to limit the level and length of the transients responsible for overloading the system. The disadvantage of
this principle is that the units full range cannot be completely used. If an increase in the average level of up to
3 dB is attained with the COMPOSER PROs IGC peak limiter, this means that you effectively double the power
amplification. The COMPOSER PRO can act in this way to get the power of a 10,000 Watts system (distortion
free) out of a PA system of 5,000 Watts. The following instructions will help you to integrate the unit into your
system.
5. SPECIAL APPLICATIONS