Limiter Disk Mix settings for Zaxcom Fusion (for Fusion users)

[gabi]

About limiters for the Fusion, do you keep your input limiters engaged at all times?

What are your limiter settings for the Disk Mix - attack/release/ratio/threshold (what is your reference level)? 

Do you use the Fusion mic pres and Mix 12 or do you keep an analog mixer in front of it?

I just got my Fusion and I am still playing with the limiter settings... Just curious about what have worked for others on the field.

Thanks,

Gabi Cunha

[Paul Graff]

Hi Gabi,

I started a post about this about a year ago on the Deva users group where I listed all of the settings I use in detail.  While those are my usual settings I have tweaked them a bit for special situations. Basically I do not like or use the input limiters, but I think the input compressors (which are individually adjustable for all 16 inputs) are very useful. I also use the disk and output limiters, but they are set to almost never engage. 

Perhaps you could post your query there and try to revive that thread. I was interested to see others' settings but got little response.

Here is the initial post:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/devaII/message/13868

Paul

[Paul Graff]

I don't mind posting it here as well in case anyone is interested. This was from last January on the Deva users group. Also, I no longer ever use a mixer in front of my Fusion. I am either in a bag or with a Zaxcom Mix 8 control surface on a cart. Since posting this I keep the input compressor threshold at -5.0 dB. I might raise the output limiter threshold a dB or two as well.

My old post:

I'd like to find out what others are doing and why. I am hoping Zaxcom will

chime in on this as well.

I use my Fusion without an external mixing panel. I use the Mix 8 or I am over

the shoulder. Either way, all limiting and compression is in my Fusion. My goal

with limiting to never have it engage, or at least as little as possible. I see

it as a brick wall of protection against digital distortion in the event of

unexpected loud sounds.

My current settings:

Input Limiter for analog inputs. These are either ON or OFF for each input. No

user-adjustable parameters, and like ALL the limiters and compressors on the

Deva/Fusion, NO indication whatsoever of when they engage. I leave all of these

OFF.

Input Compressor for analog and digital inputs (accessed by the "Dynamics"

button). These are either ON or OFF for each input with user-adjustable

parameters for each input individually. I have these ON with the following

settings:

Attack: 2 ms

Decay: 100 ms

Threshold: -6.0 dB

Ratio: 14.0:1

Gain: 0.0 dB

Disk Limiter for recorded tracks. These are either ON or OFF for each input with

user-adjustable parameters that apply to ALL tracks. (Nice feature is that the

track number turns green instead of black in the Disk Mix screen when that

track's limiter is engaged). I generally have these ON with the following

setting:

Attack: 1 ms

Decay: 100 ms

Threshold: -3.0 dB

Ratio: 20.0:1

Gain: 0.0 dB

Per Sound Devices, these are the Attack, Decay, and Ratio settings used in the

442 when I called a while back. Brick wall indeed. I also use them for the

Output Limiters.

Lastly, Output Limiters. These are either ON or OFF for each output with

user-adjustable parameters that apply to ALL outputs. (The output number also

changes color in the Output Mix screen when that toutput's limiter is engaged).

I generally have these ON with the following setting:

Attack: 1 ms

Decay: 100 ms

Threshold: -6.0 dB

Ratio: 20.0:1

Gain: 0.0 dB

I'm not married to any of these settings and have tried different ones over the

years. I could be way off base, so I'm putting it out there to see what the rest

of you do.

For Glenn, Howy, and anyone else from Zaxcom, I'll reiterate how useful it would

be to have a visual indication on the home screen of when the limiters are

engaging. Perhaps the track number could blink. The sticky changing color of the

track number (yellow at -20 and red at -10) is great, btw.

Thanks,

Paul Graff

[gabi]

Lots of details, great reply as always...

Thanks a lot, Paul.

Gabi

[greg sextro]

Hey Paul,

is there something about the sound of the limiters you don't like?

just curious

-greg-

[Matthias Richter]

wonder if the Fusion limiters sound "strange" like the build in limiters of the Zaxcom TRX?

Matthias

[justanross]

Thanks Paul.  I just got my fusion and haven't had any time to play around.  This is a time saver for me.