User Manual

Vo l u um

Owner’s Manual

The gate parameters are shown in the table below.

The gate effect can be configured to be very subtle by setting a low reduction and low threshold, or

to add a distinct character to your sound with a higher threshold and higher reduction. Similarly, a

slow rEL time, will allow the gate to close subtly, whereas a fast rEL time can be sudden and more

obvious. Typically, the Att time is set fast to ensure transients aren’t lost when the gate opens.

Adjusting the compressor

The compression effect is used to even out the level of your playing. For example, the sound level

from the lower strings of your guitar is different from the higher strings—this is particularly

pronounced for bass guitar. The compressor is used to smooth out this difference. It can also be

used to add clean sustain or to boost the overall loudness of your sound (quieter notes will sound as

loud as the loudest notes) or to enhance the transients of notes.

A compressor works by apply a gain reduction to the signal when the signal level is above a

threshold. On its own this would compress the signal, but also cause a general drop in signal level.

To compensate for this, a make-up gain is applied to bring the average signal level back to where it

was before. The Voluum’s compressor features an intelligent make-up gain, so you don’t need to

worry about setting this.

The graph below shows the effect on the output signal of applying high compression and low

compression. Below the threshold, the signal passes through the compressor unchanged. The

transition around the threshold, the signal knee, is smooth. Above the knee, a constant gain-

reduction (ratio) is applied to the signal level. Note that the shape (sharpness) of the Voluum

compressor’s knee varies as the amount of compression is changed.

Parameter Controllable Range Description

rEd no 0–100

Signal level reduction.

0 is subtle and transparent (soft-knee, low ratio),

100 is more aggressive (hard-knee, high ratio).

thr no −90–20 Threshold in dB.

Att no 0·00–6·00 Attack time in seconds for the gate to open.

rEL no 0·10–6·00 Release time in seconds for the gate to close.