Thomann's Cool Online Guides: Audio Compressors
This tutorial covers audio compressors and how they are used.
Welcome to our online guide on audio compressors!
Most of us have encountered compressors in one form or another. But while you may be thinking of the ones in your fridge or in your garage, this guide covers a special kind: the audio compressor.
To understand how it works, let's think of an air compressor like the kind that's used to fill tires. It takes an amount of air and squeezes it into a smaller space, thereby reducing its volume. The same principle applies to audio compressors, but here it's the audio signal that's being squeezed. The compressor reduces the volume of the louder portions of the signal, while raising the level of the quieter parts, thereby reducing (compressing) the overall dynamic range.
So why do you need an audio compressor? How are compressors used in audio engineering, and what aspects should you consider when you're trying to decide which one to buy? On the following pages we would like to give you an overview of audio compressors, including many useful tips on how to use them.
This online guide consists of several pages – just select the different topics from the table of contents below.
Best rated products
Top Brands Show all brands
All brands
- A-Designs Audio
- accSone
- accusonus
- Acon Digital
- AIR Music Technology
- Akai
- AMA Verlag
- Amptweaker
- AMS Neve
- Antares
- API Audio
- Apogee
- Applied Acoustics Systems
- ART
- Arturia
- Audified
- Audionamix
- BBE
- Behringer
- Bettermaker
- Black Lion Audio
- Black Rooster Audio
- Blue Cat Audio
- Boz Digital Labs
- Cableguys
- Celemony
- Chandler Limited
- CharterOak
- Crane Song
- D16 Group
- Dangerous Music
- Dateq
- Dave Hill Designs
- DBX
- DDMF
- Drawmer
- EastWest
- Elysia
- Empirical Labs
- Eventide
- Exponential Audio
- FabFilter
- Flux
- FMR Audio
- Fredenstein
- Golden Age Project
- Hal Leonard
- Harrison Consoles
- Heritage Audio
- Hofa
- IGS Audio
- IK Multimedia
- Ina-GRM
- iZotope
- JDK Audio
- Kilohearts
- Klark Teknik
- Krotos Audio
- Leapwing Audio
- Lexicon
- Lindell Audio
- Magix
- Manley
- Mastering The Mix
- McDSP
- MeldaProduction
- Mu Technologies
- New Audio Technology
- Neyrinck
- Nomad Factory
- Nugen Audio
- Output
- Overloud
- PAS
- Plug And Mix
- Polyverse Music
- Positive Grid
- PPV Medien
- PSP Audioware
- Relab Development
- Rob Papen
- Rockruepel
- Rolls
- RTW
- Rupert Neve Designs
- Samson
- Serato
- Slate Digital
- Softube
- Sonalksis
- Sonible
- Sonnox
- Soundradix
- Soundtoys
Most popular products
Digital Piano 88 Keys with scaled hammer action keyboard (Smart Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard), 18 Sounds, 192-Voice polyphony, Hammer response, Damper resonance, Split and layer function, Chorus, DSP, Brilliance, 60 Internal exercises, Transposer, Metronome, Bluetooth audio, Connections: 2x Headphones,...
Active Monitor System 4.5" Woofer, 0.75" Tweeter, 60 W class D amplifier (2 x 30 W), Optimised for desktop applications, Front volume control, Frequency range: 88 - 20,000 Hz (-3 dB SPL), 60 - 20,000 Hz (-10 dB), Max....
Amp Modeling Interface 24-Bit / 96 kHz, 10 x 4 Amp Modeling Audio Interface, 2 x Combo inputs mic / line with Audient Class A microphone preamp (60 dB gain), Instrument input with tube preamp including 12AX7 tube and...
Baritone Electric Guitar Alder body, Ash veneer top, Maple neck, Ebony fretboard (Diospyros Celebica), Dot fretboard inlays, Fretboard radius: 350 mm, Nut width: 42 mm, 24 Frets, Scale: 711 mm, Pickup: Chapman Sonorous Zero Baritone humbucker, Controls: Master Volume...
Pitch Correction Plugin (Download) Software for automatic intonation correction in real time, Easy and fast pitch correction, Based on the algorithms of Auto-Tune Pro, Simple parameter set for easy operation, Low-latency for live applications, Compatible to Antares Auto-Key (Article...
Audio MIDI sequencer (DAW)Upgrade from Cubase AI 6 or later 32 Bit Integer and 64 Bit Float, Unlimited number of simultaneously usable audio and MIDI tracks, Supports up to 256 physical inputs and outputs, 5.1 Surround...
Bluetooth Headset Supra-aural, Closed, Foldable, 40 mm Dynamic driver, Bluetooth aptX Technology, Up to 30 hours Bluetooth operating time, Control element on headphones, Music Share (one more listener can be plugged into an earpiece with a 3.5 mm jack...
Tama Imperialstar series, model: IP62H6NBBOB+8, limited 7pcs version, finish: Blacked Out Black (BBOB), covered 8-ply, 7.5mm thick poplar shells, black nickel shell hardware, set containing 22"x18" bass drum with Accu Tune bass drum hoop, 08"x07" - 10"x08" - 12"x09" tom...
Toontrack EZX Pop Punk (ESD); expansion pack for Toontrack EZ Drummer 2 (item 399369) / Superior Drummer 3 (item 419735); produced and recorded by John Feldmann; contains 3 complete drum sets with the genre-typical Larger-Than-Life sound; 7 Snaredrums, 4 Kicks,...
Piano Monitor Specially designed for optimal dynamic playback of the Nord Piano Library, Optimized for near field, Additional auxiliary audio input to connect a laptop or smartphone, Power: 2x 80 W, Loudspeaker equipment: 3/4" Tweeter and 4 1/2" woofer,...
Jazz Bass Electric Guitar Alternate Reality Series, Body: Ash, Bolt-on neck: Maple, Fretboard: Maple, Neck shape: Modern C, Scale: 648 mm (25.5"), Nut width: 41.9 mm (1.65"), Fretboard radius: 241 mm (9.5"), Fretboard inlays: Black dots, 22 Medium jumbo...
Positive Grid BIAS FX 2 Standard (ESD); guitar effects plugin; Guitar Match technology simulates specific guitars, which can be played wiht regular guitars; contains Guitar Match-Essential with 2 guitars, 45 effect pedals and rack processors as well as 30 classic...
We're looking forward to hearing from you and aim to solve any problems as soon as we can.
Payment can be made safely and securely with Credit Card, Bank Transfer, PayPal or Amazon Pay.
Hans-Thomann-Straße 1
96138 Burgebrach
Germany