Exploring possibilities new downward expander design

[dimmudanny]

Hi all,

I'm currently working as a live mix engineer. While doing this, I often use an analogue outboard compressor also featuring a 'one-knob' downward expander. I use it mainly on vocals, but also on drums and other sources. This thing saved my life many times before, fighting ambient stage noise and feedback. But it isn't perfect and I have been looking for other, dedicated units which could do a better job at this. Strangely, the only other options seem the Drawmer DS402 (still not ideal parametric control) and the Rane G4 (digital engine) out there. Of course, audio quality plays a role here.

Ok, so this thing I have now works pretty good, but I think it would could do a lot better with some tweaking done to it, and with more parameter controls added. Ideally I would have a new expander-only unit designed from the ground up, loosely based on the current compressor/expander. Schematics are said to be easily accessible.

Now, I have no electrical engineering background, so I'd like you to point me in the right direction here and tell me what you think of this. Is this practically possible? Any indications of costs? What about the legal side of things, can I use the existing design and base the modified version on it? If it works well, can I sell it commercially? Who could design this thing for me?

I think you get the question.

Thanks for your help ,

Danny

 

[mondogenerator]

In my limited experience an expander circuit is the reverse of compression, and it increases dynamic range instead. In a live sound app, i can understand that reducing compression levels can help mitigate feedback. An expander (by the definition i gave above) will create more of an issue with stressing the dynamic headroom of amp and speakers, depending on expansion ratio.

In short i doubt your expander, is actually an expander. Maybe a firm of DSP enhancement. A little like the Behringer Ultrafex Pro audio exciter, that i have here.

 

[dimmudanny]

I might have not been entirely clear with my question. The design what you are talking about is actually a upward expander. What I mean is a downward expander, which means it applies gainreduction BENEATH the threshold, similar to a gate wich applies a fixed amount of gainreduction set by the depth control. The downward expander reduces gain proportional to distance of the signal to the threshold, set by the ratio control. The result makes for a more forgiving action compared to a gate - very important on a loud leadvocal, I think.