Expander controls in Final Cut Pro for Mac
Expander is similar in concept to a compressor, but increases, rather than reduces, the dynamic range above the threshold level. You can use Expander to add liveliness and freshness to your audio signals.
To add the Expander effect to a clip and show the effect’s controls, see Add Logic effects to clips in Final Cut Pro for Mac.
Input meter: Shows the input signal level.
Expansion meter: Shows the amount of gain (expansion) applied to the signal.
Output meter: Shows the overall output signal level.
Threshold knob and field: Set the threshold level. Signals above this level are expanded.
Ratio knob and field: Set the expansion ratio—the ratio of signal expansion when the threshold is exceeded.
Note: Because Expander is a genuine upward expander—in contrast to a downward expander, which increases the dynamic range below the threshold level—the Ratio knob features a value range of 1:1 to 0.5:1.
Gain knob and field: Set the amount of gain.
Auto Gain button: Turn on to compensate for the level increase caused by expansion. When Auto Gain is active, the signal sounds softer, even when the peak level remains the same.
Note: If you dramatically change the dynamics of a signal (with extreme Threshold and Ratio values), you may need to reduce the Gain knob level to avoid distortion. In most cases, turning on Auto Gain adjusts the signal appropriately.
Knee knob and field: Determine the strength of expansion at levels close to the threshold. Lower values result in more severe or immediate expansion—hard knee. Higher values result in a gentler expansion—soft knee.
Attack knob and field: Set the time it takes for Expander to respond to signals that exceed the threshold level.
Release knob and field: Set the time it takes for Expander to stop processing the signal after it falls below the threshold level.
Output Clip pop-up menu: Choose whether to apply clipping above 0 dB, and the type of clipping. Soft and Hard change the signal around 0 dB in different ways, resulting in a smoothed or squared-off distortion of signal peaks.
Peak/RMS buttons: Determine whether the Peak or RMS method is used to analyze the signal.
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