Hartke KILO Owner's Manual

Also see for KILO: Owner's manual

Contents

Hartke KILO Owner's Manual Manual pdf 17 page image

Kilo • 1000 Watt Bass Amplifier17About CompressionThe dynamic range of a sound is the difference between its loudest and softest levels.For example, as you play your bass, you’ll probably find that some notes (such as notesplayed on the upper frets of the lowest string) are considerably louder than others.The function of the compression circuitry in the Kilo Bass Amplifier is to reduce overalldynamic range by automatically reducing the level of the loudest sounds you play sothat they are closer in level to softer ones. The end result is a smooth, even sound.The front-panel COMPRESSOR control determines the amount ofcompression (peak signal reduction) by adjusting the threshold.Threshold is the limit above which compression is applied. As youturn the COMPRESSOR control clockwise, the threshold level islowered. The compression ratio is set to around 2:1, which means thatany input signal over the threshold level will be halved.The Kilo compression circuit follows the incoming signal, and willadjust the compression ratio down when you play notes with fast attack to avoid“squashing” your sound. This is useful when playing fast staccato passages, as it willcause all the notes to sound at the same level, even if the signal is above the thresholdlevel.The Kilo provides a front-panel compression LED indicator that visually indicates whenthe audio signal crosses the threshold level and activates the compressor circuit. Whenunlit, no compression is being applied. When the indicator lights red, compression isbeing applied to the incoming signal.Compression has three main uses. First, as described above, it “evens” out the notesplayed by your bass so that they all are at virtually equal levels. Second, it adds “punch”to a sound. Since all levels are nearly the same, you can play with greater force withoutworrying about the loudest notes distorting. Finally, it serves to protect your loud-speakers from damage as a result of brief (transient) high output levels, which mightotherwise be caused by slapping, finger-popping or other performance techniques.Whether or not you need to use compression with your Kilo will be a matter of per-sonal taste and playing style. Experiment and see if you like the effect. If you usuallyplay at low volume levels, you’ll find that even with the COMPRESSOR knob turnedup, the compression circuitry may have no audible effect. In general, if you don’t needcompression, leave it off.