The best way to set it up to get an idea of the effect is to;

- make sure it is set to direct mode (i.e. non band split)
- set the effect control to maximum,
- set the input control to just achieve max modulation (i.e. the first red point on the meter),
- set the output control to maximum to get full modulation,
- set the curve control to central position (this is the neutral position).

If you now operate the in/out button you should hear an increase in loudness of around 1.5 to 2dB - without any apparent loss of dynamic range. Please also note that there is no increase in peak output level - the output red light should not come on despite the apparent increase in volume.

Now if you advance the curve control +vely the loudness will increase even further, but at the expense of greater distortion and a reduction in apparent dynamic range. (Sounds a bit like instantaneous mild compression without a time constant).

Decreasing the curve control -vely the reverse is true in that the loudness gain will be reduced, but the dynamic range will apparently increase with the loud stuff seeming proportionately louder with respect to the quieter passages. (Sounds like mild expansion without any time constant).

If you obtain a setting that suits your programme you can try pushing things even harder to get yet more loudness. To do this;

- make sure the clip 0dB function is inactive,
- increase the input level control so that the peak level increases to around +3dB into the over drive range (i.e. beyond the original red mark on the meter, towards the overall red mark at the top).

Depending on your programme type it may be possible to increase the input peak level by 3dB or more without any apparent loss of the peaks or dynamic range. If you can achieve this level of boost without too much loss of programme quality the total overall apparent loudness will have increased by 4 - 5dB.
The amount you can do this will depend on the relationship between the duration of the peaks wrt the average levels in the programme. Best results are normally obtained when the peaks in the over drive region are relatively short term, e.g. percussion or attacks (i.e. if it hasn't been too compressed and squashed intially).

The total volume increase can be heard by operating the bypass function. It's interesting to compare this method with what can be achieved with a conventional limiter.

The inflator can actually provide useful loudness increase even when used after a limiter - but the increase will be less - and of course, the peaks lost by the limiting cannot be recovered afterwards.

Things worth noting;

- The inflator will only block all output overs when it is used in non bandsplit mode and with the effect control always at maximum setting. Reducing the effect control or operating the bandsplit function will always produce higher levels and will force you to reduce the output gain - which detracts from the aim of maximum loudness.

- For loudness enhancement is should always be the last thing on the buss. Putting EQ or compression after it may ruin it's effect, cause overs and accentuate the artefacts.

- Whilst it is ok to use it on singal tracks in the mix (to fatten out or add weight to some tracks) and still use it on the main buss for loudness enhancement as well, care should be taken to never end up with two inflators directly in series on complex mixed programme.

- Programme consisting almost exclusively of extreme HF may not survive the inflator - some examples include certain post pro sound effects and foley.


- The clip 0dB in combination with effect control settings (less than max) are provided to allow distortion and saturation effects to be added to individual sounds.
- The bandsplit mode is intended to add weight and presence to complex mixed music - and isn't primarily intended to increase apparent loudness significantly.



You may also find that you can reduce your compression to some extent and produce mixes that seem to have significant dynamic range, even though they are still very loud and very highly modulated.

The best way to achieve this is:

Reduce the output of the limiter gain between 3 and 6dB (to avoid TDM buss overs).
Reduce the attack time of the limiter to allow short term peaks to pass up to full level again - to get back some 'attack and sparkle'.
De-select the 'Clip 0dBr' and 'Bandsplit' options on the inflator, so it works in direct mode.
Wind up the 'Effect, Curve and Output' controls to max.
Then start increasing the inflator 'Input' level control beyond the 0dB red digital max mark on the meter into the overdrive area, to make up for the level you lost by adjusting the limiter down.

Depending on the programme, you may find that you can wind all the gain back on again and still hear the peaks you allowed through the limiter, that would have otherwise caused overs and red lights on your final output.

What's happening here is that the inflator is including the harmonic content of the short term peaks in your output (up to 6dB above digital max) without actually producing more peak level. This can sound much better than simply shaving them all off with a limiter :-)

You can then fiddle with the 'Curve' control to optimise the sound of the result, max +ve will give the greatest loudness and mid position will provide slightly less loudness but more realism. Max -ve will seem to actually increase the dynamic range making the loud bits louder than the softer bits - which may allow you compress even harder in your comp/limiter and use shorter release time settings - because the inflator will cover up some of the side effects this would have caused.