PC4K S-Type Expander/Gate Module

The PC4K S-Type Expander/Gate Module is an additional module available for SONAR’s modular ProChannel.

The PC4K S-Type Expander/Gate is available from the Cakewalk store (requires SONAR X1 Producer Expanded, SONAR X2 and X3 Producer, or SONAR X3 Studio).

Why use an Expander or Gate?

Add life to your tracks

Many times a sample, loop or other track sounds flat and lacks the dynamics needed to liven up a mix. An Expander can be used to reverse the effects of a compressor or to add further dynamic range to a performance. Now you can add variable volume back into a performance that has been overly compressed or just performed without enough expression. Add life to vocal tracks, put punch back into drums and drum loops and so much more. The PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate module is not just any Expander plugin. It's based on the legendary vintage-style channel expansion used on large format studio consoles and heard on countless albums over the past 30 years!

A Gate “edits” for you

A gate is a versatile production tool that enhances the quality of your final mixes. Recording an acoustic source, like a drum kit, can be a daunting task. Unless you are recording in a perfect studio environment, chances are there will be some unwanted background between phrases that needs to be eliminated. A gate can be used to automatically “mute” a track when the volume drops below a specific level. So instead of painstakingly editing takes into clips or automating mutes, a gate can remove mic bleed, pedal noise, and other unwanted sounds automatically. The PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate does the work for you so you can concentrate on making music.

Get those tracks in time

A gate is a great tool to tighten up a guitar or bass track to the drum parts. If you have a situation where the bass needs to be heard right when the kick drum hits, you can use the side-chain function to open the gate only when the kick drum is played. Control the sustain of the bass by adjusting the release control.

Why the PC4K S-Type?

The PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate Module is expertly crafted by the Cakewalk DSP team and rounds out our legendary, vintage-style, ProChannel modeling. The PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate Module features a classic design providing gate function to remove unwanted sound from a signal and upward expansion, employed by countless engineers to expand the dynamics of vocals and instruments. The PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate can be toggled between Gate and Expander mode, has standardized Threshold, Ratio & Range controls, and switches to enable Fast Attack and side chain input.

SONAR X1 Producer Expanded, SONAR X2 Producer or SONAR X3 Producer Required

SONAR X1 Producer Expanded, SONAR X2 Producer or SONAR X3 Producer add ProChannel Modularity and are required to use the PC4K S-Type Expander/Gate. 

ProChannel Modularity

SONAR X1 Producer Expanded and SONAR X2 Producer's impressive ProChannel console strip already provide a number of options to get pro-studio sound in the box with its highly musical EQ, PC76 U-Type/classic FET and PC4K S-Type bus compressors, tube saturation, and flexible drag & drop routing. Now the ProChannel experience further expands with fully modular capability. ProChannel strips can be customized to have any combination of installed modules available on any channel and favorite combinations can be set as default for tracks and busses.

PC4K S-Type Expander / Gate Module Parameters and Ranges
Parameter	Control Type	Range	Description
Threshold	Unipolar Knob	-30 dB - +10 dB	Sets the threshold at which gating/expansion begins
Range	Unipolar Knob	0 – 40 dB	Determines the maximum level that the processed signal can be attenuated
Release	Unipolar Knob	0.1 – 4 seconds	Adjusts how fast the gate opens back up
Gate	2 position switch	ON / OFF	Enables Gating, which sets the internal Ratio to –inf. When off, the ratio is set to 2:1
Fast Attack	2 position switch	ON / OFF	Sets the attack time to a constant 0.1ms. When this is off, the attack is auto-detecting
Side Chain	2 position switch	ON / OFF	Enables Side Chain in SONAR’s mixer routing.
LED Meter	Activity dB meter	3 – 20dB	Displays gain reduction happening from the meter