Drawmer DS101 Noise gate

Based on a single channel of the Drawmer DS201, the Drawmer DS101 is a sophisticated noise gate that incorporates several features pioneered by Drawmer, invaluable to sound engineers. These include variable high and low-pass filters for “frequency conscious gating.” Additional features include comprehensive envelope control with attack, hold, decay, and range settings, plus a host of other functionalities, making it an exceptional processor.

When placed side by side in a 500 series rack, two or more Drawmer DS101 gates can be linked using the new infrared triggering mechanism. This allows any number of gates to be linked, with each maintaining its envelope shaping while the trigger pulse passes through unchanged. This opens up a world of “envelope follower” effects limited only by your imagination.

Setting up noise gates can often be tedious and unrewarding. For instance, when trying to separate a signal from unwanted noise or high-level crosstalk, spurious triggering by unwanted components can be a serious problem. This is frequently experienced in studios when recording drum kits. If a gate is used to clean up the snare drum sound, nearby hi-hats might spill into the snare drum microphone and cause the gate to open. Increasing the threshold level might solve this problem, but it can also prevent quieter snare drum beats from opening the gate, potentially ruining the performance.

Drawmer’s solution to this problem is the inclusion of two variable filters—one high-pass and one low-pass – that act upon the side-chain keying circuitry. By setting the output switch to key listen, users can hear the action of the filters and adjust them to reject high-frequency spillage from the hi-hats. This enables the gate to open only on the lower frequencies present in the snare drum, ensuring a clean and precise recording.

The Drawmer DS101’s ultra-fast attack time allows it to open in mere microseconds, preserving the natural attack of the sound being gated. Its comprehensive envelope controls let you adjust the gain at a rate that best suits the material. For instance, with vocals, a fast attack prevents clipping of leading consonants, while a slower release time ensures the end of words aren’t abruptly cut off and noise fades out gradually. This is crucial, as the human ear is more sensitive to rapidly changing noise levels than to constant low-level noise.

Another important function of the Drawmer DS101 is reshaping existing sounds. For example, it can be used with a sampling delay line to store a sound for re-triggering and mixing later. By adjusting the gate’s attack and decay, you can impart a slower attack or faster decay to the sound, effectively hiding any noise at the end of the sample. When using a sampler or drum machine, the DS101 acts as a triggered envelope shaper, with its wide range of envelope controls making it perfect for this application.

The Drawmer DS101 can also be switched to accept a key input, allowing it to be triggered externally. For instance, a snare drum signal can open the gate on a separate ambient microphone, creating a natural alternative to gated reverb. With a rack full of DS101 units, each can be individually switched from Gating to Ducking for voice-over applications or for removing clicks and pops, offering unparalleled flexibility and control in your audio processing setup.

Features

• Fully featured noise gate based on the industry standard DS201.
• Takes up a single 500 series slot.
• Proprietary Hysteris or “trigger stabilization” to prevent “chatter” around the threshold.
• Fully variable high pass and low pass filters for “frequency conscious” gating.
• Comprehensive envelope control, attack, hold, decay, and range.
• External triggering via key input or the new IR trigger pulse from another DS101.
• “Key Listen” facility.
• Extremely fast attack time, to preserve the natural attack of the sound.
• Linkable – up to ten units in one rack space – with individual envelope shaping.
• Drawmer “traffic lighting” metering.
• Can be used for “Gating” or “Ducking”.
• Low noise design.
• Classic Drawmer Build Quality with Rugged Steel Chassis and Aluminium Front Panel.
• Designed and manufactured by Drawmer in the UK.