Orban Optimod-PC 1101 Operating Manual Download

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OPTIMOD-PC

OPERATION

3-57

oriented preset is on the air, the

ESS

-M

ORE

control adjusts the average amount of

gain reduction by adjusting the drive level to the Five-Band structure's input. This
also adjusts the idle gain—the amount of gain reduction in the AGC section when
the structure is gated. (It gates whenever the input level to the structure is below
the threshold of gating.)

When a music preset is on the air, the

ESS

-M

ORE

control sets the amount of overall

processing, making optimum tradeoffs between loudness, brightness, and distor-
tion. In sound for picture, there are no loudness wars; for music presets, there is no
need to advance the

ESS

-M

ORE

control beyond its setting in the Factory Presets.

Customizing the Settings

The controls in the Five-Band structure give you the flexibility to customize your sta-
tion sound. However, as with any audio processing system, proper adjustment of
these controls requires proper balancing of the trade-offs explained above. The fol-
lowing provides the information you need to adjust the Five-Band structure controls
to suit your programming and taste.

The Five-Band Structure’s Full and Advanced Setup Controls

The tables below summarize the Five-band and Band Mix controls in the dynamics
section. The AGC, Equalizer, Stereo Enhancer, and Clipper controls are common to
both the Two-Band and Five-Band structures and are discussed in their own sections
in Section 3.

Multiband Drive

control adjusts the signal level going into the five-band compres-

sor, and therefore determines the average amount of gain reduction in the five-
band compressor. Range is 25dB.

Adjust the

ULTIBAND

RIVE

control to your taste and programming requirements.

Used lightly with a slow or medium release time, the Five-Band compressor produces
an open, re-equalized sound that is appropriate for most video programming. The
Five-Band compressor can increase audio density when operated at a fast or me-
dium-fast release because it acts more and more like a fast limiter (not a compressor)
as the release time is shortened. With fast and medium-fast release times, density
also increases when you increase the drive level into the Five-Band compressor be-
cause these faster release times produce more limiting action. Increasing density can
make loud sounds seem louder, but can also result in an unattractive busier, flatter,
or denser sound. It is very important to be aware of the many negative subjective
side effects of excessive density when setting controls that affect the density of the
processed sound.

Because OPTIMOD-PC’s AGC algorithm uses sophisticated window gating, it is pref-
erable to make the AGC do most of the gain riding (instead of the five-band com-
pressor), because the AGC can ride gain quickly without adding excessive density to
program material that is already well controlled. Use the five-band compressor light-
ly, so it can achieve automatic re-equalization of material that the AGC has already
controlled without adding excessive density to the audio or re-equalizing to an un-
natural extent.