Optimod question.
 

I some how had a 3000W FM Radio station handed to me, and i have a few
quick questions.

The station currently has an ORBAN Model 8100A OPTIMOD-FM. I noticed
that my station sounds 'very flat' compaired to other stations playing
the same music. My question is this:

I would like to make the music 'thump'. Can i do some audio processing
before the optimod? (ie add a bit more .. *unf*), or would the optimod
just strip that anyways? All i would like is for the drums and bass to
hit just a little harder, i've dorked with the optimod and had the
engineer in there, and i think we have it sounding as good as its
going to get by itself, but want more, but to poor to buy even a newer
one for now.

Sorry if this question seems silly, or retarded, i know nothing about
any of this, like i said i fell backwords onto the station and i'm
just trying my best to keep it operational.

I appreicate your time!


Keith Anderson
WEXC FM 107.1
Greenville, PA
724-962-6950

"Keith Anderson" wrote in message
...
I some how had a 3000W FM Radio station handed to me, and i have a few
quick questions.

The station currently has an ORBAN Model 8100A OPTIMOD-FM. I noticed
that my station sounds 'very flat' compaired to other stations playing
the same music. My question is this:

I would like to make the music 'thump'. Can i do some audio processing
before the optimod? (ie add a bit more .. *unf*), or would the optimod
just strip that anyways? All i would like is for the drums and bass to
hit just a little harder, i've dorked with the optimod and had the
engineer in there, and i think we have it sounding as good as its
going to get by itself, but want more, but to poor to buy even a newer
one for now.

Sorry if this question seems silly, or retarded, i know nothing about
any of this, like i said i fell backwords onto the station and i'm
just trying my best to keep it operational.

I appreicate your time!

Best of luck with the station! Where is the transmitter located in relation
to the studios? How are they connected? Where in this chain is the Optimod
located? The Optimod is capable of limiting and maybe some compression,
but it will not compare to processors that have come along since the 8100
rolled out of the factory.

Paul Jensen
Florida's Emerald Coast

The optimod is in the chain as follows:

!MUSIC! -- BOARD -- OPTIMOD -- STL Beamed to the transmitter.
Where the other STL is located.

I was advised perhaps I could do some audio processing on the
otherside of the optimod so it would go MUSIC - BOARD -OPTIMOD -
PROCESSING - STL. But to me, this sounds like trouble. And i think I
would have to convert composite audio into analog audio, and then back
again -- pain in ass, I'm looking for some good deals now on an aphex
compellor, donations always are welcome! HAH!

Thanks alot,

Keith

You've all been very helpful!

umarc wrote in message ...
(Keith Anderson) writes:

The station currently has an ORBAN Model 8100A OPTIMOD-FM. I noticed
that my station sounds 'very flat' compaired to other stations playing
the same music. My question is this:

I would like to make the music 'thump'. Can i do some audio processing
before the optimod? (ie add a bit more .. *unf*), or would the optimod
just strip that anyways? All i would like is for the drums and bass to
hit just a little harder, i've dorked with the optimod and had the
engineer in there, and i think we have it sounding as good as its
going to get by itself, but want more, but to poor to buy even a newer
one for now.

There are a lot of things that have been done with Optimod 8100's;
the best I've heard involved changing some of the chips in the
Optimod and installing an Aphex Complellor and a set of Gentner
Audio Prisms in front of it. Some folks have used replacement cards
like Glen Clark's Cobalt Blue card in the Optimod.

However, today it's much easier just to replace the 8100 with one of
the latest digital boxes such as the Optimod 8400 or Omnia 6.

We just replaced an Optimod at one of our stations with an Inovonics
Omega FM processor; it's an excellent box that's almost infinitely
configurable. And it's only $4500.


umar

Want it to crank? Put two Texar Audio Prisms and a Stereo Max in front of
the 8100. Set them properly, and it will crank!



"Keith Anderson" wrote in message
...
I some how had a 3000W FM Radio station handed to me, and i have a few
quick questions.

The station currently has an ORBAN Model 8100A OPTIMOD-FM. I noticed
that my station sounds 'very flat' compaired to other stations playing
the same music. My question is this:

I would like to make the music 'thump'. Can i do some audio processing
before the optimod? (ie add a bit more .. *unf*), or would the optimod
just strip that anyways? All i would like is for the drums and bass to
hit just a little harder, i've dorked with the optimod and had the
engineer in there, and i think we have it sounding as good as its
going to get by itself, but want more, but to poor to buy even a newer
one for now.

Sorry if this question seems silly, or retarded, i know nothing about
any of this, like i said i fell backwords onto the station and i'm
just trying my best to keep it operational.

I appreicate your time!


Keith Anderson
WEXC FM 107.1
Greenville, PA
724-962-6950

Isn't a Compellor just a limiter? I have not problem adding yet another
compression stage as that's the sound of radio these days, but if you want
o process your sound, shouldn't you add an EQ in there too? The newer
Optimods have Eq stages in them.

I would put any processors you add before the Optimod.


Keith Anderson ) writes:
The optimod is in the chain as follows:

!MUSIC! -- BOARD -- OPTIMOD -- STL Beamed to the transmitter.
Where the other STL is located.

I was advised perhaps I could do some audio processing on the
otherside of the optimod so it would go MUSIC - BOARD -OPTIMOD -
PROCESSING - STL. But to me, this sounds like trouble. And i think I
would have to convert composite audio into analog audio, and then back
again -- pain in ass, I'm looking for some good deals now on an aphex
compellor, donations always are welcome! HAH!

Thanks alot,

Keith

You've all been very helpful!

umarc wrote in message ...
(Keith Anderson) writes:

The station currently has an ORBAN Model 8100A OPTIMOD-FM. I noticed
that my station sounds 'very flat' compaired to other stations playing
the same music. My question is this:

I would like to make the music 'thump'. Can i do some audio processing
before the optimod? (ie add a bit more .. *unf*), or would the optimod
just strip that anyways? All i would like is for the drums and bass to
hit just a little harder, i've dorked with the optimod and had the
engineer in there, and i think we have it sounding as good as its
going to get by itself, but want more, but to poor to buy even a newer
one for now.

There are a lot of things that have been done with Optimod 8100's;
the best I've heard involved changing some of the chips in the
Optimod and installing an Aphex Complellor and a set of Gentner
Audio Prisms in front of it. Some folks have used replacement cards
like Glen Clark's Cobalt Blue card in the Optimod.

However, today it's much easier just to replace the 8100 with one of
the latest digital boxes such as the Optimod 8400 or Omnia 6.

We just replaced an Optimod at one of our stations with an Inovonics
Omega FM processor; it's an excellent box that's almost infinitely
configurable. And it's only $4500.


umar



--
Craig Jackman - Audio Production and Sound Design
Multi-award winning Creative Production, Station Imaging, Comedy, Voices
"Pride is the attitude that separates excellence from mediocrity!"
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

"Keith Anderson" wrote in message
...
The optimod is in the chain as follows:

!MUSIC! -- BOARD -- OPTIMOD -- STL Beamed to the transmitter.
Where the other STL is located.

I was advised perhaps I could do some audio processing on the
otherside of the optimod so it would go MUSIC - BOARD -OPTIMOD -
PROCESSING - STL. But to me, this sounds like trouble. And i think I
would have to convert composite audio into analog audio, and then back
again -- pain in ass, I'm looking for some good deals now on an aphex
compellor, donations always are welcome! HAH!

Yeah - don't put any processing between the Optimod and the STL. The
Optimod does a nice job of keeping the STL from becoming overloaded. umarc
mentioned a pair of Audio Prisms - those sound very nice and you could put
those in front of the 8100. I had that setup about 12 years ago and it
worked well. Since the Prisms are pretty old technology, you could probably
find those somewhere for a good price.

Paul Jensen
Florida's Emerald Coast

we run small fm radio station in croatia with some Behringer chain before
stereo coder but news will be
PC with MBL4 (latency maybe issue depends on program - music . talk , telco
hybrid ... ) but
for station on budget MBL4 now Sonos driven with decent soundcard will be
good choice
and since here in Croatia is hard to find second hand decent equipment like
compellor or prisms...

www.burnill.co.uk

"Keith Anderson" wrote in message
...
I some how had a 3000W FM Radio station handed to me, and i have a few
quick questions.

The station currently has an ORBAN Model 8100A OPTIMOD-FM. I noticed
that my station sounds 'very flat' compaired to other stations playing
the same music. My question is this:

I would like to make the music 'thump'. Can i do some audio processing
before the optimod? (ie add a bit more .. *unf*), or would the optimod
just strip that anyways? All i would like is for the drums and bass to
hit just a little harder, i've dorked with the optimod and had the
engineer in there, and i think we have it sounding as good as its
going to get by itself, but want more, but to poor to buy even a newer
one for now.

Sorry if this question seems silly, or retarded, i know nothing about
any of this, like i said i fell backwords onto the station and i'm
just trying my best to keep it operational.

I appreicate your time!


Keith Anderson
WEXC FM 107.1
Greenville, PA
724-962-6950

Hi Keith,

You're right, it _is_ trouble. You never want to cascade processors like
that - the different processing algorithms in the separate boxes will end up
"fighting" each other and your station will pump nonstop or flatten out or
produce some other undesirable result.

Furthermore, even if you put a Compellor or a Dominator in your audio chain,
you're still dealing with an 8100 that's at best 20 years old. Even
disregarding the fact that there's now much newer tech out there, your unit
has electronics that have been worn and softened by time.

My suggestion: for under $4,000 you can get an Omnia-3 that's all digital
and will punch up your station very nicely. Check out www.omniaaudio.com.

Showbizkid
Somewhere in SoCal

"Keith Anderson" wrote in message
...
The optimod is in the chain as follows:

!MUSIC! -- BOARD -- OPTIMOD -- STL Beamed to the transmitter.
Where the other STL is located.

I was advised perhaps I could do some audio processing on the
otherside of the optimod so it would go MUSIC - BOARD -OPTIMOD -
PROCESSING - STL. But to me, this sounds like trouble. And i think I
would have to convert composite audio into analog audio, and then back
again -- pain in ass, I'm looking for some good deals now on an aphex
compellor, donations always are welcome! HAH!

Thanks alot,

Keith

You've all been very helpful!

Prisms?? What makes symbols sound like trash cans??? EEEWWWWWWWWWW
I took my Prisms out at my Dallas stations as soon as I could....and it
was much cleaner.....There are better ways to do it! :)

Chris

Royce Dean wrote:

Want it to crank? Put two Texar Audio Prisms and a Stereo Max in front of
the 8100. Set them properly, and it will crank!

Keith,
I take it the STL is composite? If it was L/R discrete I would suggest
running the Optimod out to the xmtr and do the processing there....
BUT in your case, it sounds like you need the XT chassis which is a 5
band compressor that works with the 8100 and was an option....may not be
easy to find, though...Personally, I like the audio quality of the
8100...rich and full....but you have no EQ control....you might want to
look at updating the Optimod internal cards and also adding the XT
chassis...that can make a noticable difference in air sound....
DO NOT put anything after the OPTIMOD though...also you do not want any
major COMPRESSION ahead of the 8100....it will fight the AGC in the 8100
and make the audio sound trashy....I HAVE used another processor ahead
of an 8100 but with the 8100 in BYPASS mode and only acting as a limiter
and Stereo Generator.....I had a 8200 at the studio and that fed a T1
and AES STL.....at the xmtr site, the L/R audio was picked out of both
paths and fed to the 8100 thru a relay switch.....thus the audio was
already processed...but as L/R I had to feed a Continental 802A exciter
which is composite only...so the 8100 was used in a limited mode...but
it worked! You probably need a audio EQ more than anything else ahead of
the 8100 if it is set up right.....that will get you tha' thump!! ;)

If you need more info or if I can help more, sub wb5itt for nospam in
the return address of my email!

Chris
Houston Telecom
Houston, TX

Keith Anderson wrote:

The optimod is in the chain as follows:

!MUSIC! -- BOARD -- OPTIMOD -- STL Beamed to the transmitter.
Where the other STL is located.

I was advised perhaps I could do some audio processing on the
otherside of the optimod so it would go MUSIC - BOARD -OPTIMOD -
PROCESSING - STL. But to me, this sounds like trouble. And i think I
would have to convert composite audio into analog audio, and then back
again -- pain in ass, I'm looking for some good deals now on an aphex
compellor, donations always are welcome! HAH!

Thanks alot,

Keith

You've all been very helpful!

You obviously do not know how to finesse Prisms. I've had Texars blow the doors off
the competition, without overmod, and do so in such a manner that, when compared to
the original source, it was virtually indistinguishable from it.
--
For direct replies, take out the contents between the hyphens. -Really!-


"Chris Boone" wrote in message
...
Prisms?? What makes symbols sound like trash cans??? EEEWWWWWWWWWW
I took my Prisms out at my Dallas stations as soon as I could....and it
was much cleaner.....There are better ways to do it! :)

Chris

Royce Dean wrote:

Want it to crank? Put two Texar Audio Prisms and a Stereo Max in front of
the 8100. Set them properly, and it will crank!

I believe WMC FM still has prisms as the main source of processing... and
even with all the mpeg compression the station still sounds better than
more... pre music on disk it sounded wonderful...

It wont matter what processing you use if you are feeding garbage into your
control board.



"Bob Haberkost" wrote in message
...
You obviously do not know how to finesse Prisms. I've had Texars blow the
doors off
the competition, without overmod, and do so in such a manner that, when
compared to
the original source, it was virtually indistinguishable from it.
--
For direct replies, take out the contents between the hyphens. -Really!-


"Chris Boone" wrote in message
...
Prisms?? What makes symbols sound like trash cans??? EEEWWWWWWWWWW
I took my Prisms out at my Dallas stations as soon as I could....and it
was much cleaner.....There are better ways to do it! :)

Chris

Royce Dean wrote:

Want it to crank? Put two Texar Audio Prisms and a Stereo Max in front
of
the 8100. Set them properly, and it will crank!