AGC in Breakaway

Hi Benny!

I wish it was as simple as that.

However, describing Orban’s AGC only as Window-Gated neglects to mention that it’s actually two-band with variable coupling, both left and right, as well as switchable ratio. It also doesn’t say anything about attack/release characteristics, let alone mention that it’s impossible to make it fast enough and transparent enough at the same time – there are no parameter settings that make both overlap for all conceivable program material. Also, Orban certainly uses some kind of RMS averaging as well, or it would be much much worse than it is.

Describing Omnia’s AGC only as RMS-detected neglects to mention that it’s Wideband with no control signal filtering, making it attack bass way too much, and often making the audio much quieter once deep bass kicks in. Unfortunately, if this problem was rectified, it would cause problems all along down the chain, and manifest itself as extreme clipping distortion at the end when you’re playing bass-heavy material.

An AGC, while simple in concept, is very tricky to get right — especially with arbitrary program material, and a large gain budget (Reference Heavy at Range 50: 20dB AGC range, Infinite:1 ratio).

Precisely how Breakaway’s AGC works, is a well kept secret, other than what you can deduce from listening to it. Listening to it, my ears tell me it’s the best compromise so far. It adjusts quickly when it needs to, stands virtually still when it needs to, and is never caught by surprise – not by bass or anything else. It also doesn’t colour the sound. So, from this one can deduce that it’s certainly not peak-based, it’s certainly not 2-band, and it’s certainly not using the audio as control signal without any filtering.

(Why do I feel like Pinocchio all of a sudden? 😉 )

///Leif

No clue. The horrendous audio quality of that box makes it unworthy of analysis. They sure know how to market, though! 🙂

///Leif