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I want to share with the Forum a concern that I have had for some time.
On the Internet I have seen videos of different configurations in the FM audio chain. In particular, I am struck by the use of harmonic exciters prior to the sound processor.
Reading various user manuals of different brands of Audio Processors and always mention that you should not apply any process prior to the audio that enters the sound processor, although they clarify that the audio must be of the highest possible quality, because if garbage enters , garbage comes out, nothing is by magic, when you want to get a good sound quality and etc.
I clarify that I am NOT referring to compressors / limiters, because the redundancy in processing is clear.
You can watch on YouTube, the Texar Audio Prism, in combination with a well-known Audio processor.
I wonder, if it is valid to enhance the audio in this way before entering our processor.
I would like to know your opinions and experiences about it in this thread. Have you ever incorporated an audio exciter (of any brand) prior to the Audio Processor in an analog configuration?
regards
Hi. I'm a hobbyist with no analog equipment, rack modules, or even a 'real' sound card. Having said that disclaimer I still think that sub-harmonic enhancement, via a VST plugin on the input, helps fill in the bottom end. I use a Buttkicker for monitoring bass, so the extra low stuff needs to be additionally enhanced or filled in just a little bit for me.
But really I guess it depends on the capabilities processor itself. You don't want to add anything redundant, unless it's just part of the sound you want to have. I'm from the perspective that audio rules are made to be broken… except when it's actually illegal.
In the case of BreakawayOne, there's a lot of 'secret sauce' in the formula. So I don't know how much harmonic excitement, if any, is under the hood. It's been a while since I skimmed through an Omnia 7/9 manual, so I can't remember if BreakawayOne's ultimate versions have harmonic flavor added. I'm also not really sure what the Bass EFX, Clunk, and Slam functions do or if Stereo Enhancement is required to be on/up.
I'm looking at that Behringer you mentioned. I might be interested in having that thing to precondition my Buttkicker and Subwoofer. I'm watching the TWIRT on Texar Audio Prism right now.
edit: Okay after skimming the Omnia 7FM and 9 manuals it doesn't appear that any sub harmonic enhancement is in the O7, which is apparently closest to BAO. It is, however, in the 9 and 11. Telos calls it Solar Plexus, but I'm not certain who designed it; as it seems to have started with the O11 (which is Cornelius Gould's).
I'm not seeing upper harmonic enhancement in the features for O7 except for perhaps Phase Scrambler, which doesn't seem to be in BAO (?). So those effects wouldn't be redundant.
In the FM stations where I work, we still have analog sources such as the Telephone Hybrids, Console, Microphones, Preamps, so we are obliged to maintain analog equipment until the input of the processor. Webstreaming is the only digital form we have.
All our audio reaches the console and this passes the PGM audio to the processor with analog audio input.
That is where I cited my concern: While the manuals of the processors of other brands, except BAO. They recommend sending flat audio, without any processing prior to the input of the FM processor.
I have seen people, that after the console enters the audio to a Behringer SX43040, others like CRL, Symetrix, DBX, in software I have seen someone use FX Sound Enhacer, with the aim of improving the audio material (we could say their tessorship ) that will finally enter your audio processor.
I am perfectly clear that MP3 is not broadcast quality audio.
Thanks to MrKlorox for sharing your experience and taking the time to read the manuals. Just as you are a fan of digital audio and it seems to me the goal of any broadcast station, it should be to migrate your airchain to the digital environment as far as possible.
But come on, I see many readers of this thread and still do not dare to participate. What do you think about the use of audio exciters, prior to the processor?
Remember the stacks of analog boxes that (some stations still use! to) process the audio? In a sense, even if in theory it is not required, some stations will tweak and add one or more processors to the "main" processor, whether an Optimod 8200 or BAO. They are usually trying to achieve a "signature sound" beyond what the main processor is producing.
As you correctly note, there are compressors/ limiters that aim to deliver to the processor as even, steady audio as possible so that the processor can do its work. I have one on my webstream, mainly because this amateur, even with a professional webstream encoder, preferred the evenness of the output with a simple SPL3220 in front of the encoder.
[quote author=beej6 link=topic=5923.msg20393#msg20393 date=1579703566]
They are usually trying to achieve a "signature sound" beyond what the main processor is producing.
[/quote]Sure. In search of the elusive 'signature sound' you eventually want to obtain, it seems perfectly valid to even add redundant processing to the mix. As long as you and your audience are happy enough.
[quote author=evert22 link=topic=5923.msg20392#msg20392 date=1579654167]
That is where I cited my concern: While the manuals of the processors of other brands, except BAO. They recommend sending flat audio, without any processing prior to the input of the FM processor.[/quote]I always took the warning not to use extra pre-processing to mean they want to keep product support as easy as possible for the company (kinda like how modifying various types of hardware often voids your warranty). After it leaves their processor, it's out of their hands and whatever one does to the sound from that point on is at their own risk of degrading quality. But if it comes in raw, they can help explain why things sound the way they do.
If I'm not mistaken, some previous Breakaway Broadcast products had Winamp DSP plugin support for things like Leif's own Phase Tornado (presumably the predecessor to Phase Scrambler in the Omnias). So that's probably why BAO doesn't warn against it.
Leif's previous Omnia products had Undo before the main processing chain. So my assumption of Leif's philosophy is that a declipper VST might even be suggested as long as it's like the first thing in the chain.
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