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3-54
OPERATION
Using OPTIMOD-PC for Production and Mastering
OPTIMOD-PC can be a useful tool for mastering and production applications in the
professional audio industry, such as preparation of equalized, level-controlled, peak
limited CD masters. We have frequently used OPTIMOD-PC in this context, achieving
excellent results.
Because of their broadcast origins, most of OPTIMOD-PC's presets provide more
processing than would ordinarily be required for mastering. In addition, we would
expect that the mastering engineer would want to carefully tweak a preset to com-
plement the program material being mastered. OPTIMOD-PC V2 provides important
tools to allow a mastering engineer to fine-tune the processing to complement the
program material:
•
Three bands of parametric equalization with low-noise filter structures and
curves modeled after classic second-order analog bell-shaped EQ.
•
A powerful, low-noise parametric bass shelving equalizer with sweepable fre-
quency and a choice of 6, 12, or 18 dB/octave slopes.
•
Two-band and five-band compressor/limiters with phase-linear crossovers and
powerful controls, including attack time, release time, and threshold for each
band. These compressor/limiters also feature user-adjustable interband coupling
to allow the user to operate them anywhere from quasi-wideband to fully inde-
pendent.
•
A look-ahead peak limiter with advanced, proprietary distortion reduction algo-
rithms.
You cannot create a user preset "from scratch"; you must create it by modifying an
existing preset, factory or user. Each preset has an "easy adjustment" facility called
L
-M
, which is a one-knob provision for turning the amount of processing up
ESS
ORE
or down.
Systematically, the following is a good method for creating mastering presets. It as-
sumes that you have already set the processor mixer controls to achieve normal drive
levels.
A) Decide whether you are going to use two-band or five-band processing.
Two-band processing retains any fixed equalization originally applied to
the program (except for a mild amount of dynamic adjustment to bass
below 200 Hz); five-band processing performs an "automatic re-
equalization" function. Both flavors of processing can be extremely
smooth and unobtrusive. Because the five-band compressor/limiter offers
user-adjustable interband coupling that determines the "discreteness" of
the multiband compression, it is usually the best choice.
B) If you are going to use two-band processing, recall the 2
you are going to use five-band processing, recall the 5
ORBAN MODEL 1101
preset. If
C
B
LASSICAL
C
preset.
B
LASSICAL
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