Setting Up The Two-Band Structure For Classical Music - Orban OPTIMOD-FM 5500 Operation Manual

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OPTIMOD-FM DIGITAL OPERATION
PROTECTION 5DB if you want about 5 dB of limiting to occur at the maximum
normal input level.
The L control affects only the input drive, and you can use it to set a nomi-
-M
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nal limiting level different from 0 dB or 5 dB.
The Protection presets have the same Intermediate and Advanced Modify controls
available as the Two-Band structure.

Setting Up the Two-Band Structure for Classical Music

To set up the Two-Band structure, recall preset CLASSICAL-2 BAND or CLASSICAL-
2B+AGC.
These are the only two-band presets (other than the presets).
PROTECTION
Classical music is traditionally broadcast with a wide dynamic range. However, with
many recordings and live performances, the dynamic range is so great that the quiet
passages disappear into the noise on most car, portable, and table radios. Conse-
quently, the listener either hears nothing, or must turn up the volume control to
hear all the music. Then, when the music gets loud, the radio blasts and distorts,
making listening unpleasant.
The Two-Band structure is well suited for classical formats during daytime hours
when most people in the audience are likely to be listening in autos or to be using
the station for background music. This audience is best served when the dynamic
range of the program material is reduced by 10-15 dB so that quiet passages in the
music never fade into inaudibility under these less-favorable listening conditions.
OPTIMOD-FM controls the level of the music in ways that are, for all practical pur-
poses, inaudible to the listener. Low-level passages are increased in level by up to 10
dB, while the dynamics of crescendos are maintained.
The CLASSICAL-2 BAND preset is a two-band preset with the AGC turned off. It uses
considerable bass coupling to preserve the spectral balance of the input as well as
possible. Its L control primarily affects the amount of compression, rather
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than maximum loudness. It sounds essentially identical to the Protection structure.
CLASSICAL-2B+AGC uses the AGC set for 2:1 compression ratio. Because of the
AGC, it affects more of the total dynamic range of the recording that does the
CLASSICAL-2 BAND preset. However, the AGC provides extremely smooth and un-
obtrusive compression because of the gentle ratio and window gating. In this preset,
the Two-Band compressor is used very lightly with a fast release time as a peak lim-
iter. The AGC does almost of the compression.
During the evening hours when the audience is more likely to listen critically, a clas-
sical station may wish to switch to a custom preset (derived from the CLASSICAL-2
BAND preset) that performs less gain reduction. You can create such a preset by
modifying the CLASSICAL-2 BAND preset with the L -M control — turn it
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down to taste.