CHAPTER 24
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GETTING THE SOUND YOU WANT
Achieving a High Quality Sound
When all-out loudness is not your primary processing goal, and you are willing to give up just a bit of dial dominance in the
name of quality, here are some suggestions to help you achieve that goal:
♦ Reduce the Clipper Drive (FM core) or Final Limiter Drive (HD and Streaming cores) in 0.25dB steps until you reach
the point where the quality no longer dramatically improves, but you’re losing too much loudness - then go back up a
notch. It’s surprising how much a small change can open up your sound without giving up much in the way of loudness.
♦ Reduce the level of the Band Mix section, especially if you have increased the output of one or two particular bands to
achieve a particular sound.
♦ Raise the threshold of the Multiband Limiters to keep the audio from hitting the limiters as hard or as often. (You may
need to lower the Band Mix level to keep from driving the final clipper too hard when making this adjustment).
♦ Lower the targets of the Multiband AGC compressors
♦ Use slower attack and release speeds in the Input AGC, Wideband AGC, and Multiband AGC sections.
♦ Use “looser” ratios in the Input AGC, Wideband AGC, and Multiband AGC sections.
Achieving Loudness
If loudness is an important processing goal, and you are willing to accept more processing artifacts and give up some quality,
here are some suggestions:
♦ Use “tighter” ratios in the Input AGC, Wideband AGC, and Multiband AGC sections.
♦ Use faster attack and release speeds in the Input AGC, Wideband AGC, and Multiband AGC sections.
♦ Raise the target of the Multiband AGC compressors.
♦ Lower the threshold of the Multiband Limiters. (You may need to raise the Band Mix to compensate for the additional
gain reduction this produces in the limiters).
♦ Increase the overall Band Mix level.
♦ Raise the Clipper Drive (FM core) or Final Limiter Drive (HD and Streaming cores) in 0.25dB steps until advancing the
control no longer yields additional loudness, only more distortion, and then back off a notch.
Spectral Consistency & Equalization
Stations often want to create their own “signature sound” on the air with a spectrally consistent output without regard to the
frequency balance of the original source material.
There are basically three ways to alter the spectral balance of your sound with Omnia.9, and each provides a different end
result: The Parametric Equalizer, the Multiband AGC Targets, and the Band Mix control. Adjustments to each section can
produce somewhat similar or very different outcomes depending upon a variety of factors.
The Parametric EQ is a very versatile and powerful means by which to shape your sound. You can set up a shelving EQ to
create low bass “slam,” set up a broad, gentle cut to the high-mids to smooth out horns or female vocalists, or add some “air” or
“sparkle” to your sound by adding a bit of a boost to the very top of the spectrum.
Because the Parametric EQ is located fairly early in the processing chain and ahead of the Multiband AGC and Limiters, these
processing sections are likely to make some attempt to compensate for large changes in the spectrum. However, because the
crossover slopes of the multiband processors are relatively broad, the Parametric EQ can have more impact than you might
expect.
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