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OPERATION ORBAN Model 8400
These are the only two-band presets (other than the PROTECTION presets).
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 pas-
sages disappear into the noise on most car, portable, and table radios. Consequently, 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, which makes listening un-
pleasant.
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 pro-
gram 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 purposes, inaudible to the listener.
Low-level passages are increased in level by up to 10 dB, while the dynamics of crescen-
dos 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 possi-
ble. Its
Less/More control primarily affects the amount of compression, rather 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 unobtrusive compres-
sion because of the gentle ratio and window gating. In this preset, the Two-Band com-
pressor is used very lightly with a fast release time as a peak limiter. The AGC does al-
most of the compression.
During the evening hours when the audience is more likely to listen critically, a classical
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 Less/More control—turn it down to taste.
There are also two five-band classical presets. The CLASSICAL-5 BAND pre-
set uses the five-band structure with AGC defeated. It uses substantial inter-
band coupling to retain much of the frequency balance of the original
source, but is capable of somewhat more “automatic equalization” than is
CLASSICAL-2 BAND. It can therefore re-equalize older program material,
but there is also more risk that it will cause coloration that might offend the
classical purist.
CLASSICAL-5B+AGC, like its two-band counterpart, uses the AGC set for
2:1 compression ratio.
The five-band structure is not phase-linear, so the
CLASSICAL-5 BAND pre-
set is likely to have slightly less audible transparency than the
CLASSICAL
Two-Band
structure.
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