Our company’s products serve the global broadcast market and outside the US there are countries that prohibit the importation of equipment that contains among other things, solder that contains lead. We are among many thousands of electronic equipment manufacturers worldwide affected by the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) regulations.
Often an IC’s physical package or its internal performance specs change when the manufacturer modifies them for RoHS compliance. Sometimes parts are even inexplicably and unceremoniously discontinued without much notice. In 2005 when the AP1000 was designed some of its components were not available in RoHS versions yet. So even if there was never going to be an AP2000 a hardware redesign was necessary just to keep up with the RoHS-driven parts obsolescence so we could continue to build AP1000’s and meet demand for the product.
When we had to update the AP1000 design for RoHS (and to create the board to run the new AP2000 code we were developing) we added a bunch of additional DSP so that we could support lots of new features for the AP2000 as we create them. That’s where the "30% more" comes from. DSP MIPS-wise we could technically claim a much higher ‘number’ (because it is) instead of just the minimum that is due to just to just the presence of 30% more physical DSP chips than the original AP1000 had.
In fall 2007 AP1000’s with its existing code modified to run on the new board began shipping with Rev E/F hardware. That is the hardware that LevelDevil says he has and it can be factory upgraded to full AP2000 capability at any time. From the start we've had a painless trade-up process in place to update any AP1000 to the far more powerful AP2000 for any (yes, any) customer who wants it.
About the claim: “
Calls to their company haven't helped much either”.
Not so LevelDevil! (Guess he doesn’t know that “I” personally handle calls from APx000 customers and know from our records that I have never talked to him or anyone else with questions about our VoiceMaster algorithm). Nice try though. Next….
He raises the question: “
why would they release a new top of line processor shortly after the original, if the original was as good as they claim?”
First, manufactures learn a lot from releasing a product into the marketplace (nothing is better than out in the real world!). If they don’t learn from that experience they won’t be around to make the ‘next’ model!
Second, it was the unavoidable need to update the AP1000 hardware design for RoHS compliance.
Third, the AP1000 (unveiled NAB 2006) was our first high-end model with advanced features like our revolutionary 31 band limiter/clipper – something never seen before in any audio processor. This is a huge leap forward in peak control technology of a magnitude not unlike what Bob Orban created years ago that was also very revolutionary and something that no one had done before – his first distortion canceled clipper.
And just as other designers did after they released a product to the world, we’ve learned a lot. We’ve listened to our customers. We’ve learned from their experiences in the field. And most importantly we’ve kept careful track of the features and performance they want in an audio processor and we’re busy designing and building new products to fill those needs. Our 100% in-house design and manufacturing, the high sophistication of our development tools and our large Vorsis R&D staff simply allows us to design new products and respond to competitive challenges more quickly and efficiently than most of our competitors can. There is nothing wrong with that advantage...
Audio processing (at least for the 30-some years I’ve been involved with it) is a highly subjective science. The processor that pleases you or me will probably displease someone else and you know what? That’s perfectly okay! Not liking a processor’s design or its sound, regardless of your personal feelings or even your professional biases, doesn’t make the product itself wrong. Nor does it make its design or its designers incompetent. It simply means that it’s probably the wrong processor for you. That's why we offer a ‘we’ll take it back if you don’t like it’ test drive of all of our audio processors. So if you don’t like it there’s no need to raise a ruckus on public boards with veiled attempts to cast doubt on our company’s intentions, our integrity, or to try to dissuade others from considering our products. Simply don’t buy it!
I’m always willing to discuss our technologies, processing philosophies, and how to get the most from our products with genuinely interested individuals. Since I’ve never spoken to LevelDevil I’ll even offer the same to him. All I ask in return is that
you approach
our approach to audio processing with an
open mind and a willingness to learn some
new ways of doing things!
Jeff Keith, CPBE, NCE
Senior Product Development Engineer
Vorsis Audio Processors
252-638-7000
[email protected]
