• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

8100/XT

T

TVJunkie12

Anybody notice that an 8100 with XT just went for $4000.00 on Ebay? It's a testament to what a great processor it still is when it's getting a price like that at its' age. I do have to say that it does hold up well even against today's digital processors. I am currently running a somewhat modified (though I'm not 100% sure what mods have been made-I inherited the thing) older 8100/XT on a rim shot near Little Rock that I contract for and it more than holds it's own in a market with a number of 8500's and I'm not really pushing it that hard.

Good box.
 
If I can't have an Omnia 6 FM, my second choice is still the modified 8100/XT2...Love that box.
 
well i run the omnia 6ex with an Ariane in front.competitor runs 8100/gentners..needless to say it won't hold a candle to our air quality and CLARITY.Now with all due respect if your 8100/xt holds it's own against the 8500, that sure doesn't hold much merit for the 8500, since it should sound light years better, in my opinion.and yes i did the 8100/gentner/xt deal years ago.it won't touch the sound we have now..thank you
 
It holds it's own but I won't say it's killing the competition. In fairness they are only really pushing it on one CC active rock station and that one actually is hard to listen to. I know how the Omnia 5 in Jackson sounds and the old 8100/XT can't hold a candle to it. One of our close by competitors has a new Omnia One and I like the sound of the 8100/XT much better than the One. As far as comparing it to the 8500's, I was just impressed that it does as well as it does when compared to boxes that are all digital and 20 years newer. It's just a testament to that processor, that's all.
 
The key word is "modified". The standard one won't cut it. But if you cut the foils on the ground sides of the safety clipper pots on cards 8 and 9 of the 8100 & remove the IC that's behind the HF Limiting pot on the 8100, set the XT2 clipping to about +0.5 and the density to 3.5-4 on the XT, you'll see your Left & Right Filter Output meters run into the red, your stereo demod meters will peak at 120% while your actual modulation will stay at 100%--in short, you'll come mighty close to getting a free lunch. Might close because yes, there probably is a little trash in the pilot region, but I've yet to hear any bad effects from it, nor have I seen a stereo light flash off as a result...it is obviously of such minimal level as to not be problematic. Been doing this for decades now...and I stand by my assessment that it won't blow the doors off of an Omnia 6, but it'll take on just about all other comers. Try those tweaks before dismissing that old battle ax gathering dust in your rack. Works on a barefoot 8100 too.
 
. It's just a testament to that processor, that's all..Now i will agree with that tvjunkie 12.So you've heard the Omnia 5 on Jack in Jackson? Just dam awesome. maybe just a tad too much bass,(iMHO) but that signal is amazing.Not sure what 105.1 runs,sounds orban, not even close to the clarity and loundess on Jack FM.But for real fun try the Ariane in front of the omnia 6ex.smokin""
 
I've been in places in S-E Arkansas where you can compare some of the Little Rock signals with Jack and it blows all of them away hands down. From what I'm told 105.1 in L.R. does run an 8500. IMHO they probably sound the best in this market. Bear in mind that there was a lot of tweaking to get Jack where it is now. I know their corporate Director of Engineering quite well and he flies in to Jackson personally to adjust the processing when they want it adjusted. No one else touches it.
 
Jack in Jackson is one great example of how awesome the Omnia 5ex can be.i spoke with the engineer there, of course they never say much for obvious reasons, but just to compliment them,i think most of it is in the AES domain which i also run.Ask your friend is it running naked? i think 105.1 in Jackson is running an orban product.What is interesting is how different (good or bad) alot of fm's sound.Is it just bad ears setting them up, lack of knowledge or just using a preset that their ears will get accustomed to.Go up and down I59 in MS,you'll see what i mean.some are so over the top and distorted..I bet you and i could get ajob,just tweaking processors..(probably would not pay much ha)..

ps would love to have a copy of Jack's preset.i'm 200 miles away and believe me no threat at all...
 
BobOnTheJob said:
The key word is "modified". The standard one won't cut it. But if you cut the foils on the ground sides of the safety clipper pots on cards 8 and 9 of the 8100 & remove the IC that's behind the HF Limiting pot on the 8100, set the XT2 clipping to about +0.5 and the density to 3.5-4 on the XT, you'll see your Left & Right Filter Output meters run into the red, your stereo demod meters will peak at 120% while your actual modulation will stay at 100%--in short, you'll come mighty close to getting a free lunch. Might close because yes, there probably is a little trash in the pilot region, but I've yet to hear any bad effects from it, nor have I seen a stereo light flash off as a result
Click to expand...

Taking ic606 opamp out(that is behind the hf limiting control),only removes the hf limit led supply,it does not affect any hf limiting by the release module,so hf limiting is still occuring!
 
It needs to be rebuilt!

Analog products over time lose qualty as their parts degrade.
Capacitors slowly dry up, but they do so so slowly that you don't notice it.

Rechip and recap an analog processor and you'll find that it STILL can more then hold its own against today's digital ones.
 
Using low esr electrolytics in place of the old ones is a good move,also opamp changes have to be done with care.
Keeping the stock psu in the 8100a limits opamp choice.

I have upgraded the psu and used opa2134 opamps in all areas where 072's are usedwith great success.

Because their is so many 072's in the audio path(inc xt2),the combined effect(improvement) is large.

I used opa2134's before i ever knew they were used in the 8400,I carefully looked at all available opamps before choosing the opa2134's.
 
Quick question... What ever happened to the company that sold the Cobalt cards that you could put in an 8100 to make it more aggressive? Is the company still in business? Are those cards still made?
 
have not seen the cobalt cards around.saw one on ebay awhile back.today my competition and i just happened to be playing don williams,i believe in you at about the same time.they run the 8100 with gentners, i have the o6 with an ariane in front. 8100 sounded ok,the 6 just dam awesome on the same song,soooomuch cleaner and clarity.like day and nite.now i was once a DIE HARD analog fan ,been around processing for 30 years.i don;t think anyone would like their 8100 over the 6 playing that same song.But, while i respect your views on analog,especially the 8100,no doubt the best analog box ever built, there are much better processors today.like i said in past post i have used the 8100 with compellors, xt, genters,texars,Hey it was good while it lasted.even Mr Orban would probably agree....
 
FredRichards said:
Quick question... What ever happened to the company that sold the Cobalt cards that you could put in an 8100 to make it more aggressive? Is the company still in business? Are those cards still made?
Click to expand...

Glen Clark was making those cards. I don't think he's still doing it anymore.

-Frank Foti
 
Glen clark used to make the rcf1 card,then the rcf2,then the cobalt blue neural network card,to go in the 8100a as card 5,all that finished when he sold the rights to gentner with the prisms.
I believe it used fuzzy logic in that blue epoxy block,i found it way too aggressive!
Also it ran very hot,I sold mine on ebay a while ago as i could not live with it.
 
BROADCAST said:
Glen clark used to make the rcf1 card,then the rcf2,then the cobalt blue neural network card,to go in the 8100a as card 5,all that finished when he sold the rights to gentner with the prisms.
I believe it used fuzzy logic in that blue epoxy block,i found it way too aggressive!
Also it ran very hot,I sold mine on ebay a while ago as i could not live with it.
Click to expand...

"Cobalt Blue" came after the sale of Texar to Gentner.

-Frank Foti
 
Frank,
When i contacted Glen(some time ago now),regarding the rcf and cobalt blue card,i assumed he designed it as he did not state he didn't when discussing the differences.
Do you know if he designed the cobalt blue,and passed it on to gentner who then manufactured the card,or was it sold by a different company?

It was certainly different from the rcf1 and 2 card!
 
BROADCAST said:
Frank,
When i contacted Glen(some time ago now),regarding the rcf and cobalt blue card,i assumed he designed it as he did not state he didn't when discussing the differences.
Do you know if he designed the cobalt blue,and passed it on to gentner who then manufactured the card,or was it sold by a different company?

It was certainly different from the rcf1 and 2 card!
Click to expand...

The RCF card was designed by Glen and Dave Van Allen. That did got to Gentner. Cobalt Blue was designed by Glen, and that did not go to Gentner. He had those made himself.

-Frank Foti
 
So are the cards still available, or would it be wiser to just put a more aggressive processor ahead of the 8100 and let it do the crunch?
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom