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Any experience with Orban Optimod PC-1100?

T

Turntable

Hi all...

I don't have any experience with this device, but I was wondering if I could get some opinions on its performance. The application would be for streaming radio, which on the outset it seems very well suited for. I was reading on the Orban site that it has a "pre-code" feature that helps minimize encode artifacts. This would be especially useful as we are suffering from alot of that, since most material is 128 J/S mp3, and the stream is also 128/44.

We are currently processing single-band. It gives consistency but there are obviously limits to what you can do, especially with the widely varied content we provide. M/B processing would be *very* helpful.

Thanks for any input you can offer... to hear the stream, visit www.robinhoodradio.com

-A
 
We have several 1100's in service and are VERY happy with them. We are using them on six HD2 channels. They are the same processor as the 6200, but without the box. I highly recommend them.
 
Alan Fletcher said:
Hi all...

I don't have any experience with this device, but I was wondering if I could get some opinions on its performance. The application would be for streaming radio, which on the outset it seems very well suited for. I was reading on the Orban site that it has a "pre-code" feature that helps minimize encode artifacts. This would be especially useful as we are suffering from alot of that, since most material is 128 J/S mp3, and the stream is also 128/44.

We are currently processing single-band. It gives consistency but there are obviously limits to what you can do, especially with the widely varied content we provide. M/B processing would be *very* helpful.

Thanks for any input you can offer... to hear the stream, visit www.robinhoodradio.com

-A
Click to expand...

Another alternative is the Omnia A/X. It's a PC application that runs in the PC and doesn't require an additional card. Whatever native audio I/O is equiped in the PC is how the audio is acquired. This is a 3-band application, that also contain functions for use with codecs.

http://www.omniaaudio.com/ax/default.htm

-Frank Foti
 
I've had a PC-1100 on one of our popular webcasts for about a year and am very happy with it. Not a single user complaint about audio and we process fairly aggressively. We use Orban 6200's on our other webcasts and those work great too. Completely difference formats are in use so I can't compare the two processors side by side but I highly recommend the 1100.
 
It was OK. It still taxed the PC somewhat and is not compatable with Windows XP Media Center Edition (at least when used with Adobe Audition.. audio goes to white noise). It worked well with the original Windows XP non-upgraded PC (no Service Pack 2) that just ran music and the soundcard with one instance of OTS Juke and Adobe Audition.

Orban support wasn't so hot so rather than let the tail wag the dog, I went with outboard processing for effects and have never sounded better.
 
>>"L'ax est un tres bon produit si l'on desire un son naturelle".

Hmmm, the poster either thinks that the unit has a pleasing sound, or that it will aid in producing male children. :) :) :)
 
Doctor_Technical said:
>>"L'ax est un tres bon produit si l'on desire un son naturelle".

Hmmm, the poster either thinks that the unit has a pleasing sound, or that it will aid in producing male children. :) :) :)
Click to expand...

I don't care who y'are, that's funny right 'der.... yessir...
 
Here's a rough translation of the conversation from Babelfish. :)

Auteur: xander
Date: 11-11-06 20:32
Hello, Know when will be dispo the new version of Omnia A/X and which innovations it will bring? because with the arrival this year of the new chart for PC, Optimod PC 11000, one awaits impatiently the counterpart of Omnia. Thank you in advance xandor

Auteur: marvin
Date: 12-11-06 22:22
The chart optimod PC 11000?? a PC 1100 in 10 times more naze? Ca makes 10 years that the A/X did not evolve/move. Me I turned to anything else of more powerful, but unknown good. Ca arranges to me will say to me you!

Auteur: xander
Date: 13-11-06 20:55
if you speak about sound solution C rots... impossible to keep a minimum of naturalness with this software.... The advantage of the A/X it is that the sound is treated all while respecting it, it is "a beautiful" sound, just worked what it is necessary. Moreover, there is right to famous the bass eq of Omnia what is a true pleasure! I await just a new version with more bands in the limiting device.

Auteur: marvin
Date: 14-11-06 11:16
I did not speak about sound solution. no matter what, now that you speak about it: This software is very interessant from the point of view of the sound. Cavity, if you seek the naturalness, effectvement, the A/X behaves better. On the other hand, I do not know if you have a truth omnia, but the behavior, the limitation, and the EQ bass as you say, on the A/X, has nothing to do with the Hard models, but then nothing the whole without talking ------! It is clear that a version with a limiting device at the exit of each band AGC would not be a luxury. But, can one still believe in the Father Christmas with the A/X?

Auteur: Marvin
Date: 14-11-06 18:47
Bah dimensions difference, to have ecouter the omnia 3 turbo Fm at exits MPX, the difference nest not enormous! there is just a sound plus Fm with lomnia 3 of with the clippor and with the limitings device but Ca remains light for the difference in price. The ax is a very good product if one wishes a sound natural. And with regard to the bass, one finds SAME the bass eq except that ya a reglage in less, which napporte not large thing of pretty good to the sound:) Highly a new version:)

is a true pleasure! I await just a new version with more bands in the limiting device."
 
Orban PC-1100 is an excellent piece of hardware (and software), IMO. It offers almost exactly the same HD processing as 8500 and is capable of quite a lot. I also like the versatility and lots of possible applications you can use it for (apart from standard HD radio or web processing) like AGC only, protection only, dubbing music, driving STL, etc... A built-in mixer with separate analog and digital outputs as well as WAVE driver direct to PC is quite handy for doing more than one thing at once.

Omnia A/X is a nice piece of software as well, just not exactly in the same league with PC-1100, in my opinion. As I've discussed with Steve Church when he was here recently, Omnia needs to step up if they too want a larger piece of the web streaming market. And part of the HD radio market that looks for cheaper, but not less-capable processing than stand-alone units... Omnia A/X has an exceptionally capable look-ahead limiter, but the front-end needs beefing up. Frank is still silent though...

Like Omnia, I hear BW currently has problems with their vendors as well, so I don't know where they are with their development on PC product for streaming. About a year ago they had some quite interesting ideas...


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
Goran Tomas said:
Omnia A/X is a nice piece of software as well, just not exactly in the same league with PC-1100, in my opinion. As I've discussed with Steve Church when he was here recently, Omnia needs to step up if they too want a larger piece of the web streaming market. And part of the HD radio market that looks for cheaper, but not less-capable processing than stand-alone units... Omnia A/X has an exceptionally capable look-ahead limiter, but the front-end needs beefing up. Frank is still silent though...

Like Omnia, I hear BW currently has problems with their vendors as well, so I don't know where they are with their development on PC product for streaming. About a year ago they had some quite interesting ideas...


Regards,
Goran Tomas
Click to expand...

Goran,

That's the reason why opinions are just that. You're obviously not aware that we've sold high volumes of Omnia A/X to large broadcasters who were not happy with the performance of the PC-1100. This was based upon sound performance. I understand that you prefer the Orban sound, and that's your choice.

The Omnia A/X was/is designed for streaming applications, and it is our first iteration, whereas our competitor has offered multiple choices. There are plenty of satisfied end-users out there who have found Omnia A/X to sound *better* than the competition, and were surprised that Omnia A/X costs less than half the price of the competing product.

Regarding comments about our vendors, I'm not sure where you are getting your information. There have been some delays due to the RoHS EU requirements, but we cannot control those, and subsequently most everyone else has been equaly affected. May I suggest that you curtail misrepresenting our company.

-Frank Foti
 
I have not tried A/X, but I may add again that the 1100PC seems to have issues with PC's running Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Consider

I recently purchased an M-Audio Delta 1010 LT sound card for my second PC. It wasn't until after I got home and it exhibited numerous problems ("white noise" on the output whenever I tried to use Adobe Audition) that I learned from M-Audio themselves that the card is not compatable with XP-MCE.

The problems IT was having were EXACTLY the same that the 1100-PC sound card had in the XP-MCE machine... specifically the "white noise" on the output whenever I used Adobe Audition for recording (Adobe is the only software for recording I have in the box, I don't know what other software would have done). To get the sound back, with both cards, in both cases, I had to reboot the machine. Two different machines, two different cards, same operating system, same result. Just an assumption, but it looks odd.

Otherwise, I think the 1100PC has alot of band aids in V2.0+ It's one thing to allow the end user to have total control over every parameter, but I do think 1100PC has too many crutches (the awful HF enhancement, a voice/music processor that detects sum audio for voice and makes adjustments on the fly etc)... all leads to it sounding quite "odd" at times and I never warmed up to it (especially the HF enhancement, which tried to make the processor sound bright but it kept running into the Orban limiters). Basically, I like the Orban depth sometimes and for some formats (oldies/classic rock/talk etc), but the bass and everything sounded too much like Orban all the time, no matter what I did to back it off.

In the end, Idecided to do what I have always done for audio processing... use outboard gear and duplex the sound card. I can route it to any one of my two machines and patch in and out what I want in the chain. Works for me; YMMV.
 
I have both products at my stations. Omnia A/X is a great Software solution. It sounds great. However, the Optimod 1100PC runs on a PCI card.....and I have had occassions where the PC locked.....but the 1100 continued to churn out audio.It was nice to know that I could reboot later...to get the rest of the PC back. (Granted running a "stock" version of XP, not media center)

We can get into subjectives on both products....they can sound bad in the wrong hands, and conversely, they can sound good in good hands.

Cost: Well the Omnia A/X wins hands down...no question, but if the PC locks, so does your audio. My experience with the 1100, is, that it can continue to process audio if the PC is on.
 
FFoti1 said:
Regarding comments about our vendors, I'm not sure where you are getting your information. There have been some delays due to the RoHS EU requirements, but we cannot control those, and subsequently most everyone else has been equaly affected. May I suggest that you curtail misrepresenting our company.

-Frank Foti
Click to expand...

Frank,

??? I'm again and again surprised with what you make of my comments...

I'm not representing anybody (except myself), so I can't be misrepresenting anybody either. Company at the least. Everything I write here is my personal opinion. You emphasized that in your post, I emphasized it twice in my post you refer to, but let me emphasize it here once more. My very own, one man's, subjective, opinion... Just to be clear if anybody still has any doubts!

If you feel some of my facts are wrong, please chime in and correct me. If you feel my speculations are wrong or you have a different opinion on the matter, by all means come here and say it. That's what this board is about. Giving, sharing and exchanging opinions, experiences and knowledge. I sincerely hope you're not trying to hush me up for giving my opinion?

Regarding my information about vendor problems:

FFoti1 said:
No one likes to delay the release of a product, and it's never planned for. The best we can do is shoot for a target date. The challenge is that we must deal with many vendors who promise us, or so they claim, that we will have components in a timely manner. As is the instance in most cases, it is a vendor who becomes the fly in the ointment. We can't ship product until we've got completed units.
Click to expand...


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
wgliradio said:
I have not tried A/X, but I may add again that the 1100PC seems to have issues with PC's running Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Consider

I recently purchased an M-Audio Delta 1010 LT sound card for my second PC. It wasn't until after I got home and it exhibited numerous problems ("white noise" on the output whenever I tried to use Adobe Audition) that I learned from M-Audio themselves that the card is not compatable with XP-MCE.

The problems IT was having were EXACTLY the same that the 1100-PC sound card had in the XP-MCE machine... specifically the "white noise" on the output whenever I used Adobe Audition for recording (Adobe is the only software for recording I have in the box, I don't know what other software would have done). To get the sound back, with both cards, in both cases, I had to reboot the machine. Two different machines, two different cards, same operating system, same result. Just an assumption, but it looks odd.
Click to expand...

Nothing odd about that. It's M$ software... What, you expected it would work flawlessly and with no problems? ;)

I guess talking to M$ would be futile so why not talk to Orban and see if they can resolve that issue?

Off-topic question - I'm curious, is there any benefit in running XP Media Center edition vs XP Professional?

Otherwise, I think the 1100PC has alot of band aids in V2.0+ It's one thing to allow the end user to have total control over every parameter, but I do think 1100PC has too many crutches (the awful HF enhancement, a voice/music processor that detects sum audio for voice and makes adjustments on the fly etc)... all leads to it sounding quite "odd" at times and I never warmed up to it (especially the HF enhancement, which tried to make the processor sound bright but it kept running into the Orban limiters).
Click to expand...

I never liked HF enhancement either. I never use it. Regarding music/speech, over here we rarely have dry voices on air (there's always a music bed or a song "below" announcer) so I never noticed switching to speech mode. Never the less, I always adjust it exactly the same as for music.

Regarding oddities, I must say I too noticed some odd behavior that I didn't notice with v2 alpha version, or with v1 before. I didn't have time yet to investigate whether it's my adjustment or could be something in the software itself...

Basically, I like the Orban depth sometimes and for some formats (oldies/classic rock/talk etc), but the bass and everything sounded too much like Orban all the time, no matter what I did to back it off.
Click to expand...

You know, that has been my experience with all processor brands... You can't get away too much from what the designer had in mind. If you like most of it (I personally like Orban's bass) then it's not a problem. But if you don't like it, than you're not satisfied and you probably won't be able to have it play your way. Probably the best thing would be to sell it and switch to something else...


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
In regards to XP MCE vs. XP Pro, if you are doing serious pro-semi-pro audio work, you really should be running XP Pro. MCE is designed as a consumer media playback system. XP Pro has a number of enterprise/client features that make it better suited and more stable for pro/semi-pro use. Most vendors recommend that you spring for XP Pro.
 
The Omnia A/X is just ok software, it reminds me of the terrible Omnia 3. You could save some money and sound better with a free program called Sonos II.
http://www.burnill.co.uk/
However this program is very CPU intensive when used in the 5 band setup and requires a 192K sample soundcard. It also has a stereo gen and clipper built in, so it is a great back up!

For the $ however -The optimod 1100-PC is king!
 
Goran Tomas said:
FFoti1 said:
Regarding comments about our vendors, I'm not sure where you are getting your information. There have been some delays due to the RoHS EU requirements, but we cannot control those, and subsequently most everyone else has been equaly affected. May I suggest that you curtail misrepresenting our company.

-Frank Foti
Click to expand...

Frank,

??? I'm again and again surprised with what you make of my comments...

I'm not representing anybody (except myself), so I can't be misrepresenting anybody either. Company at the least. Everything I write here is my personal opinion. You emphasized that in your post, I emphasized it twice in my post you refer to, but let me emphasize it here once more. My very own, one man's, subjective, opinion... Just to be clear if anybody still has any doubts!

If you feel some of my facts are wrong, please chime in and correct me. If you feel my speculations are wrong or you have a different opinion on the matter, by all means come here and say it. That's what this board is about. Giving, sharing and exchanging opinions, experiences and knowledge. I sincerely hope you're not trying to hush me up for giving my opinion?

Regarding my information about vendor problems:

FFoti1 said:
No one likes to delay the release of a product, and it's never planned for. The best we can do is shoot for a target date. The challenge is that we must deal with many vendors who promise us, or so they claim, that we will have components in a timely manner. As is the instance in most cases, it is a vendor who becomes the fly in the ointment. We can't ship product until we've got completed units.
Click to expand...


Regards,
Goran Tomas
Click to expand...

Goran,

You post your opinions and speculations as if they are fact. There is a difference, and that can be perceived as misrepresentation. Unless you have direct or deep access to a product, then you cannot really and truly know or understand what it does. Processing is subjective enough, without having others make claims that are not on the mark.

In my earlier post, which you referenced, I explained what can cause a delay in the release of a product. You, later, went online and stated that we are having delays, when you did not have the facts.

Hence my reply to you.

-Frank Foti
 
DudeFan said:
In regards to XP MCE vs. XP Pro, if you are doing serious pro-semi-pro audio work, you really should be running XP Pro. MCE is designed as a consumer media playback system. XP Pro has a number of enterprise/client features that make it better suited and more stable for pro/semi-pro use. Most vendors recommend that you spring for XP Pro.
Click to expand...

I agree and am looking into replacing the operating system. XP-MCE seems to be the middle ground between reliable operating platforms for Microsoft. How many of these M-Audio cards are not MCE compatable. It reminds me of the drama with Millenium.
 
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