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Central PA stations and reverb

R

RockofHBG

Reverb used to be a lot more common. Not many stations use it today. Personally, I feel that if not used in excess, it can give a station that "3rd dimension" and ad to a station's "bigness". Here are stations in Central PA that used to use reverb:

WKBO from 1971 - early 1980s
WFEC at various times, most notably during the "Hot Hits" era 1982-84
WCMB just a slight bit around 1980
WIOO during the 70s
WQXA Oddly enough during the "Hot 105.7" era of 1988-1993
WLAN-FM during Scott Shannon's era of "The New Sound Of FM97" 1993-94
WWKL KOOL 94.9/99.3 late 90s until format change in 2001
WIKZ 1984-92 (total air chain)AND 1995- present (mike only)
 
The first station in this area to use reverb was WSBA, which used it prominently during their Top 40 era from the late 50s into the 70s. WSBA's reverb had an odd sound that I can't quite describe, a kind of liquid quality rather than metallic. Although it was gone from the air chain when I worked there, the unit was in the production room. It was a long spring, about 10 feet long as I recall. It was cool to put your headphones on and hear yourself on it.

Many people think reverb is old-fashioned and hokey, but those of us who worked at stations that used it grew to love the sound. As you say, Rock, used sparingly it can give a station a little more depth. Back when I was doing part-time on WQSR in Baltimore, an Oldies station at the time, the reverb was really cranked up and the sound was marvelous. The station was always upbeat and exciting (they played no downbeat songs, not a one) and the reverb and processing really brought you up, psychologically, as an on air performer. I think today's CHRs or Hot ACs could still use it effectively as long as it isn't overbearing.
 
I agree. Remember when radios had the selector switch that let you choose FM or FM stereo. Remember how the FM stations jumped out when you switched into stereo mode, hence the "3rd dimension". That's what I think reverb does to a station's sound. It gives some depth. It makes it feel like you're broadcasting in a big room. It makes the spots sound more alive. The ring-off covers board (these days computer) errors. Another Central PA station that sounded great with reverb WAHT.
 
This day and age, kids wants everything brand new and they don't want hiss and pops and they want everything digital and clean.

When you try to introduce old sounds to new music, they fight you tooth and nail and when you stop - they all yell - where did it go?

There was a station that started out in a little trailer in the middle of the Allegheny National Forest - that became "97.5 The Hound" that played really good music 20 years ago.

I can remember one of my friends - Billy D, who was a DJ there at that time, laughing about the noise coming from the other room, where they had a roto phase mounted to the floor to supply 3 phase power for the station. He said that it sounded like a jet engine - about ready for take off. They tried a lot of different things to mask the noise of the roto phase.

When they asked him what he wanted for a bonus - he told them another dollar an hour and a company Jeep to get to the transmitter!
 
I remember the reverb of WSBA during the 60's. They even added more reverb on commercial production. It shaped their "good guy" sound. WFEC used alot of reverb on commercials in the mid 60's, prior to their Drake like sound in '68. WLAN-AM used reverb until about '74. One type of reverb I'll never forget was WHEX in Columbia around '76, right before they went dark. It sounded like the jock was talking into a bucket. I liked the sound of 1580 HEX when Bob Brooks was at the helm. They used other audio tricks as well. WAHT 1510 used similar reverb in the early 70's as I recall.
 
I've been trying to kick my memory banks into action. I'm not positive about this, but I think we used reverb on KOOL a lot more than just the late '90s. We went on the air in '89, and I'm fairly certain we used it in the early days of KOOL. Dana Harmon, Al Brock, help me out here. ;-)
 
I'm currently using a reverb effect on www.oldiesradio1620.com, its one of the selections on an effects program included with the sound card. I have an old tube Fisher "Space Expander" here that I'd like to rebuild and put that on the air.

While I was CE at WAMS-Wilmington, DE, we were using an Orban reverb. With the AM Stereo, we had the right channel cranked higher then the left, so when you listened in AM stereo , it really stood out.

And going back to the 60's, I can remember the reverb on WABC which they shut off during their evening news block, EGADS! what a difference.

PS: You guys might like the liner Oldies Radio 1620 is running around :37.
 
KOOL added reverb in either 1994 or 1995. Bobby Gray was the engineer and I remember when we tested it when I was working 7 - midnight there.
 
ejjeff said:
KOOL added reverb in either 1994 or 1995. Bobby Gray was the engineer and I remember when we tested it when I was working 7 - midnight there.
Click to expand...

I do remember that; those were the early days of Ron Roy. But I'm still not sure about it. I seem to remember some toys Dana was playing with back when George (the Millersburg mayor with the mohawk) was our engineer... back in our first year or so. Back then, new toys were abundant there, and we were all gaga about them.
 
An FM station jumping out when switched to stereo from mono, and how much it does jump out is a factor of the amount of processing done to the L-R subchannel of the stereo composite signal. The reverb added to the music does not show up in that subchannel very much. Processors starting around when the Optimod and other brands came out, (Unity which became Omnia, CRL, etc.) gave you the opportunity to vary the amount of energy in that L-R channel, affecting the on-air sound. Of course too much L-R and you messed the separation up.
 
Sometimes when no reverb was available, the production room reel-to-reel deck would be potted up ever so slightly to create a reverb effect on commercials. I've also seen an on air jock place a boom box in the back of the studio, which was turned up just enough to create a reverb sound on the air.
 
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