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How do you get the most out of your AM audio?

E

egonbarthels

Hi There!

Im sure this is a generic explination, but I work at a small rural AM station in Texas. Obviously, without the same procesing equipment as the major market, how would one begin to clean up the audio. It range to muddy, to a bit of sizzle and i've looked all over for a way to brighten up the sound. we're a music station with lots of news and information. I've looked into processers online however at this time we run an stl into a compeller then to the processor in to the transmitter. Its an inovonics brand processor, any things to start looking at would help! Thanks in advance!

Egon
 
First make sure the audio is clean at the studio. Make sure you have some sort of a leveller at the studio so you don't overmodulate the STL.

What's the model Inovonics at the transmitter?
 
If everything is working, you have the goods to turn out an excellent sound. Step number the first, make sure the transmitter, STL, and antenna array are all working properly. The STL needs to be dead nuts quiet. The transmitter needs to be quiet and klinear, and needas to see the antenna as 50 j0 at carrier, and hopefully not too far from that out to 20 or 30KHz either side of carrier. You should be able to modulate the transmitter up to 100%, and past on positive peaks, without any histrionics.
Once you're comfortable that the things are working, you can begin setting the sound up they way you want it. Out of curiosity, what transmitter, and DA or non-DA, and what STL?
 
Also, what are you monitoring with?
The radio can make a difference. And, do you use the NRSC curve?
 
egonbarthels said:
Im sure this is a generic explination, but I work at a small rural AM station in Texas. Obviously, without the same procesing equipment as the major market, how would one begin to clean up the audio. It range to muddy, to a bit of sizzle and i've looked all over for a way to brighten up the sound. we're a music station with lots of news and information. I've looked into processers online however at this time we run an stl into a compeller then to the processor in to the transmitter. Its an inovonics brand processor, any things to start looking at would help! Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
First off, put the Compellor before the STL, not after it. That's where it was designed to go, and works best. Make sure you are not overdriving the STL. Also set the Compellor more towards levelling than compression. The factory-spec halfway position uses too much compression, IMHO.

Then set your processor to NRSC pre-emphasis and NRSC 9.5 or 10 kHz bandwidth. Too much EQ on AM can sound as bad as too little, so lean off the bass and midrange boost if you have it cranked up. Go back to the factory recommending settings and then work from there.
 
Thank you all for your reply! Its nice to hear the little tips and tricks that make you say..."Yeah, that makes sense!" I'll give it a try and let you all know the outcome! :) Egon
 
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