Modulation? Why are stations all over the place on this?

[joshzz]

I have noticed that "Modulation" is all over the place. I live in the general vicinity of the Philadelphia, Atlantic City and Wilmington DE market. Our radio stations are located sort of in the fringe of these markets. With that said, I am surprised that there is such a big difference in modulation. Our stations run at about the same level as WOGL. On the other hand, one of the AC stations , along with some of the rap/hip hop stations seem to be quite louder than us. I know our Inovonics stereo processor has a switch that allows us to push it up so that even the lows are up but I think it takes away from a natural sound.

My question is why doesn't everyone run at the same modulation or close to it?

 

[frankberry]

It's the old Loudness War. Some stations are perfectly happy to give up audio quality so that they can be loud.

 

[Robert Bass]

Plus my understanding is, stations can push their modulation a bit if they transmit an RDS signal.

R

 

[zachmorton]

It's the old Loudness War. Some stations are perfectly happy to give up audio quality so that they can be loud.

Exactly right...there's not enough people left with hearing that even care about the sound of the radio station...as long as it's louder than the other guys, they are content. In the days of ipods and mp3's, it's a wonder it sounds as good as it does as it is. The neighbors across town love to try to make the mod meter a meter with nothing but DC current on it, which sounds so squashed and distorted it's unlistenable. Talk about listener fatigue! I pride myself in being loud and clean, and consequently perceptively louder in the process. Bob Orban and Frank Foti both have very valid points...there is a point where one trades off the other. Can't have both, or can you? I do! Even my CHR has headroom, unlike others that will go unmentioned. My stations are right at 102% simply because I can...RDS is injected, and I can bring it up a bit more, but always less than 104%. I don't want it to the point of splatter, and loud doesn't mean ratings success...our #1 station is processed very lightly, and legally, and has the ratings over and over...for years! CHR can't be processed, so it really doesn't matter anymore. That junk is already hypercompressed on the source, so trying to process it is almost impossible.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Keep in mind: Accurately meter-measured modulation and the "sound of perceived loudness" do not always track perfectly.

Some of them are actually modulation at a higher level. Some of them may not drive the mod monitor meter quite as far over but their program content has been process to be more "dense"? (sound loud!) Is that a technical term?

 

[PirateJohnny]

Keep in mind: Accurately meter-measured modulation and the "sound of perceived loudness" do not always track perfectly.

Some of them are actually modulation at a higher level. Some of them may not drive the mod monitor meter quite as far over but their program content has been process to be more "dense"? (sound loud!) Is that a technical term?

It's reduced dynamic range.

 

[rfry]

The percentage of amplitude modulation of a standard, analog AM broadcast station is defined by the value of its total r-f output power at the positive and negative alternations of the modulating waveform, with respect to the unmodulated value of the r-f carrier.

Raising the average level of the audio waveform applied to an AM transmitter can increase the perceived audio output level of an AM receiver at a given setting of its volume control, without exceeding FCC modulation limits for the AM transmitter producing that modulated waveform.

A well-designed/adjusted AM processor used with a compatible AM transmitter can do this -- but not without changing the sonic quality of the original program audio that will be heard by the listeners of such AM stations.