Voiceguy123 said:
wgliradio said:
Voiceguy123 said:
If I may chime in here, to come to Mike's defense (although I do not condone his incessant, apparent bashing of the Foti boxes and for that matter DSP based processing in general, If you have never heard an 8100/XT2 combo, or a 9100, custom recapped, re-chipped and thoroughly re-worked by Bill and Kim Sacks, you're missing his point. These refurbished boxes are an absolute joy.
I'm not totally against DSP, I think I have stated in this post I run many DSP-based processors and one of my all time favorite devices (Ariane Sequal) is DSP.
I just like to cut thru the hype.
Agreed and well said. I have to say that for certain formats the Omnia sound is beautiful. For the more active formats, not always so much. In most cases I really don't care for the sound, at least the way most are set up. Cornelius has introduced some very good options as presets for the 'set it and forget it' mentality, but out of all the broadcast engineers out here, how many have gone to the trouble to implement them and then take the time to tweak them to meet conditions?
This post swings back and forth between answering Mike, and addressing the readers in general. Here it goes...
My presets are not intended as "set it and forget it". They tune the box to a different range using controls end users do not have access to. With those tweaks, end users can find a new world of sound characteristics from the processor....the controls you thought you knew before now respond in a different way.
So, if there ever was a "set it and forget it" processor, I kindly submit that analog processors were and are indeed - set it and forget it. The 8000 had 2 controls. The 8100 had Drive, Release, Band Coupling, and Clipper drive. The XT2 gave you the options of Drive, and bass EQ.
Now, for those who take the time to understand the philosophies behind the 8100, XT2, and the bunch, one can go in under the hood, and make changes in the circuitry using the trusty soldering iron, some resistors & caps, and a razor blade. Doing this got you around the cookie-cutter sound of the '80's heard by those who didn't have the talents to make mods.
As many have pointed out, what has changed is the business is that it is no longer possible to focus on just one station anymore. You have to juggle many, and the time needed to learn the ins and out of any brand of processor, and to BS about secret mods with fellow engineers is nil.
I know, I was there just a couple of years ago. Time for on-the-job training (sadly) is gone. Now, if you don't want a life, and don't mind possible divorce from your families (as well as developing a bad attitude towards work and life), you can spend your free time in a transmitter shack learning this stuff. Many (including me) will find that living life is more important than that.
I made a change where I am able to focus on what I love, have a family & a life. As a side benefit to our industry, this translates into me being able to help others get the sounds they desire from their stations.
As far as the cookie-cutter goes, what DSP processing has brought to the picture (in addition to the reliability, repeatability, etc that others have mentioned) is the ability to have as much or as little control as one wishes to have. If you have no time, and a preset makes you happy, fine. If you have lots of time, you can dig in, and play under the hood to your heart's content.
Since I love processing, and - as Frank has stated - talk to a LOT of folks about processing, I get ideas from folks, and they are either funneled into new products, or find their way into existing products in the form of presets that tune the processing in a totally different range. Think of my presets as a jump-start in a different direction not easily available with the standard ones.
THIS makes DSP processing waaay less cookie-cutter than analog.
I'll submit this: Any cookie cutter approaches you see out there are NOT the result of the DSP Audio Processing, but the result of the state of the radio industry today.
Anyone who is able to take the time to really learn a processing structure enough to get into the "back door" will find many ways to make a unique impression on the dial, but this takes TIME and patience. Mike, just think of how long it took to dissect the Optimods, Audio Prizm's and the like to learn how to make them rock. It takes YEARS. It takes careful study to virtually reverse-engineer the magic black boxes to understand what they do, which makes your next set of mods even better. (You should see the Optimods that passed through my hands during those times "back in 'da day" LOL.)
In reality, older analog gear sounds unique simply due to the fact that they are not really used much anymore...but if they were, you'd be clawing to get your hands on a DSP processor because you would be able to REALLY make your station stand out over the sea of 8100's. I know...I was there when it happened!
Which processor philosophy is better? There is no answer.
The two big "O's" in processing come from two entirely different trains of thought. So, what works on one will crash and burn on the other. You cannot apply observations & and adjustment tricks of one to the other.
Having said all that:
Mike, you clearly have a preference for Optimods, BW, etc. but seem unwilling to do what it takes to master Omnia. Which is fine. Everyone has their preferences. But if you really want to be the top stuff in processing, it behooves you to learn about ALL processing, and learn how to drive all of them well to make an impact on the dial. I know people who are this flexible, and they are very successful. Give 'em any box, and they can make them rock. All processors
I REPEAT: ALL PROCESSORS have limitations -- knowing this, and finding how to drive around these limitations to get what you want makes a true processing pro. I would be happy to help.
Just a loving kick in the pants for ya ;-)
I am available if you have any questions on driving Omnias. You can always e-mail or call me.
-Cornelius