Omnia 3fmt

[wgliradio]

Bob Orban provides a much more controlled output from his processors, which are effectively plug and play boxes with a very controlled sonic signature by design - this provides an amazingly smooth, extremely dense sound but compared to the source material it's like its being remixed in a real time manner.

Possibly on of the best descriptions I have ever read on what an Optimod sounds like. If you like this style (and I do for some formats... especially oldies... but not for others) then Optimod is for you.

 

[gtomas]

Bob Orban provides a much more controlled output from his processors, which are effectively plug and play boxes with a very controlled sonic signature by design - this provides an amazingly smooth, extremely dense sound but compared to the source material it's like its being remixed in a real time manner.

Possibly on of the best descriptions I have ever read on what an Optimod sounds like.

I too, agree.

If you like this style (and I do for some formats... especially oldies... but not for others) then Optimod is for you.

I would agree with that as well. We don't have oldies-only stations here, but for talk or mostly talk station I would always use Orban. The transients that Omnia lets through, IMO, does not work well with vocals. Orban effectively removes them away and this works much better for this type of programming. Because of the very consistent output and "remixing" quality, I would aslo use Orban on stations with varied program material. However, for music formats and when tweaked right, Omnia-6 can sound nicer, bigger and more alive. Cleaner too. Tweaking it right is however the hard part. I would definitely agree that Omnia is much harder to set up right! The sweet-spot is extremely narrow, IMO, and getting there requires a lot of work, a lot of time and just one wrong adjustment and suddenly you're sounding bad. Maybe Omnia guys could do something about that Regards,Goran Tomas

 

[FFoti1]

I would agree with that as well. We don't have oldies-only stations here, but for talk or mostly talk station I would always use Orban. The transients that Omnia lets through, IMO, does not work well with vocals. Orban effectively removes them away and this works much better for this type of programming. Because of the very consistent output and "remixing" quality, I would aslo use Orban on stations with varied program material. However, for music formats and when tweaked right, Omnia-6 can sound nicer, bigger and more alive. Cleaner too. Tweaking it right is however the hard part. I would definitely agree that Omnia is much harder to set up right! The sweet-spot is extremely narrow, IMO, and getting there requires a lot of work, a lot of time and just one wrong adjustment and suddenly you're sounding bad. Maybe Omnia guys could do something about that

Goran,Thank you for your kind comments about Omnia. Interesting, that our competitor's products have yet to match, or exceed, the qualities you mentioned about Omnia processors.Our Tech Support Dept has created numerous processing alternatives. You might consider that as a valued resource. Sure, it would be wonderful to have a super-simple method of getting that "perfect sound," but sometimes it does require some effort when a particular signature is desired.-Frank Foti

 

[tjm_pro]

"I would aslo use Orban on stations with varied program material"

I would have to disagree. A variety hits station across town was using an 8400 when they flipped from AC to the Variety Hits format and the cut to cut consistency was horrible. They've recently replaced the 8400 with an Omnia and they sound terrific. I think the denser sound that Omnia delivers handles varied playlists better than the current Optimod products. As with all discussions about audio processing this is only my opinion..73's

 

[menotti1]

This is why Omnia outsells orban 3 to 1.and with the best support in the biz, it will stay this way for a long time...IMHO Orban had one good box, the now ancient 8100..i;ll take my o6 ex over any Orban box.did you notice how Frank and the crew were open and friendly at NAB?? and ole Bob Orban had that nose so high in the air and unless you were in a top 10 market, don't dare approach him or you'll get that idiot look...i have lost nothing at Orban....

 

[gtomas]

This is why Omnia outsells orban 3 to 1.and with the best support in the biz, it will stay this way for a long time...

You know that that there is, of course, always the other marketing that (as usual) tells just the opposite story:http://www.orban.com/about/press/release/2005_0113-3.phpYou should be sceptic of anything any manufacturer tells you or you read in an ad. As a general rule!

did you notice how Frank and the crew were open and friendly at NAB?? and ole Bob Orban had that nose so high in the air and unless you were in a top 10 market, don't dare approach him or you'll get that idiot look...i have lost nothing at Orban....

Perhaps you misinterpreted Bob's attitude? When I was at NAB last year I talked to him and didn't feel nothing of what you mention. Quite the opposite, he explained everything I asked and later he patiently talked to the other visitors about various processors including Orban 2300, which is obviously not Top 10 shopping. In fact by reading Bob's postings on another list, I can tell you he's an engineer in true sense of a word and not a type of persion who would be evaluating the depth of pocket of potential clients. He's an engineer who loves processors and what he does. I would dare say he actually carries a slight aversion towards marketing, but this is of course only my opinion...Regards,Goran Tomas

 

[wgliradio]

Frank is always willing to talk processing. Bob has a different personality and you have to seek him out a little. When I met him, he was a bit rushed... I don't know if he knew EXACTLY who I am and I was a bit put off by the "can I go now" attitude, but their other crew at the Radio Show was very good in explaining the 9400 and I am working with Kevin Clayborn on some demos for AM.I have had good tech support from all processor manufacturers.. O&O, BW, Inovonics, Aphex.

 

[stace]

Like I've said before, I've heard alot of good Omnia 6's, 3, and a few bad ones. On the other hand I've never heard a crap Optimod. The are two man networks in our country, 'The Radio Network' and 'The RadioWorks'. The former uses Optimods for all their makets across the country, and the latter employ Cutting Edge, with everything from Unitys, Omnias, and the occasional Optimod and Apex. Does this mean that one team have better ears that the other, or that Optimod with their LESS-MORE just do the hard yards for you first. If you have a number of makets, and only a handfull of engineers, when they visit the markets, they don't have a week or so to gradually tweak the unit. They play round for 15 mins or so then move on to other jobs. The hot sounding cutting edge products sound just as good if not better that Optimod, but the bad ones just sound like shit.

 

[FFoti1]

Like I've said before, I've heard alot of good Omnia 6's, 3, and a few bad ones. On the other hand I've never heard a crap Optimod. The are two man networks in our country, 'The Radio Network' and 'The RadioWorks'. The former uses Optimods for all their makets across the country, and the latter employ Cutting Edge, with everything from Unitys, Omnias, and the occasional Optimod and Apex. Does this mean that one team have better ears that the other, or that Optimod with their LESS-MORE just do the hard yards for you first. If you have a number of makets, and only a handfull of engineers, when they visit the markets, they don't have a week or so to gradually tweak the unit. They play round for 15 mins or so then move on to other jobs. The hot sounding cutting edge products sound just as good if not better that Optimod, but the bad ones just sound like ------.

Omnia out-sells orban by a 3:1 margin. That has been the case since 1997. The following quote was sent to us recently from a major US distributor, who handles all of the available processors for the broadcast market:"- At least a dozen people came to me and raved about how the Omnia sounds. About half of those had either replaced old Orban equipment with an Omnia of some description, or had purchased a new 8400 or 8500, hated it, and traded it in for an Omnia. The common description everyone seemed to use when describing the difference between the Omnia and Orban was, both boxes can be loud. But the Omnia has clarity and detail and the Optimod is smeary and muddy."It is possible to make *any* processor sound bad. Misadjustment can occur with any box. It is interesting how there have been a multitude of respondents who claim that Omnia sounds better than orban. That's not by accident either.-Frank Foti

 

[wgliradio]

Orban processors ALWAYS have a very signature sound of their own. If you like that, you buy that. The quote of "remixing in real time" is a great description. That kind of sound for FM was very popular in the 1980's and early-mid 1990's when stations had 8100's as the meat of the airchain, but today, the sound of Omnia (which usually sounds like less is more) is preferred over the thicker stock sound of Orban. Usually sonic texture fads start in major markets like NYC, where Omnia is well embedded.For AM, I still prefer that thicker sound over an open sound, more puch the better, but everyone has their own tastes.I've gotten Orban to sound open, but usually it takes alot of tweaking away from the factory presets, something you need good ears, processing know-how and some time to do... if you are running a CHR style format. For oldies, I do like that "remixing" pseudo "wall-of-sound" that Orban has in many of its presets.

 

[gtomas]

Omnia out-sells orban by a 3:1 margin. That has been the case since 1997. The following quote was sent to us recently from a major US distributor, who handles all of the available processors for the broadcast market:"- At least a dozen people came to me and raved about how the Omnia sounds. About half of those had either replaced old Orban equipment with an Omnia of some description, or had purchased a new 8400 or 8500, hated it, and traded it in for an Omnia. The common description everyone seemed to use when describing the difference between the Omnia and Orban was, both boxes can be loud. But the Omnia has clarity and detail and the Optimod is smeary and muddy."

Aren't marketing posts by manufacturers/designers, especially blatant like this, not welcomed on this board?Regards,Goran Tomas

 

[menotti1]

Blatant, my A__, hey sparky, whoops i meant Goran ,those are real sales numbers that support what Frank is telling us..i don't see anything wrong with the posting, cause the facts back up the numbers.ask any supplier , they will agree..

 

[rorban]

ole Bob Orban had that nose so high in the air and unless you were in a top 10 market, don't dare approach him or you'll get that idiot look...i have lost nothing at Orban....

I don't know where this comment came from ??? I have always been ready to talk to anyone at NAB and to try to deal with anyone's questions about our products. That's why I'm there. I happen to be 6 feet 4" tall, so my nose is naturally high But that doesn't mean that I don't want to talk to old customers and prospective new ones.Bob Orban

 

[FFoti1]

Omnia out-sells orban by a 3:1 margin. That has been the case since 1997. The following quote was sent to us recently from a major US distributor, who handles all of the available processors for the broadcast market:"- At least a dozen people came to me and raved about how the Omnia sounds. About half of those had either replaced old Orban equipment with an Omnia of some description, or had purchased a new 8400 or 8500, hated it, and traded it in for an Omnia. The common description everyone seemed to use when describing the difference between the Omnia and Orban was, both boxes can be loud. But the Omnia has clarity and detail and the Optimod is smeary and muddy."

Aren't marketing posts by manufacturers/designers, especially blatant like this, not welcomed on this board?Regards,Goran Tomas

Goran,The post was a comment from a distributor, who was sharing feedback from end-users. Nothing blatant about that. They are speaking what is factual. After all I've read by others who rant about products, there is nothing wrong offering information that supports what the worldwide marketplace has said, and continues to say.-Frank Foti

 

[MikeHolderfield]

ole Bob Orban had that nose so high in the air and unless you were in a top 10 market, don't dare approach him or you'll get that idiot look...i have lost nothing at Orban....

I don't know where this comment came from ??? I have always been ready to talk to anyone at NAB and to try to deal with anyone's questions about our products. That's why I'm there. I happen to be 6 feet 4" tall, so my nose is naturally high But that doesn't mean that I don't want to talk to old customers and prospective new ones.Bob Orban

Good to see you on this board Bob. My first NAB was a real doozie. At age 24 and from a small market, I met and became friends with Grady Moates, laid around on the floor in Bill Saks room and listened to different op-amps, and sat on the couch with Bob Orban in his suite listening to album cuts through an 8100 and a 310Z. I was young and most recently smitten with the passion for pristine audio. And here I was. Sitting with "the man" talking processing. He was very attentive and responsive to my questions. He never came across as aloof to me. Although upon self reflection, I am sure some of my questions were very simplistic.I only made it to a few more NAB's after my first, but never had a problem speaking with Bob at the Orban booth.