Latency is pretty much a given in modern processing if you want the lowest distortion as that is achieved with “look ahead” that analyzes the incoming waveform and applies the appropriate amount of processing. Modern STL technology can add delay, too. I suggest using logic that switches the headphone feed to program when the mic is on and back to air when the mic is off. You can process the feed to the headphones if desired.I'm looking at upgrading a station's processing and would like to get some input on the latency. I don't see that anywhere. I've been testing an Orban Trio and it has just enough latency to be annoying. Most likely this will end up on an AM... not sure how much difference that would make.
Recommendations, anyone? Wheatstone? Omnia? Another Orban? Others?
Even with analog processing and transmission, I had a major market morning talent that could detect any change made in the on-air processing. The solution was to feed his headphones with an older processor which allowed what he heard to remain consistent and we could “tweak” at will. This was a good thing as we were in competition with a direct format competitor and each rating point represented hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Did one of the amps in question invert the absolute phase of the audio? If the instantaneous pressure at the microphone was positive but the pressure at the headphone transducer of the same waveform was negative, the result to the person speaking into the microphone but listening via the headphones can sound “strange” due to bone conduction of one’s voice. I know of a station in Los Angeles that installed an absolute phase switch at every headphone position to allow the users to select the absolute phase that sounded best to them when speaking into the microphone and listening on headphones.I worked at a station which had a Collins 212E-1 console and the previous engineer had replaced the old Collins tube type line amplifier with a solid state analog audio processor.
When I got to the station, one of the first things I was asked to do was to put the old Collins line amp back into the console. The effects of the processor affected the monitor audio and headphone audio and the air folks didn't like it.
Did one of the amps in question invert the absolute phase of the audio? If the instantaneous pressure at the microphone was positive but the pressure at the headphone transducer of the same waveform was negative, the result to the person speaking into the microphone but listening via the headphones can sound “strange” due to bone conduction of one’s voice. I know of a station in Los Angeles that installed an absolute phase switch at every headphone position to allow the users to select the absolute phase that sounded best to them when speaking into the microphone and listening on headphones.
Radio Fan, if the tube "amp" was a Collins 26U... that's a goodie! Touchy to set up but a great sound!