WCRB Sounding Good

[TJMPRO]

Listening to WCRB today and I was amazed at how it jumps right out of the dial at you. With the move to HD they've obviously upgraded their processing to either a top of the line Omnia or Optimod. I think they used to run an older Inovonics processor. I guess I better enjoy WCRB it while it lasts.

 

[webcastboy]

> Listening to WCRB today and I was amazed at how it jumps
> right out of the dial at you. With the move to HD they've
> obviously upgraded their processing to either a top of the
> line Omnia or Optimod. I think they used to run an older
> Inovonics processor. I guess I better enjoy WCRB it while
> it lasts.
>

IIRC two years ago they were running a new Inovonics Omega FM processor, which is a smokin' good processor.

It's possible they ditched the Omega FM for a specifically IBOC-compatible processor; it only passes 15kHz. But I can imagine that was a sad day - the Omega FM is really a nice unit. FWIW, Inovonics has entered into a major partnership with iBiquity...maybe they're offering upgrades to the Omega so it'll be more IBOC-compatible?

Although...come to think of it, it might've been an Aphex 2020 (MKII or maybe the MKIII?). Or did WERS have the Aphex? Damn, now I can't remember. I think WERS had the Aphex and WCRB had the Omega FM. Both are really nice units.

I have no knowledge one way or the other about WCRB's STL, but an IBOC upgrade typically means an STL upgrade to pass the 20kHz that IBOC allows. So it's possible WCRB significantly improved their analog in the process.

Or maybe just Inovonics released a software update. I know when Omnia released the Turbo update for the 3FM processor a year or two ago, several stations around here started sounding MUCH better...I think the 3FM is a popular choice.