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WPST on-air processing

J

JH_Radio

I've noticed that PST have changed the on-air processing major on the analog side.
Before, I loved it! CHR with dynamic range! The gain wasn't set to keep as high a constant level. It actually sounded *Gasp* somewhat open!
Now it just sounds pegged to the meter.
They've made the release long, attack instant, and set it so that no matter what gets input into the compressor/limitor the volume stays at a constent."Easy On me" "Girls like you" or anything that had dynamic range you could hear it. and yet it wasn't too jarring during the break or commercials.
It's not easy to find mainstream any format with dynamic range like that.
I know I know. people in cars, etc etc.. but sheesh.
That was the station that when I turned it on, it made me smile and I'm like yes! oh Thank God someone gets it!
Not only did they have dynamic range, they didn't pitch the music!
They stil dont pitch the music, nor do they speed up tempo without speeding up pitch which I've also heard and sounds very strange.
Cause when you speed up the tempo without changing the pitch, the accented beat sounds weird. any notes that hold sounds weird. you can actually hear it.

Am I the only person in the world that prefers OTA signals with some kinda dynamics in the format?
 
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JH_Radio, CHR listeners are now used to hearing audio from cell phones, laptop speakers, etc. Those $10,000 Omnia or Orban processors that once meant a lot mean a lot less today.

There also isn't any "purity" with CHR based music mixing. It's already crunched from the studio as artists like Billie Eilish only produce huge loved fully distorted music. It sounds distorted to purists listening on FM however my kids have no idea about that, nor do they care.

Go listen to Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish that most top 40's had in power rotation. You will see what I mean. It doesn't matter.
 
When I worked at WPST in the early '00s, I just remember the processing being so strong that it almost didn't matter if my levels were at 40 or peaking. Everything always came across at the same, consistent level over the air.
 
The memories here for me are 'retro' ones, for sure. But while I'm almost on the subject :

My Folks moved from Queens to Fairless Hills PA in 1970. On a drive to there and again on the way home, I'd see this wee sign on Route 1.
'WPST. Passport Radio. 97.5.'
My car only had AM, so I thought 'Shrug' and paid the station no notice ......

Years later, I was working overnights on a Long Island station -- another 97.5. And the chief enginner came by and wanted to turn us / me off to conduct 'transmitter tests'. Memory suggests that he and his cohorts had guns, grenades, flak vests, ladders, etc. So they looked real official. I relinquished the air chair while they went about their business.
Off clicked the air monitor speakers on the rack. INSTANTLY blew in WPST ! .......

And wasn't that guy in the trade mags Tom Taylor or Tyler the program director of WPST for a time ?
 
and the worst presentation of a newsperson on the planet Preston Mason. That was my go to station for top 40 in the 70s early 80''s, because they were in full stereo not compressed like WIFI....
 
weilr668 said:
JH_Radio, CHR listeners are now used to hearing audio from cell phones, laptop speakers, etc. Those $10,000 Omnia or Orban processors that once meant a lot mean a lot less today.

There also isn't any "purity" with CHR based music mixing. It's already crunched from the studio as artists like Billie Eilish only produce huge loved fully distorted music. It sounds distorted to purists listening on FM however my kids have no idea about that, nor do they care.

Go listen to Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish that most top 40's had in power rotation. You will see what I mean. It doesn't matter.
Click to expand...

I was listening/recording PST on a Rotel RT-1084 tuner.
Besides, comparing what listeners hear on a laptop/smart speaker/phone is different since the webstream has a different sound then the one on-air.
Ugh. the happy song? makes my ears hurt.
So Steve if WALK is off the air WPST used to come blazing in.
That's the thing with a lot of FMs now... It doesn't matter how low or high any of the levels are on the board.
Another one that is not bad sounding is WODE out of Easten, PA. Yet WLEV doesn't have that dynamic range even though i'd think it'd be the same engineer that does both stations.
WKZY used to sound great!
That is the literal first thing I hear when turning on the radio on any station, how is its on-air sound?
 
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