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Technical Topics => Part 15 AM and FM Station Operation => Topic started by: ThaDood on September 23, 2024, 1553 UTC

Title: Part 15 preemphasis and compression?
Post by: ThaDood on September 23, 2024, 1553 UTC
Boomer, ran into this discussion:     https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=441388&sid=2089fe7c284211d0cc4e5ef8d5c97a66     It's been asked and talked about before. Me??? I'm very cheap. Since 2005, I 1st run into a TERK VR-1 original DSP based Audio AGC, (Not the stupid Audiovox version that replaced that for cheaper.), then run into a ART CS2 compressor, set at 4:1 COMP, then run that into a 32-Band EQ. Why??? To me, it seemed to sound the best over-the-air that way to me, and less harsh. The EQ also helps control bad sibilance, (S's & T's.), from podcasts that do not use a de-essing unit in their audio chain. Believe me, it was done with lots of trial & error over the years, but my AM stations sound better than any of the commercial stations around here locally. One advantage about what I have for audio processing? No software updates. Also, when something goes wrong, I like the idea of separate components to repair, and, or, swap-out.    Basically, I'm doing what seems to work best for what I have setup here. You, may have a completely different setup that works for you.
Title: Re: Part 15 preemphasis and compression?
Post by: RobRich on September 26, 2024, 2033 UTC
Years ago I used to occasionally use an Alesis Micro Enhancer for a slight to moderate dynamic boost of musical highs.

Quote
Unlike most other equalizers, which boost noise as well as the signal, the MICRO ENHANCER only boosts treble information when it already exists in the program material, thus adding the high end sparkle without boosting noise. Also, the MICRO ENHANCER differs from, and is superior to, other types of
psychoacoustic enhancers on the market since others use a distortion process which is ultimately objectionable.

The MICRO ENHANCER can be thought of as a dynamic semiparametric equalizer, in a boost only mode, as it is capable of performing many of the functions of a parametric.

Source: https://www.zikinf.com/manuels/alesis-microgate-manuel-utilisateur-en-61043.pdf

Found a YouTube video demo here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU0Z4Czm4s8

I tended to paired it with an Alesis Nano Compressor in a rather mild configuration, plus there was usually a multi-band equalizer somewhere in the chain for a little extra tweaking if needed.