How to set up an Audio Processor

the_radio_kidthe_radio_kid Posts: 1,213
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I have recently purchased an audio processor and it's pretty good - and am going to use it for broadcast - are there any hints or tips that I should know and could someone explain to me what all of the standard setting on a processor are, and what they do...

Thanks!!
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 146
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    In the nicest possible sense: Please read the manual!

    Or, tell us what this processor is...
  • the_radio_kidthe_radio_kid Posts: 1,213
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    The processor is a BEHRINGER Ultra-Dyne DSP9024.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 437
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    I just want to know something...

    How can you say "...and it's pretty good" and in the same sentence ask for help on setting it up? One tip is to read the manual, as has been stated above. That helps a lot when setting up new equipment.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    Read the manual ! :) It's pretty good at describing what the unit can do. Sit down with the unit connected to an audio feed and an amp and speakers. Go through the manual and experiment with the various settings to see what effect changes have on the sound.

    However if you don't understand what the various settings mean or basic terms like compression ratio and thresholds then to be honest you should not really be playing with it all that much.

    It is not impossible to get a good sounding result out of a 9024. But equally it is extremely easy to bollox the whole thing up big time if you just dive in and start blindly tweaking everything in sight.

    If you really can't figure out how it works then by far the best thing is to either use one of the pre-sets or the Virtuoso auto set-up mode.
  • vinnielovinnielo Posts: 8,342
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    Dissatisfied that a single Watt isn't going to cover an area as large as Q103's, is the new plan to try and be louder? :D
  • the_radio_kidthe_radio_kid Posts: 1,213
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    Urm... No Vinnielo! It's what you call experimentation.

    Why would I want to be louder than Q103 - am only doing an RSL station.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 829
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    This reminds me of an engineer who will remain namesless who set up the processing by copying the dial positions in the drawing of the product from the front of the box it came in!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 313
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    andygrif wrote:
    This reminds me of an engineer who will remain namesless who set up the processing by copying the dial positions in the drawing of the product from the front of the box it came in!

    LOL that sounds familiar..... :D

    Craig
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 146
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    Well, I have a DSP9024 here. If you think it'll help - I'll post the settings later on for you. But, it really depends on how your ears work. Not all settings work for everyone.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 146
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    OK, here's my settings:

    Behringer DSP9024 Settings

    Gate: -82dB
    Threshold: -34dB
    Ratio: 5:1
    Attack: 1ms
    Release: 2000mS
    Process: 0
    OutGain: -5dB
    Limiter: -15dB

    BAND1: -3dB
    BAND2: -1dB
    BAND3: -9dB
    BAND4: -7dB
    BAND5: -5dB
    BAND6: -3dB

    These work for me OK - but they may not be suitable for you :)
    http://www.micslive.com/9024.mp3 - without processing, then with processing. It sounds a tad mushed as it's not the sort of music I usually put through it... But it does the job.
  • the_radio_kidthe_radio_kid Posts: 1,213
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    Thanks Mic's live.com!
  • the_radio_kidthe_radio_kid Posts: 1,213
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    One of my colleagues has a Behringer Ultramizer 1424P that they use for broadcast - don't suppose you know of any good settings for that!

    Thanks Micslive_com!
  • DJPTDJPT Posts: 4,533
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    What exactly does an audio processor do to audio? If I bought a Behringer DSP9024 would it connect to the sound card on my PC (it's an Audiophile 2496, the output jacks are RCA female one red and one white) and would it have a line out so that I can connect it to my Sony amplifier so I can still use my Wharfedale speakers?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 146
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    Yes. It takes a line level input, does "stuff" to it, then gives you an (adjustable) line level output...

    The DSP9024 can compress the sound, add sparkle or whatever you set it up to do. By reading the manual, you'll understand how to set each part up - and what settings to adjust to achieve the desired affect. Most of the time, it's to produce an audio signal with a greatly reduced dynamic range - on other words, there is little change between loud and quiet. You can also limit the main output to keep your digital recorder/transmitter from being over-loaded.

    Example: There's the classic example of somebody using a broadcast processor on their TV sound to make sure the adverts didn't blast through after a quiet TV programme.

    PS: behringer.com have pictures and PDF manuals of all their equipment range - go take a look.
  • DJPTDJPT Posts: 4,533
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    I am looking around behringer.com at the moment to find out more information. Will this processor also make my audio the same volume and finally can I connect it to an Optimod 8300?
  • SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
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    I have recently purchased an audio processor and it's pretty good - and am going to use it for broadcast - are there any hints or tips that I should know and could someone explain to me what all of the standard setting on a processor are, and what they do...

    Thanks!!

    Hi there!

    try this..

    http://www.verdu009.cistron.nl/soundproc.htm

    I have the processor you have bought.. I have it going into a TC Electronics Triple C stereo unit to make it a bit tighter!
    Sound good!

    Otherwise,, you could buy a Composer or something around £90 and send the DSP into that, with all the settings on the Composer set tight as a fast clipper,,as the Dutch bloke demonstrates on his page,, sounds$hit hot too!

    PS,, don`t clip more than 6 or 10db with The second unit like a Composer, or it will pump a tad!?

    Good luck! :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 146
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    I think you're taking the mickey... Tell you what, you give me your 8300 - and I'll give you my 9024. Then you can have 2 in a row.

    ...whilst I enjoy the Optimod sound :)
  • DJPTDJPT Posts: 4,533
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    I don't actually have an Optimod 8300 just yet, hopefully I'll be buying one shortly. Talking about an Optimod 8300......can I connect my sound card to an Optimod 8300 and then connect Optimod to my amp so I can use my speakers?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    DJPT wrote:
    I don't actually have an Optimod 8300 just yet, hopefully I'll be buying one shortly. Talking about an Optimod 8300......can I connect my sound card to an Optimod 8300 and then connect Optimod to my amp so I can use my speakers?
    Now I know you are taking the mick :D

    You really want us to believe you are going to spend the very thick end of SIX GRAND on an Optimod just to make a few mp3s or whatever off your PC sound a bit louder !!!!
  • DJPTDJPT Posts: 4,533
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    Preco sell them for £1300, they have sent me a quotation via e-mail which states this. At the moment I am using a Sony TA-FE370 Amplifier which is a little crappy to say the least, it dosen't really do much to the quality of my audio.

    If I did buy a Behringer DSP9024 would it make my audio files sound the same volume and also can you set up the amount of bass that it adds? Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure this product is right for me before I buy. Thanks :-)
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    DJPT wrote:
    Preco sell them for £1300, they have sent me a quotation via e-mail which states this. At the moment I am using a Sony TA-FE370 Amplifier which is a little crappy to say the least, it dosen't really do much to the quality of my audio.

    If I did buy a Behringer DSP9024 would it make my audio files sound the same volume and also can you set up the amount of bass that it adds? Sorry for all the questions but I want to make sure this product is right for me before I buy. Thanks :-)
    £1300. Must be very second hand. Or the Optimod 8300 in their catalogue at £5995 ex VAT isn't the same Optimod 8300 you are talking about. Or was the £1300 for the Behringer, which sounds more likely, though PRECO don't do Behringer.

    To be brutally honest you DO NOT want anything like an Optimod. This is a piece of very high end pro audio kit. It was never designed for the domestic market. It's sole aim in life is to sit in a rack in a transmitter hall squeezing the wotsits out of the dynamic range of the broadcast audio.

    If nothing else you will find it difficult to interface with your kit. I'm assuming here that your sound card and amp don't have balanced XLR connectors on them.

    And even a 9024 is way over the top for what you are describing.

    And being even more brutaly honest with you (apologies but sometimes it's the only way). If you have to ask all these questions about how this kind of kit works and what it can do then frankly I doubt you will find it at all easy to get the best out of them. I've got 30 years experience mucking about with audio kit and even I find some of the settings on the Optimods hard to get my head round :) Believe me it is way way easier to totally screw up the sound with either device than it is to get them sounding "right" (whatever that might be).

    And if you've got a crap amp then no amount of processing before it is going to make it sound any better.

    Far easier would be to process the sound files so that they are of similar volume anyway. Something like the Audacity free sound editor has a range of tools to modify the sound. Not only that but you can put the 1300 quid you were going to spend on an Optimod to far better use improving your HiFi.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 829
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    DJPT wrote:
    I don't actually have an Optimod 8300 just yet, hopefully I'll be buying one shortly. Talking about an Optimod 8300......can I connect my sound card to an Optimod 8300 and then connect Optimod to my amp so I can use my speakers?

    What on earth do you want an Optimod to hook up to your hi-fi for?

    It will not make it sound better, as the Optimod is designed to make a hi-fi like audio, sound suitable for broadcast.

    Unless of course you have a VERY big anorak......

    ....and are not able to tell good sound quality :confused:
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 491
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    for those of you who cant afford a hardware sound processor (or just want to play around), heres a free plugin for winamp:

    http://www.soundsolution.it/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=29&func=selectcat&cat=1
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 146
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    So there you have it - Totally like the "sledgehammer and nut" situation :)

    If you really do wish to use a DSP9024, read the manual from the behringer site before you purchase it. Infact, read up on most of their products - eg: the AutoCom XL - very nice bit of kit... I've had my DSP 18months, and even I have to read the manual sometimes to grasp something.

    To answer your question about "bass", yes - The 6 band unit can process 6 ranges of frequencies with differing levels/thresholds. Therefore, you can back off the threshold on the bass and enjoy more of it.

    To be honest, a Behringer AutoCom XL (basic analogue stereo compressor) will be right up your street. Several knobs to twiddle, no digital menus and instant results. Or, if you can find one - the TC Electronic Triple C is rather nice.
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,505
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    DJPT wrote:
    What exactly does an audio processor do to audio?
    It takes good music and turns it into a horrible noise.
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