What tools to get that FM ultracompressed pre-broadcast radio sound ?

[CinningBao]

I needed to research this a few years ago for some obsessive prototyping of FM multiplexing in digital (turns out I need a soundcard which runs at at least 1 million samples a second so that project have to wait a bit)..

These guys have been building hardware to process audio before it hits the FM multiplexing (wrapping up for broadcast) stages since the 1960's, so you'll already have heard them

This page has a list of typical processing stages
https://www.orban.com/in-depth-pcn1600

In a nutshell.. peak-limiting, automatic gain control, 5-band compressor running in parallel, limiter and a loudness controller, all of which is proprietary technology and not available in plugin form!

[DJErmac]

Sure, I could go hardware for this. But those prices...
OK, I’m going to need to resell a couple of things...

[DJErmac]

In a nutshell.. peak-limiting, automatic gain control, 5-band compressor running in parallel, limiter and a loudness controller

Thank you, and thank you, and thank you !

[CinningBao]

My pleasure! The thing I released I was looking for was the stereo noise from a fairly-well, but-not-perfectly, tuned radio, but didn't initially realise the amount of processing that goes in to the broadcast 'sound'. I remember seeing jobs which were designing patches for those Orban units to give radio stations 'that sound', presets which are unique to there station.

I found out that stereo noise is a by-product of the demuxing process, and the way the detecting circuits are trying to work out where the phase starts.. or something like that. It sounded clever when I read it.

Regarding what-you're-looking-for, I'd probably just use stock or 3rd party plugs in that order. If you can.. I forgot to mention the AGCs are usually at least 2-band, and I've not seen a soft one of those. And some limiters use those EBU standards as readouts but probably not in the detection circuitry. And I don't know what a loudness controller is either!

Have fun

[DJErmac]

Thanks for everything. With all those tips, I’m going to try again to build my own processing chain first. I was kinda lost in processing at this point.

Of course my final goal is NOT to get an exact broadcast sound, it would serve no purpose as a producer. I only want to take lessons from it to maximize my sound a little. So first I need to understand how it’s supposed to work and come as close as possible.

[j wazza]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

[DJErmac]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

[j wazza]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

yeah i think it and other plugins also have radio convolution, and fm synthesis would be the proper way to make something sound like fm radio

[DJErmac]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

yeah i think it and other plugins also have radio convolution, and fm synthesis would be the proper way to make something sound like fm radio

Actually I'm trying to make the exact contrary here : get a broadcast sound, that ultrasquashed typical radio sound, and don't care about the radio artifacts. But thanks.

[j wazza]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

yeah i think it and other plugins also have radio convolution, and fm synthesis would be the proper way to make something sound like fm radio

Actually I'm trying to make the exact contrary here : get a broadcast sound, that ultrasquashed typical radio sound, and don't care about the radio artifacts. But thanks.

missed that part when i skimmed at first, so what it would sound like before being broadcast? only people who worked at a radio station would know what that sounds like, why do you need it?

thrillseeker vbl is a free vintage broadcast limiter

any compressor or limiter can make an ultra squashed sound but maybe not the same one, maybe some distortion would help too

[DJErmac]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

yeah i think it and other plugins also have radio convolution, and fm synthesis would be the proper way to make something sound like fm radio

Actually I'm trying to make the exact contrary here : get a broadcast sound, that ultrasquashed typical radio sound, and don't care about the radio artifacts. But thanks.

missed that part when i skimmed at first, so what it would sound like before being broadcast? only people who worked at a radio station would know what that sounds like, why do you need it?

thrillseeker vbl is a free vintage broadcast limiter

I've posted an audio example on the first page.
Well, it sounds like what you hear on the radios that try to sound LOUD, but forget about bandlimit and audio parasites.
I need this to understand how to make my sound as loud as possible and still sound good to most people. I don't want that exact sound, but I need to understand how they got that sound to maximize my sound without ruining everything.

[j wazza]

lo-fi-af has a radio broadcast emulation

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

yeah i think it and other plugins also have radio convolution, and fm synthesis would be the proper way to make something sound like fm radio

Actually I'm trying to make the exact contrary here : get a broadcast sound, that ultrasquashed typical radio sound, and don't care about the radio artifacts. But thanks.

missed that part when i skimmed at first, so what it would sound like before being broadcast? only people who worked at a radio station would know what that sounds like, why do you need it?

thrillseeker vbl is a free vintage broadcast limiter

I've posted an audio example on the first page.
Well, it sounds like what you hear on the radios that try to sound LOUD, but forget about bandlimit and audio parasites.
I need this to understand how to make my sound as loud as possible and still sound good to most people. I don't want that exact sound, but I need to understand how they got that sound to maximize my sound without ruining everything.

have you got a youtube link or something so i can hear it without downloading anything?

let me know how the vbs plugin goes that companies really good

[DJErmac]

Yes, just for adding noise right ? I use it for that purpose (unrelated to this situation, but I sometimes need FM noise). Thanks.

yeah i think it and other plugins also have radio convolution, and fm synthesis would be the proper way to make something sound like fm radio

Actually I'm trying to make the exact contrary here : get a broadcast sound, that ultrasquashed typical radio sound, and don't care about the radio artifacts. But thanks.

missed that part when i skimmed at first, so what it would sound like before being broadcast? only people who worked at a radio station would know what that sounds like, why do you need it?

thrillseeker vbl is a free vintage broadcast limiter

I've posted an audio example on the first page.
Well, it sounds like what you hear on the radios that try to sound LOUD, but forget about bandlimit and audio parasites.
I need this to understand how to make my sound as loud as possible and still sound good to most people. I don't want that exact sound, but I need to understand how they got that sound to maximize my sound without ruining everything.

have you got a youtube link or something so i can hear it without downloading anything?

let me know how the vbs plugin goes that companies really good

Just hit play on the link I provided.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/18OEMvw ... sp=sharing

[The Noodlist]

I'm sure these are used in broadcast - Apex 320D COMPELLOR
Stardust 32 bit vst has a lot of dynamic control.
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/535/

[j wazza]

found some threads on it, sounds like mostly heavy compression/limiting, maybe multiband, and phase rotation, for that just use allpass filters (static phasers)

https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... 16&t=64486

https://gearspace.com/board/mastering-f ... ssion.html

https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/view ... 16&t=37829