ORBAN OPTIMOD 8100A and OPTIMOD STUDIO CHASSIS 8200ST/U

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opacheco

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Mar 16, 2006
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Hi,

I got an ORBAN 8100A and a 8200ST/U and I would like to know Who tried these Dynamics Processors in recording studio??.....Is the ORBAN 8100A and 8200ST/U a good option for dynamic control and better quality sound in studio recording works(Drums, Guitars, Vocals....)?

By the way.....Do someone have a schematic copy for these proscessors??

Thanks a lot.
Opacheco-
 
The 8100 is a nice multi-band processor for FM, the first thing you will need to do is to remove the 15KHz low pass filter, nothing over 15KHz will currently get through as it is designed for feeding an FM transmitter. You will have to get a schematic and work your way through this. I am not sure how the dynamics will perform without this filter. The 8100 is all analog, so modification should not be too difficult.

I am not sure about the 8200, but it might also only pass 15KHz audio, and is it all analog electronics or digital?

And with both you will want to switch off/disable all pre-emphasis/de-emphasis.

Let us know how you go with this.
Michael
 
Junction said:
The 8100 is a nice multi-band processor for FM, the first thing you will need to do is to remove the 15KHz low pass filter, nothing over 15KHz will currently get through as it is designed for feeding an FM transmitter. You will have to get a schematic and work your way through this. I am not sure how the dynamics will perform without this filter. The 8100 is all analog, so modification should not be too difficult.

I am not sure about the 8200, but it might also only pass 15KHz audio, and is it all analog electronics or digital?

And with both you will want to switch off/disable all pre-emphasis/de-emphasis.

Let us know how you go with this.
Michael

Thanks Michael for your comments.

I sent to ORBAN an e-mail today in order to get their schematics and I will follow your comments and advise when I have them.
I use a CBS Volumax 4111 and is a very good dynamic processor!!....Who used Broadcast or Radio Process in studio recording before?...Is this a good idea?

Thanks,
Opacheco.
 
Hi

What you get with these beasts is are devices tailored to function so that they achieve great results without too many controls to confuse us broadcast types....They are quite hackable and Orban have always been very good about documentation.... ftp://ftp.orban.com/ has pretty much everything you would want.  There are a few epoxy modules but there is more info about these in the Bob Orban patents.

I've used both of these devices for many years in a broadcast environment and they really do perform well in their intended role...not universal dynamics controllers by any stretch of the imagination but they can be great creative tools in the right hands......in the late 80's early 90's there were a number of 'Orban-ed' singles...very in your face but not great radio plays:)

Cheers

Tim :)
 
topcat said:
Hi

What you get with these beasts is are devices tailored to function so that they achieve great results without too many controls to confuse us broadcast types....They are quite hackable and Orban have always been very good about documentation.... ftp://ftp.orban.com/ has pretty much everything you would want.  There are a few epoxy modules but there is more info about these in the Bob Orban patents.

I've used both of these devices for many years in a broadcast environment and they really do perform well in their intended role...not universal dynamics controllers by any stretch of the imagination but they can be great creative tools in the right hands......in the late 80's early 90's there were a number of 'Orban-ed' singles...very in your face but not great radio plays:)

Cheers

Tim :)

Tim, thanks lot for your comments!!......I will try them in studio but I will need the schematics first!!!...I am waitng for a ORBAN e-mail replay for schematics.

Thanks again
Opacheco.
 
Thanks Kingston for your info too!!!......

I would like to disable all Filters inside of these equipments but I will need to read and check the schematics, but will be a great help if someone had made this before and can to talk us about the results and conclusions.

I will have a hard work for that!
Thanks
Opacheco.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that the output of many Optimods is a composite stereo signal suited only for feeding the exciter of an FM broadcast transmitter.  I looked at the Orban site, and the only 8100A schemo they had was for the 8100A1, and it indeed outputs a composite stereo signal on a BNC connector.  It looks like the 8200 has actual analog audio ins and outs.

Best,

Bri

 
I had abandoned this unit for several time but today I tried to use it for MIX BUSS all my recent Drum channels recording in order to pararllel conpression but after to send all the channels to a dedicated phisical output by pro tools to the Orban I showed I can't to do an alignment at all!!.....I don't know what happend with the Orban look like everything is phased messed.....so someone have tried in this fashion that unit with results??

Opacheco
 
Hello All,
For the first time in my life I have a couple 8100A/1 and 8100A/XT ( Six-Band Limiter ) on my bench since a few days...
I have also the Operating Manuals, probably 200 pages of very detailed information and schematics.
The standard of quality of construction is very high, all components are top level quality, what  " Broadcast " means !  :)
Because of the 75 microseconds Emphasis that boosts the 15K to +17db  ( ref.  1kHz ), I had first to insert a De-Emphasis filter
at the L /R outputs Test RCA's.
I choose to do it this way ( easy ! ) instead of trying to remove the Emphasis circuits, as I do not know at all this Orban unit.
It happened that the Left channel ( card #3 ) had a huge lack of Bass ( -25dB @ 30Hz ) because of a dead VCA on the " Bass " compressor side, so I need now to find a CA3280E before going further...
When I'll get it fixed I'll remove the rear barrier strips and install XLR's for the  In/ Out's, with balanced Line outputs amps.
More later....
Best,
Guy
 
Guy,

Thanks for your response and notes.

Do you have any issue like I have described in my last post??

Thanks anticipated for your help
 
Opacheco,
The Orban on my bench has not yet been used in the studio at this time, it was bought on Ebay and the owner asked me to repair it before he can try to use it… so I have no experience to share with you now. Sorry.
Guy
 
That is what it is supposed to do. It is not phase-accurate. It scrambles phase so the peaks do not stack up, and you get a higher average level out of your radio transmitter with "same sound" (as far as radio listeners care).

Which means it is "all wrong" if you align drum transients.
 
All have sense now!!....this is why I can't alignment the sum of these track passing by the Orban with  the originals tracks like a Buss Parallel  Compression fashion!!..the sound coming from this boc is really good but do exist a way to do that(Buss Parallel Compression??

Thanks for comment
Opacheco


PRR said:
That is what it is supposed to do. It is not phase-accurate. It scrambles phase so the peaks do not stack up, and you get a higher average level out of your radio transmitter with "same sound" (as far as radio listeners care).

Which means it is "all wrong" if you align drum transients.
 
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