Omnia Audio Omnia.11 - Manual (Page 60)

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FAQ - Some Common How-To’s:
1) How do I try to increase loudness while maintaining as much quality as possible?
First, make sure that the input levels are set properly and that there is enough drive to the WideBand AGC.
At normal program levels, the WB AGC gain-reduction meter should indicate between 12-15dB. (also see
4) below) Then be sure to start with a factory preset that is aggressive enough for your needs. If the one you
have selected has all the attributes you are looking for but just needs a little more loudness, you should
probably first try adjusting the Clip Drive and Auto Sense per the instructions on Page 31. Also, turning up
the overall Limiter Drive can give you a loudness boost if they are running fairly lightly in the preset you
have selected.
2) How do I adjust the frequency balance to obtain a certain consistent sound “signature” (more bass,
less bass, more mids etc.)?
This is handled mostly by the bass enhancers in the WB menu, the parametric EQ in the Limiter menu
Basic tab and the 5-Band AGC section. The bass enhancers work primarily on bass-shy material so their
effect may not be audible as you turn them up if the program material already has enough bass in it. Using
a higher Bass Growl setting in the Advanced tab will generally make the bass enhancers more audible. See
Page 44 for full details. The parametric EQ should be audible most of the time although the limiters may
“undo” some of what you do there. See Page 51 for full details. Overall frequency “shaping” is done using
the 5-Band AGC. Since it works on average levels over 5 frequency bands, it acts like a “dynamic” EQ. So
if you want more bass, for example, when levels are lower, you can boost the lower bands in the XO. This
will act like a “loudness contour” bass boost. Similarly, you can contour the mids and highs with the XO
controls as well so that is generally the place to start. Adjusting the output levels of each band in the Mixer
will apply a fixed amount of equalization over the frequency range of that band. Note that boosting or
cutting here will have a direct effect on the corresponding limiter band.
3) How do I reduce listening fatigue and create a more open, cleaner sound that can be listened to
comfortably for longer periods of time?
Try backing-off the overall Limiter Drive. Too much limiter activity can cause the program material to
sound more “squashed” and “tight”. Backing-off on the limiters allowing them to work only on peaks will
provide a more open sound. After adjusting the limiter drive, re-adjust the Clip Drive per the instructions
on Page 31 since you may be able to use more clipping when the limiters are not working as hard. Some of
the more aggressive presets will not respond well to these adjustments and just be aggressive all the time.
At that point, it is time to start with another lighter sounding preset.
4) How do I make the processor bring up the volume of quiet song intros more?
This function is handled mostly by the WideBand AGC. Try increasing the Release setting in the Basic tab
and/or set the Window setting closer to 0 in the Advanced tab. Also ensure that your input levels are set
properly and that there is enough drive to the WideBand AGC. At normal program levels, the WB AGC
gain-reduction meter should indicate between 12-15dB. Note that it is normal for the yellow gate indicator
to be on most of the time. As long as the Gate Threshold control is not set too high, the WB AGC will still
bring up low level passages. Normally the Gate Threshold is set to about -36dB. Also try a lower Pause
Threshold control in the Advanced tab.
In closing, starting with the right preset is really the most important thing. Always pick the one to start with that
is closest to the sound you are looking for, despite its name. Then you can fine-tune it using the information in
the rest of this chapter.