More than 243 million viewers tuned in to network television to watch – and hear – the Presidential debates this October.

Renowned production audio mixer Michael Abbott was the man behind the console creating the audio feed for each of those broadcasts, and selected the Linear Acoustic® LQ-1000™ Loudness Quality Monitor to measure audio loudness levels and analyze the mix.

"I used the LQ-1000 on the broadcast feed to the pool feed provided by ABC and CNN and FOX, which was derived from a discrete mix on the front-of-house console," Abbott explained. That feed made its way to all of the major broadcast television networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX – as well C-SPAN, CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC.

Linear Acoustic Founder and President Tim Carroll is glad to see the LQ-1000 in in this environment. "Television broadcasters who are focused on making sure their stations meet compliance regulations count on the LQ-1000 to meter their audio and log their loudness data, but this just goes to show how versatile the product really is," said Carroll. "It's equally at home in helping create compelling audio for a high-profile live broadcast."

Abbott, who owns All Ears, Inc., regularly relies upon Linear Acoustic gear in his work, which includes mixing audio and production coordination for major network television programs and live broadcasts including the Grammy Awards. "I have used most if not all of the loudness meter devices available and find the LQ-1000 offers the most functions to analyze the mix. The three bar graph meters (each showing different integration times) and the histogram are most helpful. So is the ability to save a session via the USB port."

While a portion of Abbott's time is spent in studios in the Los Angeles area, he frequently gets the opportunity to work on location in NEP Denali Mobile Units equipped with the LQ-1000. "It has by far the most rugged design and build quality, which make it a good choice in a mobile environment. I would without exception recommend the LQ-1000 as the most functional device of its kind in the market."

Company Overview

Linear Acoustic® designs and manufactures the industry-standard AERO™ series of loudness control solutions and LQ™ line of loudness metering products that DTV broadcasters world-wide rely upon to deliver compliant, high-quality audio to their viewers. Linear Acoustic has provided products and technical services to NBC for their coverage of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, and the 2012 Summer Games in London. In 2010, Linear Acoustic was recognized for its contributions to the television industry with a Technology and Engineering Emmy® Award. For more information, please visit www.linearacoustic.com and www.telosalliance.com.