Omnia Reveals Clear and Loud Audio with its New Omnia.11 at NAB 2010
Who Wants a Perfect 10, When You Can Have an 11
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LAS VEGAS, NV, APRIL 12, 2010
Omnia Audio is breaking through the cluttered sound barrier with its latest product introduction, Omnia.11. Debuting at this year’s NAB show (Telos Booth C146), Omnia.11 represents years of research and development yielding a redesigned firmware platform, GUI and adjustments to every algorithm in the system creating a completely re-thought approach to processing. The firmware in Omnia.11 takes advantage of software resources never before available for this caliber of product. The results are dynamic algorithms that were once a pipe dream of the processing enthusiast.
"Omnia.11 is on-air processing testosterone with no body fat," says Omnia President and Founder Frank Foti. "It’s pure audio, lean on distortion, yet full of punch, power and girth, with no nasty side-effects whatsoever. New material, old material, Rock, Country, Soft A/C, Urban, Fine Art, Hip-Hop, Pop, Talk Format - you name it, this is HGH (human growth hormone) for processing – say hello to Omnia.11! Instead of us making all the clichéd claims about how much better it sounds than such-n-such box, we’ll just leave that for others to make after they hear Omnia.11 and how it’s simply more revealing…period!"
In today’s competitive radio market, the combination of hyper-compressed content and the necessity of "I have to be louder than the other guy" on-air processing results in audio lacking definition and quality. The problem is the current processing practices used by broadcasters and the music industry. While these practices are capable of creating loud signals, they add unfriendly artifacts and perceived sonic distortions. The clear solution is Omnia.11 where competitive quality is better, not just louder.
Modern music mastering practices generate content that is noticeably rich in deep bass, presence and treble. When processed aggressively for broadcast, especially for FM-stereo, the resulting audio appears synthetic in tonality and quality. Treble frequencies appear overly bright and sometimes harsh, even with additional application of dynamic high frequency processing. Bass sounds tight and defined, but depending upon the processor’s spectral limiting system, it can also sound distorted. Omnia.11 was created to approach audio processing from a completely new angle, providing a much needed solution to distorted audio processing, while still delivering the loud signal required to be competitive.
"Omnia.11 is not just the next step forward from our prior offerings," continues Foti. "We knew we had to restore quality back into the on-air signal, while maintaining competitive texture. The signature Omnia sound was kept intact, while the level of perceivable quality has noticeably been improved. The trick is what you’re not hearing, that being processing generated intermodulation distortion created by fast-limiting and clipping functions. Omnia.11 will blow away the competition."
Omnia.11’s AGCs, compressors and limiters are the first of their kind, as they employ Chameleon Technology that transparently analyzes music in real time and adjusts internal parameters for optimum performance across a broad range of material. This process results in better performance, ease of use and, most importantly, perceptibly better sounding audio that reveals more detail, clarity and quality, while maintaining desired loudness levels.
The new Density Detector, a major aspect of the new technology, enables the system to properly handle hyper-compressed content, as the Density Detector keeps Omnia.11 operating on-target, at all times. Its Ultra-LoIMD Multiband Limiter System, coupled with smart gain reduction algorithms, enables the limiters to sound amazingly transparent and natural. All AGC and limiting algorithms employ an auto-acceleration/deceleration mechanism, which tunes out perceptible inter-modulation distortion. The attack/release functions adjust themselves based upon content density. This breakthrough method literally analyzes the audio content in both the amplitude and frequency domain, and then adapts the timing networks – on the fly – to transparently control the signal, without the control being heard. This improved performance of the AGC and limiter functions generate an exciting live voice quality that is second to none.
Omnia.11 integrates a laboratory-grade stereo generator with dual MPX outputs, 19kHz reference output for external RDS/RBDS systems and >80dB pilot protection – with or without composite clipping functions activated. Composite clipping is available but not necessary, as Omnia has completed its beta testing without using any composite clipping. The system is also designed with MPX spectral low-pass filter to protect RDS/RBDS and SCA signals if the composite clipping function is employed.
"Omnia Audio has been fine-tuning this new audio processing technology for some time now and we are proud to officially introduce the Omnia.11 at this year’s NAB show," says Denny Sanders, managing director of Omnia Audio. "We didn’t just want to create ‘another’ processing technology, but to break ground with a new approach to processing that addresses the audio quality issues that are prevalent in today’s radio broadcasts - a real solution for the real world."
Omnia.11 also delivers thundering bass with correct harmonic balance. Omnia has expanded on its Phat Bass effect to create a full-powered bass algorithm for Omnia.11 that can keep up with the hip-hop, urban, rap and club/dance music heavy-bass standards as well as still maintain the proper levels for the more mainstream rock, country and light listening requirements. This level of response is difficult to achieve due to the fact that the bass spectrum has the most number of harmonics and all of these must be kept properly accounted for in the time domain. Also, any additional spectra created enhancement must have its harmonic content managed, or the bass region begins to sound distorted and unnatural. This is what makes Omnia.11’s bass enhancement algorithm so innovative, as this process requires much more than just fancy EQ, bass clipping or filtering. Even the location where the function is inserted in the signal flow matters, as well as how it maintains its frequency range along with the rest of the system.
Additional features include the MPX Tool, an embedded application that displays the FM multiplex (MPX) signal, peak modulation, pilot level, as well as a preview of the deviated FM carrier; Diversity-Delay with ramp-in and ramp-out ability for smooth transition and alignment of conventional analog to HD-radio signals. With a 10.5" diagonal front panel touch screen, the GUI provides ease of use and enhanced metering and diagnostics. Remote access is available via any web browser, as well as a local onboard WI-FI connection. AES/EBU digital and analog I/O is standard. Headphone soft "patch points" are available for listening at any point in the processing chain. Omnia.11 also features an easy to use installation wizard to help create a desired preset for each application.
For Omnia media information, contact Angi Roberson at angi@telos-systems.com, +1 216 241 7225 or visit www.OmniaAudio.com or Nicole Smith-Rosen at nicoler@dpagan.com or +1 631 659 2309
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Omnia, a Telos company, is world-renowned for its digital audio signal processing expertise. Omnia audio processors for FM, AM, TV, HD Radio & DAB, Internet, and audio production are setting new standards for professional audio quality.