22
monitored. We suggest a good tuner, with good reception, feeding a set of studio monitor speakers
to be sufficient. While car radio and other “typical listener situation” settings are important, they
should not be the main reference points.
2)
Good, Clean Source Material
A well respected processing colleague once said, “Garbage in,
produces more garbage out!” He was not kidding. If you are using poor source material, or poor
performing playback equipment, you will not get maximum sonic benefit from your demo.
Anomalies that you perceive to be processing problems, may be source problems that the
processing is exaggerating! Make sure that you start out with a good first step - good source
material!
3)
Mic Processing
This may appear trivial, but the perceived sound of “live” voices over the air can
change dramatically with different processing systems. Whatever the effect your on-air
microphones will probably change when you change your processing. If you utilize mic
processing, you may have to adjust it to suit the operation of the new processing system. Most
announcers develop a “comfort zone” with respect to the sound of their voice over the air. When
that “comfort zone” is changed or modified, the common response is that something is wrong.
Mic processing can be a very important part of your overall station sound.
4)
Operating Levels
This is another simple area where trouble can develop. Make sure the input
and output levels of the Unity AM are at the operating at the proper level within your system.
(Did you know that operating a processor with insufficient level into an STL system will cause
loss of modulation and loudness? I only mention it, because we’ve seen it happen more than a
few times!) If you are comparing the Unity AM with another processor, be sure they are both
operating at the same levels. Your modulation monitor is an important tool in any processing
comparison.
Installation checklist
The following checklist will further assist with installation:
1)
Finish reading this manual. (Sorry, we could not resist slipping this in one more time.)
2)
Quickly revisit your goals and objectives, and decide upon whom is to assist with the evaluation.
3)
Mail or fax the initial warranty registration to Cutting Edge. This way we will know who you are
if you call for assistance.
4)
Perform the physical installation and initial set up. Start with one of the factory presets.
5)
Once on the air, proceed from a processing level similar to that currently used by your station and
then if desired, become more aggressive. This is less likely to draw hasty, and negative, opinions.
