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VP-8IP / Sep 2013
F E A T U R E S
audible to the average listener. Over-boosting bass or treble energy that can be heard
by only a small percentage of the audience can result in either reduced loudness
and/or higher distortion for the majority of the listeners.
What Is Your Short Term Goal?
The usual short term goal that is related to installing new audio processing involves
generating large amounts of loudness in order to attract attention to the station as a
listener explores his options.
Almost as important as the station playing a listener’s favorite record when they’ve
tuned in, a signal that’s LOUD carries with it a certain “authority” that can make a
listener stay tuned long enough to see what’s next.
While loudness can attract a listener, so too can it drive them away! Extreme loudness
usually carries with it subtle (or not so subtle!) forms of distortion and other artifacts
that can subconsciously tire a listener and make them tune away without even realizing
why. Loudness then, for loudness’ sake, must be approached with a bit of caution.
How Do I Make It Louder?
The
VP‑8
iP
is capable of holding its own against virtually any similarly priced audio
processor. In general terms, in order to just be louder (we’ll cover that first because it’s
actually a bit easier) you should:
- Increase the density in the four band AGC by operating it with faster attack and
release times
- Increase the Drive to the eight band limiters
- Carefully use some equalization in the parametric section to gently boost frequencies
that the ear is most sensitive to (1kHz to 4 kHz)
- Drive the limiter section harder to further increase the amount of RMS energy
being generated by the processing
- Operate the eight band section with faster attack and release times, in fact sloping
them slower for the lows, faster for the highs (see Proportional Drag in the tutorial
section for the Pro GUI, page 4-15); this can create additional perceived loudness
The eight band limiters can be very deceptive. Because they operate with comparatively
fast attack and release times and in narrow frequency bands they can generate some
mighty impressive loudness without the pumping, dynamic artifacts, or distortion
typically generated by “broadband” control schemes. The architecture of the
VP‑8
iP
sets you free to be as loud as you want. Be aware that excessive limiting depth adds
little extra loudness and carries with it the risk of driving away your long-term listen-
ers, especially females!
What Is Your Long Term Goal?
If the long term goal isn’t to be the loudest signal on the planet you can still be
competitively loud while also sounding better, cleaner, brighter, and punchier than other
signals that the listener can choose from.
When loudness isn’t the first priority your options open up quickly! Being “cleaner”
than the other signals increases a listener’s time spent listening.
