21
Installation
Clarifying Your Objectives
Your success in installing and getting the most our of a processing product is, or lack of, will be
directly related to how well you have developed your objectives for the product. With a clear set of
objectives, your tasks will be more clearly defined. Whether you are seeking better overall quality or
specific spectral improvements, try to articulate and write down your goals. Do you want a little more
loudness or “presence” on the dial? Are there certain characteristics of the sound of other stations in
your market that you want to emulate? Are there any you want to avoid? If you are installing the
Unity AM on evaluation, it is equally important to have a list of specific factors you are going to use
to make your comparison.
Engineering, programming, and management should all participate in the development of these
objectives. After all, processing can have a direct effect on the bottom line of your station. A little bit
of agreement before installation can save you a whole lot of disagreement afterwards.
Available time
Let’s get one thing straight: It takes time, a good deal of serious time,
to process your station. We
realize in our business today, time is a precious commodity. Our Unity AM, and its competitors, are
expensive and multifaceted. We hate to sound like we are nagging, but don’t try to install the Unity
AM in between other major projects or the week your boss or your assistant is on vacation. Make
certain in advance that the staff members who helped you set your objectives will be available to
consult with you when you adjust the Unity AM.
How much is enough time? Good question! We feel that working with a system for at least a week is
a good starting point. (Look at the clock and see how long it has taken you to read the manual to this
point. And we have not even told you how the turn on the Unity AM!) We don’t suggest that you
drop everything for a solid week. What we do recommend that you install the Unity AM during a
week when you can spend a few hours day on the project.
Installation considerations
Installing the Unity AM requires a bit more than mounting it in the rack, connecting some cables, and
then putting it on the air. (We modestly believe, however, that our processor is the easiest to install in
its class.) Among the factors you should consider are:
1)
Monitor Location
You should have a good location in which the system, once on the air, can be
