Omnia Audio 8x User Manual

Omnia 8x

LivewireTM IP-Audio Based Audio Processor

Installation and Operation Guide

Version 1.0b / January 2009

Omnia

2101 Superior Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44114 USA

TEL: +1 216.241.7225 FAX: +1 216.241.4103

www.OmniaAudio.com

Omnia Europe

Johannistrabe 6 D-85354 Freising Germany

TEL: +49 8161 42467 _ FAX +49 8161 42402

Email: europe@OmniaAudio.com

Introduction

Once again, Omnia innovates with Omnia 8x. While others continue to play catch-up, Omnia moves forward with a unique approach to processing, where multiple instances are required. HD Radio multicasts, streaming Internet audio, network delivery systems, cluster installations - there are more audio channels generated in today’s radio facility than ever before. All of them need dynamics processing to maintain the high quality o f your audio in bitreduced environments.

Omnia 8x doesn’t process just one audio signal- instead you’ll find the power of eight discrete stereo Omnia audio processors in a single, networked box. Using a powerful engine, processing architecture is easily modified or updated via download. It is possible for the engine to contain multiple instances of different architectures. The flexibility is like no other! A Livewire

interface provides all input/output, routed via an IP-Audio network. No

need for sound cards, or wasting cycles in a PC. We started with algorithms modeled after those used in our popular Omnia-3, then refined them even further.

Omnia 8x’s unique processing architecture is designed to work ahead of any bit reduced audio coder to reduce artifacts and improve the sound of audio destined for HD Radio, Internet and satellite broadcasting.

In addition to coded audio applications, the power of Omnia 8x can also benefit other areas of the radio facility. Use it to process headphone feeds where off-air monitoring is not possible; as multi-band level control for remote codecs or on-air telephone systems; to process and send multiple audio streams from a single audio complex to multiple transmitter sites; or on-demand for in-studio musical performances or commercial production applications.

Omnia 8x makes life even easier when it comes to audio connections. Omnia 8x uses the Livewire professional networked audio over Ethernet, so you can connect directly to your Livewire using a single CAT-6 cable. That’s all that is needed for 8 channels of stereo I/O, plus remote control. If you don’t have a Livewire

network, that’s no problem; just pair Omnia 8x with an Axia AES/EBU or Analog Node for use

IP-Audio Network

standard for

as a standalone, high-density audio processor.

Omnia 8x Is The Perfect Solution For: HD Radio installations, Master Control facilities and network head ends, where multiple channels of au dio

processing are needed • Professional processing of Streaming Audio feeds • Processing for headphone feeds where off-air monitoring is not possible • Multiband level control for remote codecs • Sweetening caller audio from broadcast telephone systems • Processing and sending audio streams from a single studio complex to multiple transmitter sites • In-studio musical performances • On-demand processing for production rooms or dubbing stations

• HD Radio Multicast channels • Satellite Uplinks

Features: Eight stereo audio processors in one 2RU chassis, each with three bands of processing, and look-ahead final limiter

• Built-in Livewire

interface for single-cable audio, control, and data connection to IP-Audio networks • Connect directly via Ethernet to an Axia Audio Node for standard AES and analog I/O • Networked remote control and configuration using any standard web browser • Reliable 24/7 processing based on tried-and-true Omnia-3 algorithms • Flexible architecture that can be used for multiple processing purposes: FM, AM, HD Radio, DAB, Internet streams, etc • Future Ready engine platform allows new processing designs to be implemented easily – The online software upgrade procedure ensures you’ll always have the latest developments

More…

The audio industry employs dynamics signal processing for many aspects within a broadcast station, recording studio, mastering facility, and numerous other requirements. From simple compression of a microphone channel, to special desired effects in the production studio, and on through the creation of dial-dominance in the transmission path, processing has always been a hardware based implementation. Even with the evolution of digital signal processing (DSP), processors are still physical boxes that engineers, producers, and program directors tweak as they endeavor to achieve that signature sound. But where is it all headed as technology moves into a different form or box? The personal computer has revolutionized our culture, and it now can provide us with the required machine cycles of power to accomplish many of the tasks we ask DSP chips to perform.

We introduce to you a new audio processing platform that is available as a pure software utility…Omnia 8x! Our research and design efforts revealed how dedicated hardware functions are now reduced to software applets, or plug-in modules, and brought to life inside a software based engine. The ability to download a processor into the radio studio facility of tomorrow is available today. Now, a processing system is as easily configurable with the point and click of the mouse. We’ve come a long way from swapping out boxes in the equipment rack room to simple downloading of executable files! With workstations becoming the mainstay in the studio facility, the audio processor also has a place in those machine cycles as current technology allows us to further create a synergy of technical resources.

Our Omnia processors dominate the airwaves the world over. We are on the fast track as the best kept secret in the recording and mastering field. The products that have helped us achieve this success are based upon innovative ideas in the area of dynamic audio processing. Thus, it keeps within our mission to raise the innovation bar yet again and migrate our processing efforts into the true executable software domain. Chances are that soon others will follow.

Omnia 8x is not only a software processing solution; it’s an affordable device that has numerous applications. It’s modeled after the highly successful Omnia.3, our DSP-based 3-Band processor. From basic audio production, to recording, mastering, webcasting, and workstations, Omnia 8x offers what other rack mountable, or PC based hard- card products do, but it doesn’t require the overhead of these other products. It makes use of the processing power available with current faster PC resources. Today, off the shelf PC’s contain more than enough power to perform dynamics processing and serve up audio streams in a single computer, or web-server.

Compare that to the use of dedicated audio hardware that performs these same functions. Those not only cost more to acquire, but also consume more technical rack space, as well as infrastructure. Just think…we’re approaching the day where everything will emanate from a single machine! Omnia 8x is a step in that direction.

Motivation

The worldwide broadcasting industry has over 15,000 radio stations. All of which employ some form of dynamics audio processor in the transmission path. This does not even count the plethora of production utilities that require some form of dynamics application. The digital workstation, audio console, and routing switchers have revolutionized the broadcasting industry. It is now possible to completely operate an entire facility from a single computer. Every function for on-air purposes is now in one digital form or another. The increasing ability of software packages for the broadcaster to synergize between one-another continues to grow, and the future is looking brighter with respect to an eventual single system solution where the entire facility will operate out of some form of workstation-like system.

Development has now been done in the area of audio processing as well. We have reached that day when the box in the rack can be replaced with a simple software (S/W) package on a machine. In some smaller applications, this has begun already! Consider when everything will become S/W created from some single-ended system that has a lowlevel RF output that is coupled into a transmitter, or remains in the digital realm as it is routed via the Internet. Part of that system will include a processing function, as is performed today using hardware (H/W) devices.

Another barrier to adoption of the hardware processors is the signal path. With current audio processors, the computer playing out the audio must send the audio via an analog sound card. Then the computer doing the subsequent encoding must receive the audio again via a sound card. While this works well enough, many potential customers perceive it as being awkward.

Livewire connection among peripherals. Not to mention that it provides backhaul for remote control and data.

, the linear IP-Audio network solution, eliminates costly sound cards, and enables simple and easy

Effective processing divides audio into multiple frequency bands and dynamically adjusts levels to be optimum. On the surface, this is a simple function. But to get the sound appropriately optimized without adding undesirable “artifacts” is a tricky blend of art and science involving many trade-offs. Expert ears coupled with audio design expertise are required to get the engineering work accomplished – and these are rare combined skills.

Omnia 8x is multiple instances of a stand-alone software signal processor. It does not require a dedicated PC card to operate as it utilizes Livewire

I/O and the dedicated resources of an engine. Omnia 8x incorporates multiple instances of our Omnia A/X core, which is an applet for a production suite, mastering, Internet streaming, satellite uplinks, HD Radio, or stored-file applications. The dynamics processing algorithms are based upon the highly successful Omnia.3net, which is a hardware based DSP audio processor.

iii

Design Values

General

Audio Processing Omnia 8x performs internal calculations with precision sufficient to guarantee 24-bit dynamic range. Omnia 8x employs the following processing architecture:

• Wideband AGC

• 3 Band Combined Compressor/Limiter

• Adjustable Bandwidth Lowpass Filter

• Final Look-Ahead Limiter

Web Browser Interface

A web browser creates the user interface which provides access to all user settings and functionality. The audio block window has the following blocks. Each will have the listed controls, accessible by clicking on the block to open a sub-window:

• Input gain

• X-Over

• Wide-Band AGC

• 3 Band AGC/Limiter

• Drive control for each band

• Mixer

• Final Limiter

• Selectable Lowpass Filter

• Output Gain

Displays

The interface shows the following display elements:

• Input and Output Level Meters

• WB-AGC Bargraph Meter

• Bargraph Meter For Each Of The 3 Processing Bands

• Bargraph Metering for the Final Look-Ahead Limiter

Presets

Presets work like the hardware processor counterpart. These are a way for users to have multiple processing styles, be able to store and recall them, etc. Presets include most of the user adjustable settings.

With presets it’s possible to:

• Save and recall presets to/from disk.

• Select from among currently loaded and factory presets.

• Import presets from a separate Omnia A/X processor.

• Print a hard-copy of a preset.

Remote Control

All communication with the Omnia 8x engine and Livewire

nodes is done via a network web browser.

Audio Input

Audio is input via a Livewire

network.

Table of Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................. i

Motivation .................................................................................................................................. iii

Design Values ............................................................................................................................. iv

General ................................................................................................................................. iv

Web Browser Interface ..................................................................................................... iv

Displays ............................................................................................................................ iv

Presets ................................................................................................................................ v

Remote Control.................................................................................................................. v

Audio Input ........................................................................................................................ v

S A F E T Y I N S T R U C T I O N S ................................................................................. viii

HAZARD / WARNING LABELS ............................................................................................. ix

Manual Update Notification ....................................................................................................... xi

Omnia 8x Preliminary Setup ....................................................................................................... 1

Connections, IP Configuration and Channel Settings. ......................................................... 1

Before You Begin .............................................................................................................. 1

Connection ......................................................................................................................... 1

IP Configuration ................................................................................................................ 2

Channel Settings ................................................................................................................ 2

Omnia 8x Configuration Screens ................................................................................................ 4

The Main Menu .................................................................................................................... 4

Omnia 8x Configuration Menu ............................................................................................. 5

Preset Selection ................................................................................................................. 5

Preset Management Menu .................................................................................................... 6

The Omnia ID Menu ............................................................................................................. 7

IP Settings Section ............................................................................................................. 7

Updating the Software ....................................................................................................... 9

Diagnostics Menu ................................................................................................................. 9

Processing Adjustment Screen ............................................................................................ 10

Operation ................................................................................................................................... 11

Input/Output (I/O) Considerations ...................................................................................... 11

Starting Up .......................................................................................................................... 11

Metering Display ................................................................................................................ 12

Understanding The Bargraphs and Indicators .................................................................... 12

Interpreting the Gain Reduction Meter Displays ............................................................ 13

Processing Adjustments ...................................................................................................... 14

Input ................................................................................................................................. 14

WB-AGC (WideBand AGC) ........................................................................................... 14

Bass .................................................................................................................................. 15

X-Over ............................................................................................................................. 16

Multiband AGC Sections ................................................................................................ 16

MIX ................................................................................................................................. 17

Final Limiter .................................................................................................................... 17

Output .............................................................................................................................. 18

Fine Tuning Omnia 8x ............................................................................................................... 19

About Loudness and Fatigue .............................................................................................. 19

Clarify Your Processing Objectives ................................................................................... 19

The Adjustment Procedure ................................................................................................. 19

Getting the Sound You Want ................................................................................................. 20

A Word about Loudness ..................................................................................................... 20

Quality versus Loudness ..................................................................................................... 20

Increasing Loudness ........................................................................................................... 21

Adding More Detail—When Loudness Isn’t the Last Word .............................................. 21

Equalization Changes ......................................................................................................... 22

Thunder Bass ...................................................................................................................... 22

Reducing Codec Artifacts ................................................................................................... 22

Applications ............................................................................................................................... 23

Streaming (webcasting) .......................................................................................................... 23

File Based Storage .................................................................................................................. 23

Mastering/Post Production ..................................................................................................... 23

Recording/Production/Broadcast ........................................................................................... 23

FAQ / Diagnostics / Maintenance ............................................................................................. 25

If You Need Help! ..................................................................................................................... 27

Obtaining Service ................................................................................................................... 27

Via the World Wide Web ................................................................................................... 27

Via E-Mail .......................................................................................................................... 27

Via Phone & Mail (USA and non-European Countries) .................................................... 27

Warranty .................................................................................................................................... 28

vii

S A F E T Y I N S T R U C T I O N S

1. Read All Instructions. All safety and operating

instructions must be read before operating the product.

2. Retain All Instructions. All safety and operating

instructions must be retained for future reference.

3. Heed All Warnings. All warnings on the product and

those listed in the operating instructions must be adhered to.

4. Follow All Instructions. All operating and product

usage instructions must be followed.

5. Heat. This product must be situated away from any

heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other products (including power amplifiers) that produce heat.

6. Ventilation. Slots and openings in the product are

provided for ventilation. They ensure reliable operations of the product, keeping it from overheating. These openings must not be blocked nor covered during operation. This product should not be placed into a rack unless proper ventilation is provided through following the manufacturer's installation procedures.

7. Water and Moisture. Do not use this product near

water – for example; near a bath tub, wash bowl, kitchen sink or laundry tub; in a wet basement; or near a swimming pool or the like.

8. Attachments. Do not use any attachments not

recommended by the product manufacturer as they may cause hazards.

9. Power Sources. This product must be operated from

the type of power source indicated on the marking label and in the installation instructions. If you are not sure of the type of power supplied to your facility, consult your local power company.

10. Grounding and Polarization. This product is

equipped with a polarized AC plug with integral safety ground pin. Do not defeat the safety ground in any manner.

11. Power Cord Protection. Power supply cords must be

routed so that they are not likely to be walked on nor pinched by items placed upon or against them. Pay particular attention to the cords at AC wall plugs and convenience receptacles, and at the point where the cord connects to the product.

12. Lightning. For added protection for this product during

a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of time, unplug it from the AC wall outlet. This will prevent damage to the product due to lightning and power supply surges.

13. Overloading. Do not overload AC wall outlets,

extension cords, or integral convenience outlets as this can result in a fire or electric shock hazard.

14. Object and Liquid Entry. Never push objects of any

kind into this product through openings as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind into the product.

15. Accessories. Do not place this product on an unstable

cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The product may fall, causing serious damage to a child or adult, and serious damage to the product. Any mounting of the product needs to follow manufacturer's installation recommendations.

16. A Product and Cart Combination should be moved with

care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and the cart combination to overturn.

17. Servicing. Refer all servicing of the product to

qualified service personnel.

18. Damage Requiring Service. Unplug this product from

the AC wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

• When the AC plug is damaged.

• If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into

the equipment.

• If the product has been exposed to rain or moisture.

• If the product does not operate normally (following

operating instructions).

• If the product has been dropped or damaged in any

way.

• When the product exhibits a distinct change in

performance. This indicates a need for service.

19. Replacement Parts. When replacement parts are

required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or that have the same characteristics as the original parts. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric shock, or other hazards.

20. Safety Check. Upon completion of any repairs to this

product, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in safe operating condition.

21. Cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol

cleaners. Use only a damp cloth for cleaning.

viii

HAZARD / WARNING LABELS

The Exclamation Point symbol, within an equilateral triangle, alerts the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in product literature and instruction manuals.

The Lightning Flash With Arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral triangle, alerts the user to the presence of non-insulated dangerous voltages within the product's enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.

WARNING -- This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy. If not installed and used in accordance with the instructions in this manual it may cause interference to radio communications. The device has been formally submitted for testing and found to comply with the limits for a Class B computing device (pursuant to subpart J of Part 15 FCC Rules) and has been designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when operated in a commercial environment. Operation of this equipment in a residential area may cause interference, and the user and at his expense will be required to take any measures required to correct interferen ce.

CANADA WARNING – This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications. Le present appareil numerique n'emet pas de bruits radioelectriques depassant les limits applicables aux brouillage rad io electrique

dicte par le ministere des Communications de Canada. e

CE CONFORMANCE – This device complies with the requirements of the EEC Council Directives: 93/68/EEC (CE Marking); 73/23/EEC (Safety – low voltage directive); 89/336/EEC (electromagnetic compatibility).

onformity is declared to those standards: EN50081-1, EN50082-1. C

LITHIUM BATTERY CAUTION – There is a danger of explosion if the internal battery is replaced incorrectly or shorted. Replace the battery only with same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose of used batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions.

USE OF SHIELDED CABLING – In order to conform to the CE requirements for High Frequency radiation, shielded cables must be used for all audio and data connections.

NOTE: When the unit is operated in an extremely high RF environment, it may be helpful to connect cable shields to the XLR-connector terminal that connects cable shield to chassis ground, not to pin 1. Additionally, a 0.01uF capacitor connected between XLR pin-1 and the chassis terminal may be helpful in some instances.

RoHS COMPLIANCE – The RoHS Directive stands for "the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment". This Directive bans the placing on the European market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. OmniaONE FM is in compliance with the EU RoHS Directive.

Manual Update Notification

Audio Processing – a unique art form that we take very

As part of our dedication to the science of audio processing we will continue to improve and update the Omnia product and its documentation based on our ongoing research, real-world field experience, and the valued input from our many thousands of loyal customers.

We strongly encourage our customers to visit our Omnia website for product enhancement announcements, software updates, updated user manuals, and customer support bulletins.

The following URLs have been included for your convenience:

Manual Updates

http://www.omniaaudio.com/support/manuals.htm

seriously!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Tech Tips & Support Bulletins

Software Upgrades & Remote Software White Papers & Technical Discussions

http://www.omniaaudio.com/support/faq.htm http://www.omniaaudio.com/tech/tips.htm

http://www.omniaaudio.com/support/updates.htm http://www.omniaaudio.com/tech/default.htm

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