Altronics Dynamic Sound Processor & Volume Leveller

Ref: Silicon Chip July 2010 page 76.

Anyone using one of these and care to comment about how well it works?

(It's a LOT of money and I want to be certain that it works as advertised).

Thanks much.

Reply to
notvalid
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** One of these - right ?

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** Probably not.

But you should consider cheaper alternatives like:

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The Altronics unit ( using analogue electronics only ) would have the advantage of being very simple to operate.

.... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

Thanks for your reply. One of these:

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Reply to
notvalid

** That is NOT a product made by Altronics or branded as Altronics - as your heading suggested.

Looks like a real POS to me.

..... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

I never suggested it was made by Altronics nor branded by Altronics. If you had checked the reference I gave in the original post you would have seen that it was being advertised/sold by Altronics.

So I take it that you are not using one!

Thanks anyway. . .

Reply to
notvalid

Don't know about that particular one, but they have used analog audio levelling devices (called AVC - "automatic volume control") in AMI Jukeboxes for some 50 years and the concept does work very well to level out the difference in recording levels - particularly with CD's.

The only one potential issue I have noticed and to look out for with ANY of these devices is that they may turn up to full volume momentarily when you first start playing music after a period of silence, (because they will "turn themselves up" to the highest volume as there hasn't been a signal on the input) and then readjust the volume downwards after a short period once audio starts.

If you are starting and stopping the music all the time, or using it for announcements or speeches with long pauses in them this could be a very annoying problem depending on the application. If applicable, I would check this out first, get the seller to give a demo or find out if there is a money back satisfaction guarantee on the product.

Reply to
kreed

Don't know about that particular one, but they have used analog audio levelling devices (called AVC - "automatic volume control") in AMI Jukeboxes for some 50 years and the concept does work very well to level out the difference in recording levels - particularly with CD's.

The only one potential issue I have noticed and to look out for with ANY of these devices is that they may turn up to full volume momentarily when you first start playing music after a period of silence, (because they will "turn themselves up" to the highest volume as there hasn't been a signal on the input) and then readjust the volume downwards after a short period once audio starts.

If you are starting and stopping the music all the time, or using it for announcements or speeches with long pauses in them this could be a very annoying problem depending on the application. If applicable, I would check this out first, get the seller to give a demo or find out if there is a money back satisfaction guarantee on the product.

My understanding is that companders, which I think started this thread, work differently to AVC, which uses a closed loop to maintain a relatively steady output level, and which do exhibit the behaviour described. Instead, they apply a nonlinear algorithm to the waveform, so that the peaks are reduced and the low amplitude stuff expanded in real time. In my distant past, working with recording studios, we regularly put raw mixes through one to produce output for media with low dynamic range, such as cassettes.

Reply to
Noodnik

Thanks for your replies. In my case the intended use is with TV audio to fix the extremely annoying audio level changes - particularly between 'normal' programming and commercials. (Some channel to channel variations too.) I am familiar with AVC and these days most TV sets have a 'feature' which they may call "Auto Volume" or similar. In my experience this feature does not work very well, if at all. The 'compander' approach would seem to be a much more effective solution, and that is what this device appears to be - supposedly in a very effective implementation. I'll do some more reading and, of course, seek a "money back satisfaction guarantee" as suggested. Thanks again.

Reply to
notvalid

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