LM6 represents a quantum leap away from simply measuring audio level to measuring perceived loudness. The old level method is responsible for unacceptable level jumps in television, for music CDs getting increasingly distorted, and for different audio formats and program genres becoming incompatible: Pristine music tracks from the past don’t co-exist with new recordings, TV commercials don’t fit drama, classical music or film and broadcast doesn’t match. The most fundamental audio issue of all – control of loudness – every day makes millions of people adjust the volume control over and over again.

LM6 is part of a universal and ITU standardized loudness control concept, whereby audio may easily and consistently be measured and controlled at various stages of production and distribution. LM6 works coherently together with other TC equipment, or with equipment of other brands adhering to the same global standard. Follow the guidelines given to allow audio produced for different purposes to be mixed, without low dynamic range material such as commercials or pop CD’s always emerging the loudest.

• Realtime loudness meter compliant with EBU R128, ATSC A/85, TR-B32 and ITU-R BS.1770-2. For legacy purposes, LM6 can also be switched to the ungated, original BS.1770 measure of Program Loudness..
• Loudness History Radar display.
• True-peak Bargraph display.
• Universal Descriptors Center of Gravity and Consistency.
• Supports mono, stereo and 5.1.
• Presets for use in Broadcast, Music, Post and Film.

Loudness meters in MKII frames feature 24/7 logging capability without even seeing a computer. Measurement and logging presets are found in the Metering factory preset bank.

DMix: Optimum Mobile Platform Delivery

Years of research and standardization work on loudness and true-peak level has enabled TC to design high resolution, low latency loudness measurement and control equipment such as this Automatic Loudness Correction processor, ALC6.

In broadcast, digitization is driving the number of AV channels and platforms up, while the total number of viewers remains roughly the same. Using only a dialog-based level control principle has led to ambiguous level management, more level jumps between programs, and extra time spent on audio production and management in general. Non-dialog based level jumps are currently creating havoc in digital TV; and ALC6 helps correct that situation. The adaptive Stridency Reduction parameter brings overly loud content under tight control while leaving normal content untouched.

ATX/DTX

The Multiband-5.1 algorithm is a multi-channel, multi-band optimizer, with Limiters and extensive possibilities to assign channels to multiple Sidechains. Four-band dynamics are available for 5.1-processing.

With the Multiband-5.1 it is possible to integrate dynamics processing for 5.1 applications offering features, which are not possible if using multiple stereo dynamic processors.

Multiband-5.1 processor contains:

• 5 channels of three band expansion and compression
• Full-range brickwall limiter on all Outputs
• 1 channel of full range expansion, compression and limiting for the LFE (Sub) channel
• 3 Sidechains for the five main channels, that can be assigned in flexible ways
• 1 extra Input channel that can be used for external Side Chain Input

MDX 5.1

DownConvert-5.1 is an algorithm offering mix-down functionality of different multi-channel formats to LCRS, Stereo or Mono mixes.

LFE(Sub) channels can also be Extracted or Distributed to and from the 5.1 main Input channels (Bassmanagement).

Also 5.1 calibration tools with different noise and sine outputs are available. On top of the 5.1 capabilities, DownConvert-5.1 contains two thru channels at I/O 7 and 8, with adjustable level and delay.

Unwrap HD

UpCon HD is an automatic, realtime 5.1 up-conversion audio processor for DB8 and DB4. It continuously monitors the format of the incoming audio, and if the signal falls back from a true 5.1 to stereo, UpCon HD seamlessly cross-fades into a convincing 5.1 surround up-conversion without adding any interruptions or artifacts. Detection does not require metadata or GPIs to function correctly, and the processing delay is only 2.8 ms (less than 1/10th frame). Therefore, no extra delays are required to maintain A/V sync.

UpCon is used in Transmission or Ingest to ensure the availability of an uninterrupted 5.1 signal, or to extend the production capabilities of an audio studio from stereo to 5.1 using the UpCon+.

EQ/Delay 8