OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. — The first Omnia Audio Omnia.9 audio processor that we purchased was for KWCO(FM) Chickasha, a station owned by my friend Matt Mollman. We needed a processor that could do HD Radio, HD2 and analog processing, all in one unit.
When we did our research, the Omnia.9 just made sense. It does all of these tasks in one easy-to-use, beautiful-looking unit, and as a bonus it was affordable in the budget that we were working with. Our primary HD Radio channel and analog broadcast was one of the first classic hits stations in the U.S., and has become one of the longest-running stations in the format.
NO ADJUSTMENTS
Known locally as “KOOL 105.5 FM,” KWCO had an opportunity several years ago to pull an over-height translator into the market for a secondary station. That station, “106.1 The Ranch,” rides on the HD2 in conjunction with the 106.1 MHz translator frequency. The translator is fed from the studio via a separate STL and the older processor we already had. I use the Omnia.9 to do the analog delay for HD Radio. It doesn’t drift the processor’s built-in delay, and I’ve never had to adjust it. The Omnia.9 lives at the 105.5 tower, fed with a GatesAir Intraplex HD Link STL into the .9. A short BNC goes right into a GatesAir exciter then into a GatesAir Flexiva FAX5 transmitter. Linear audio all the way!
What I love most about the Omnia.9 is how great it sounds, especially against our competitors running older processors. There are few who can dispute that there’s a marked difference.
I loved the Omnia.9 so much that, when money was available, I retired an older processor from another maker for a .9 at my full-time job at KGOU(FM)/106.3. We are an NPR public radio station that primarily runs talk and also has music on the weekends and at night. The .9’s automatic stereo feature was a perfect solution to cut down on unnecessary hiss on cheaper radios by keeping the stereo pilot going all the time, when the material is really mono. That Omnia.9 lives at the tower, running composite audio right over to the Harris transmitter that we have there.
I also bought an Omnia.9 for another contract station I take care of, KGFF(FM), in Shawnee, Okla., for their new 100.9 MHz translator, also running classic hits. I have to say, Mike and the gang at KGFF were very, very happy with its sound. KGFF, unlike KWCO, runs via satellite programming most of the day, which is, of course, bit-reduced audio. The Omnia.9 seems to mask that bit-reduction very nicely while staying loud and, importantly, clean. After 70-some years, KGFF finally got to be on FM, a real godsend for a commercial classic hits music station that focuses on their community. They put money in all the right places to do it right, and the .9 is at the heart of that. Utilizing CPN-owned fiber from the studio to a CPN-owned water tower, we STL that signal over a digital GatesAir HD Link STL to the transmitter site, then right into the .9. It’s all linear audio from the studio to the tower.
I plan on purchasing another Omnia.9 for KROU(FM)/105.7 Spencer/Oklahoma City, when funds become available. I think it will make a marked improvement, even over our classic old Orban 8100A/XT2, especially being able to automatically turn off the stereo signal when it’s not needed. The Omnia.9 has been such an amazing tool to use, it offers a ton of flexibility and maintains its ability to be loud, all while keeping a clean sound.
For information, contact Cam Eicher at Omnia Audio/The Telos Alliance in Ohio at 1-216-241-7225 or visit www.telosalliance.com.
