TC Electronic has announced aNorm, a hi-resolution loudness adjustment technology perfectly for audio broadcast standards. aNorm learns the incoming program in real time and adapts seamlessly to hit user-defined Targets for Program Loudness and Loudness Range (LRA).
In most cases, setting the Targets is all that aNorm needs to achieve a quality result that stays within the boundaries of international broadcast standards and legislation. TC Electronic has also debuted a brand new Loudness Processing Meter as part of aNorm: The Butterfly Meter. This interface displays content pre and post loudness normalization using a graph that instantly provides an overview of how and why incoming audio is adjusted. Both the Program Loudness and Loudness Range parameters are reflected visually, not just as numeric values.
aNorm represents progress in streaming processing that claims to keep dynamic changes at a minimum by normalizing intelligently first. Only if normalization by itself is not enough to hit the Targets for Program Loudness and Loudness Range, aNorm applies dynamic loudness processing. Without proper attention to normalization, the spirit and the improvements from EBU R128, TR-B32, ATSC A/85 etc. cannot be expected to reliably make it through to the listener leading to the risk of extensive transmission or consumer processing is simply too big. This is exactly what aNorm seeks to prevent, providing a way for broadcasters to ensure their audio is preserved as pure as humanly possible.
The new aNorm algorithm and the Butterfly Meter are part of the new LoudnessWizard II license for TC Electronic’s DB6 Broadcast Audio Processor. DB6 comes with the original LoudnessWizard that covers loudness correction, upconversion from stereo to 5.1, downconversion from 5.1 to stereo and lip sync delay. The new, optional LoudnessWizard II license applies the adaptive aNorm algorithm to handle loudness correction and processing metering, while still offering state-of-the-art up/down-conversion and lip sync delay.
TC Electronic
