Orban Announces OPTIMOD-AM 9400 with Built-In Digital Radio/Netcast Processing
NAB Radio Show, Philadelphia, PA., September 21, 2005 – Orban, a subsidiary of Circuit Research Labs, Inc. (OCTCBB: CRLI.OB) – listed number 192 on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 in North America today announced its new flagship DSP-based AM audio processor, OPTIMOD-AM 9400. The 9400 contains two processing chains for AM analog broadcasting and netcasting/digital radio broadcasting. The only processing common to the two channels is the AGC and stereo enhancer. Beyond this front-end processing, each processing chain has its own equalizer, five-band compressor/limiter, and peak limiter, each optimized for its intended transmission channel. The analog chain peak limiter uses Orban’s exclusive multiband distortion-canceled clipper and overshoot compensator, while the digital chain uses an advanced, low-IM look-ahead limiter to make the most of low bitrate codecs like the HDC codec used in the iBiquity ® HD AM system. Moreover, both processing chains are stereo, making the 9400 appropriate for CQUAM ® AM stereo installations. In this application, it replaces Orban’s popular OPTIMOD-AM 9100B analog processor, which has been in continuous production for 23 years.
Bob Orban, Vice President and Chief Engineer, commented, “We realized early in the 9400’s design process that AM stations need more than just AGC and peak limiting on their digital channels. Particularly because of the preponderance of talk on AM, these stations also need Orban-quality five-band compression and limiting to ensure spectral consistency and smooth source-to-source continuity on the digital channel. However, the analog and digital five-band compressor/limiters require very different thresholds and time constants. Appropriate equalization settings and peak limiting technologies are very different as well. That’s why the 9400 is essentially two processors in one.”
Charles Jayson Brentlinger, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, continued, “This is truly one AM processor that does it all. Finally, HD AM broadcasters can obtain a single-box solution that allows them to deliver the best possible quality on both their analog and digital channels.”
Thanks to its unified design, the 9400 costs substantially less than a two-box configuration and is easier to control. The company expects deliveries to start in January 2006, at a MSRP of $7,990.00.
Circuit Research Labs, Inc. Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Management’s anticipation of future events is based upon assumptions regarding levels of competition, research and development results, raw material markets, the markets in which the company operates, and stability of the regulatory environment. Any of these assumptions could prove inaccurate; and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate.
About Circuit Research Labs, Inc.
Circuit Research Labs, Inc. is a manufacturer of high-quality digital and analog audio processing, transmission encoding, and noise reduction equipment. Circuit Research Labs, Inc. now accounts for the majority of the global market for radio, TV and Internet audio processing. As technology evolves, Circuit Research Labs continues to innovate with state-of-the-art audio processing products for DAB, DTV and streaming media. The Company purchased Orban® in May of 2000. Orban was founded in 1970 by Bob Orban, who is the world’s foremost expert in transmission audio processing for broadcast. Orban leads the industry in the design and manufacture of audio processors for radio, television and Internet broadcasting. Recognized for its standard-setting Optimod® digital audio processors and the Opticodec® codecs, the Orban name has become synonymous with reliable, high performance products. Today, its versatile audio processing equipment and codecs are the products of choice in fast-paced production environments worldwide.
For more information contact David Rusch at phone +1 480 403-8300, fax +1 480 403-8301 or e-mail: drusch@orban.com
Orban/CRL Systems is a world leader in the design and manufacture of transmission audio processors for broadcasting and the Internet. For more information contact David Rusch at phone +1 480 403-8300, fax +1 480 403-8301 or Email: drusch@orban.com. Information is also available at www.orban.com and www.orban-europe.com. Information is also available at www.orban.com and www.orban-europe.com.
About Orban
Founded in 1970 by Bob Orban, the world’s foremost expert in transmission audio processing for broadcast, Orban leads the industry in the design and manufacture of audio processors for radio, television and Internet broadcasting. Recognized for its standard-setting Optimod® digital audio processors and the Audicy digital audio workstation, the Orban name has become synonymous with reliable, high performance products. Today, its versatile audio processing equipment, editing tools and codecs are the products of choice in fast-paced production environments worldwide. In 2000, Orban® was acquired by Circuit Research Labs — a manufacturer of high-quality digital and analog audio processing, transmission encoding, and noise reduction equipment. Orban/CRL Systems now accounts for the majority of the global market for radio, TV and Internet audio processing. As technology evolves, Orban/CRL continues to innovate with state-of-the-art audio processing products for DAB, DTV and streaming media.
Orban/CRL Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Management’s anticipation of future events is based upon assumptions regarding levels of competition, research and development results, raw material markets, the markets in which the company operates, and stability of the regulatory environment. Any of these assumptions could prove inaccurate, and therefore there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Orban/Circuit Research Labs, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets electronic audio processing, transmission encoding and noise reduction equipment for the worldwide radio, television, cable, Internet and professional audio markets. The Orban division manufactures and markets audio processing equipment, primarily using digital technology. Orban Europe is a worldwide leader in ISO/MPEG, audio, ISDN, satellite transmission, networking, and storage. More information is available at www.orban.com and www.orban-europe.com.