ART TCS TWIN COMRESSOR SYSTEM

TCS? Overview

The TCS is a two-channel high performance compression system which features two types
of compression per channel utilizing ART?s Dual Topology technology.
On one hand you can choose from optical compression, like that in our Pro VLA, for that
smooth transparent compression. On the other hand you might want to use a VCA based
compression scheme for hard limiting. Both of these compression methods are underneath
the hood of this single space rack unit. Taking it even one step further the TCS offers the breakthrough
feature of stacking the VCA and the opto isolator for when you want that over the top compression,
or a hard VCA limiter on your optical compressed channels.
Going beyond the idea of just a two-channel compressor, ART decided to spice up the TCS with
our famous V3? technology. The TCS also offers the ability for the user to twist the V3 knob to
a variety of settings that take some of the hassle out of compression, yet still allowing each setting
to be tweaked to the material?s needs.
The TCS has a long list of impressive features, including a Toroidal Transformer, XLR & 1/4? Inputs,
front panel instrument input, Optical and VCA compression capabilities, side chain inserts, channel
linking for when you are working on a stereo track, attack, release, threshold, and ratio knobs, de-essing,
an expander/gate per channel, V3 control per channel, twin VU meters for measuring compression,
twin LED input/output meter for ultra-precise level metering, and the ability to place a tube in the
signal path to add some warmth to your signal.

TCS? Features:

OPTICAL COMPRESSION
VCA COMPRESSION
EXPANDER, GATE, DE?ESSER & LIMITER INCLUDED
V3? (VARIABLE VALVE VOICING) SETTINGS
SIDE CHAIN INSERTS
XLR & 1/4? INPUTS
STEREO LINK
ANALOG VU COMPRESSION METERS
PRECISE LED LEVEL METERS WITH PEAK HOLD
FRONT & REAR INSTRUMENT INPUTS
TOROIDAL TRANSFORMER
ALL STEEL CHASSIS

GENERAL DATA
Power Supply 220 / 110V 25 VA
Dimension 434x351x44mm (1 rack unit)
Weight » 4 Kg
MEETING INTERFACE IN / OUT
Connector DB 9 female
Nominal in / out audio level 0 dBm
Input impedance 600 W / 10 KW (selectable)
Output impedance 100 W
* nominal line level: - 6 dBm
** it can vary depending on characteristics of telephone line
All measurements are intended at 1 kHz.
AUDIO PROGRAM IN / OUT
Connectors XLR, electr. balanced
Input impedance 600 W / 10K W (selectable)
Output level * - ¥ ¸ + 16 dBm
Output impedance 100 W
Noise on Receive output 2-Wire separation £ 25 dB**
4-Wire separation £ 70 dB
2-WIRE SECTION
Connector RJ11
Nominal input level - 6 dBm
Nominal output level - 6 dBm
Compensation mode Electronic, transf. decoupled
Impedance 600 W
4-WIRE SECTION
Connector Terminal block
Impedance 600 W
Nominal TX level 0 dBm
Nominal RX level 0 dBm

• Error proof operation to smooth uneven levels, add sustain to guitars, fatten drums or tighten up mixes
• New gate timing algorithms ensure the smoothest release characteristics
• Program-adaptive expander/gates
• Great sounding dynamics control for any type of program material
• Separate precision LED displays for gain reduction, compression threshold and gate threshold allow quick, accurate setup
• Stereo or dual-mono operation
• Balanced inputs and outputs on 1/4" TRS and XLR connectors
• Side Chain insert
• Classic dbx® "Auto" mode

OPTIMOD-FM 5500 puts coveted five-band and two-band OPTIMOD processing into a single rack unit package and brings it to you at the most affordable price ever.

Quality sound is what 5500 is all about-sound that attracts audiences by providing a polished, professional presentation regardless of format and source material. Exceptional versatility allows you to adjust the processor's audio texture to brand your audio, knowing that the resulting signature sound will remain consistent, cut-to-cut and source-to-source. Branding builds businesses and no other processors have the consistency to brand your sound like OPTIMOD.

With the 5500, your signature sound is just a preset away. An easy, one-knob Less/More adjustment allows you to customize any factory preset, trading cleanliness against processing artifacts according to the requirements of your market and competitive environment. Full Control gives you the versatility to customize your audio further. And, if you're a hard-core processing expert, you can explore Advanced Control to tweak presets at the same level as Orban's factory programmers. This versatility makes the 5500 a superb choice for any format. Its five-band processing is ideal for any pop music format (even the most competitive and aggressive CHR), while phase-linear two-band processing yields ultratransparent sound for classical, classic jazz, and fine arts formats. Regardless of your choice, 5500's optimized technology ensures unusually high average modulation and coverage for a given level of subjective quality. Unlike many lesser processors, the 5500 handles speech particularly well. It's always clean, even when you process for loudness.

If you're concerned about latency because you need to feed live talent headphones off air, be assured that the 5500's ultra-low-latency (5 ms delay) processing will keep the most finicky talent happy. Or use optimum latency (15 ms delay) processing for the most competitive sound with delay that's still low enough to satisfy most any talent.

The 5500 can also be used as a superb stand-alone stereo encoder with latency as low as 2 ms and full overshoot limiting in both the left/right and composite baseband domains.

When used in this mode, the 5500 must be driven (usually via an STL) by a full-featured FM audio processor (like Orban's 8600) that incorporates pre-emphasis aware HF limiting and peak control. In both modes, the 5500's stereo encoder helps deliver a transmitted signal that's always immaculately clean and perfectly peak limited, with full spectral protection of subcarriers and RDS/RBDS regardless of the amount of composite limiting.

It is the ideal choice for network broadcasters who process with Orban's flagship OPTIMOD-FM 8600 at the network origination point and who need a processor at every transmitter to eliminate STL overshoots (using the 5500's stand-alone stereo encoder mode) and/or to process local insertions while also eliminating network STL overshoots (using the 5500's audio processor / stereo encoder mode). Moreover, the 5500's two modes make it easy for large government and network broadcasters to manage its inventory of spares because any 5500 can be used as a stereo encoder with or without audio processing.

Available in both modes, the built-in, defeat-able ITU-BS412 multiplex power controller allows the 5500's output to meet even the most stringent European government regulations.

A 10 MHz frequency reference input allows the stereo pilot tone frequency to be locked to GPS or another high-accuracy frequency standard. This improves the performance of single-frequency networks in areas where coverage of the transmitters overlaps.

The 5500's built-in stereo encoder, AES/EBU digital inputs and outputs, and analog I/O permit hasslefree interfacing to any broadcast plant, whether the 5500 is located at the studio or the transmitter. Tight band limiting to 15 kHz means you can use any uncompressed digital STL to pass 5500- processed audio from studio to transmitter without compromising on-air loudness - there's no need to use STL's having 44.1 or 48 kHz sample-rate.

The stereo encoder's stereo sub-channel modulator can operate in normal double sideband mode and in an experimental compatible single sideband mode (SSB/VSB) that is offered to enable users to compare and assess the two modes.

Analog Fallback to Digital control that allows Silence Sense to switch the active input from Analog to Digital if silence is detected in the analog input signal but not on the digital input signal. This function works vice versa as well on both analog and digital AES input. The silence sense parameters apply to both simultaneously and both detectors are available to drive the 5500's tally outputs and sending SNMP Traps/Alerts.

If you want to locate the 5500 away from the studio, you'll be pleased by its three separate remote control ports - GPI contact closures, RS232 serial and built-in Ethernet for TCP/IP networks. The serial and Ethernet ports are supported by the supplied 5500 PC Remote Control application. This Windows® 2000/XP/Vista/7/8 application allows you to do even more with the 5500 than you can do through its front panel, making remote control a pleasure.

5500 PC Remote software allows you to access all 5500 features and allows you to archive and restore presets, automation lists, and system setups (containing I/O levels, digital word lengths, GPI functional assignments, etc.)

Built-in clock-based automation lets you automatically day-part the processing. You can control many other 5500 operating parameters too.

The 5500's feature set fully exploits the processor's DSP and computer-based control architecture. To ensure absolute accuracy, you can automatically synchronize the clock to an Internet timeserver. It has a cool-running, energy-efficient switching power supply and uses the latest dual-core DSP chip technology from Freescale Semiconductor.

The DPR-504 is a 4-channel noise gate.

Each channel features:
A parametric key filter with key filter listening.
Simultaneous key level and threshold metering with average and
peak metering.
A gate status LED.
A RELEASE/HOLD control (hold tracks proportionally with release
times).
Attack switchable auto/fast (auto tracks signal dynamics for optimum
setting).
Link (links two channels together).
Key source allows external triggers.

The Range switch selects between 7OdB and 2OdB gating depth to
provide alternative release profiles.
The unit features electronically balanced inputs and outputs.