[GrahamCollins]

Here are links to 3 American stations to watch the jocks in action – all different in style but lots of JAM being used – enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk0fZQggFss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcyCfTN4Mps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxGB-HDwztY

Good to see CDs still being used live on air in the last clip

[IainJohnston]

Great videos G – “radio for grown-ups”!

[gameswizardMember]

Not the first time I’ve heard what sounds like Reverb on the jocks mic on American station airchecks – I think the effect sounds great.

I’m sure Dublin’s Energy 103 did it also.

[IainJohnston]

“reverb”

…and they used to do it with none of this digital malarky but with a 2-feet long pair of springs in a metal box with phono plugs at the end!

(Sadly mine went to the “couupp” donkey’s years ago – I’m sure a few people on here would like to have a genuine “mechanical reverb” echo unit today – or even one of the old multi-head “tape delay” echo decks).

Trivia question: some big USA stations used to have “reverb rooms” (echo chambers), i.e. small rooms with acoustic controls. Any names come to mind?

[MarkieG]

Interesting to note the styles of presentation as well as the audio

[muffy]

Wish we had Gold format stations in the UK like those…And they are using my studio mic ..

[glen]

Real Player will you change those just audio.

[GrahamCollins]

Anyone recognise the playout software being used at CBS-FM ?

[dogman849]

The software is Audiovault, just like it is at NJ 101.5. 101.5 recently switched to a newer system called Wide Orbit.

[SeanMartin]

The software is Audiovault, just like it is at NJ 101.5. 101.5 recently switched to a newer system called Wide Orbit.

Wide Orbit was previously Google Radio Automation!

[AndyWMember]

“reverb”
Trivia question: some big USA stations used to have “reverb rooms” (echo chambers), i.e. small rooms with acoustic controls. Any names come to mind?

The Beeb used to have Reverb rooms with curtains that could be drawn to change the amount of echo in the room. There’s a certain commercial station not far from me that still has an EMT plate reverb in their loft. It’s not used anymore but they’d have to take the whole roof off to get rid of it. It looks a bit like a folded up table tennis table.

[jonnoMember]

Just spent an interesting half hour on YouTube looking at the EMT 140

[GrahamCollins]

Thanks Dogman and Sean for the playout software info.

Some the best natural reverb ever recorded is on Sam Cooke’s – Only Sixteen. If you have this, pull it out and really listen, it’s terrific.

I’m guessing WABC had a real echo chamber ?

One summer I worked in a 24-track studio as a ‘runner’ basically – lining up the tape recorders each morning, emptying the ashtrays etc and their EMT plate stood at the side of one the corridors leading to the rear fire exit. I remember during a mix-down getting strange noises on the reverb returns and being sent off to investigate to find two girls (groupies of the band we were recording) stood next to the plate chatting, leaning on it and even kicking it!

I have bought many reverb units over the years for my home studio – starting with a thing called the ‘Great British Spring’ – a grey plastic tube with springs inside instead of a plate to transmit the reflections – sounded awful, particularly on drums.

Then I got my first digital reverb – a Yamaha RX1000 – 4 presets and mono better but still didn’t sound brilliant. Then I upgraded to a Yamaha SPX-90, more control but still didn’t cut it. Then I went American and got an Alesis MidiVerb – this was fabulous and instantly gave me the produced stereo reverb that I was hearing on commercial recordings.

Today I have settled on what I couldn’t afford previously – Lexicon. Ultimate control with presets and lots of pre-delay (the sound going to the unit is delayed by up to 500ms BEFORE it is processed and sent back to the mixing desk) which is the secret to good convincing reverb.

[AndyWMember]

I think WABC (77 variety) had an EMT 140 at the transmitter site that could be remotely controlled back at the studio. I’m sure I read there were in effect two lines to the transmitter. One with music and the other carrying just the microphones that were then reverbed and mixed together. If only I could find the link…

[jonnoMember]

I think WABC (77 variety) had an EMT 140 at the transmitter site that could be remotely controlled back at the studio. I’m sure I read there were in effect two lines to the transmitter. One with music and the other carrying just the microphones that were then reverbed and mixed together. If only I could find the link…

this one ?
http://hawkins.pair.com/wabc.shtml

[dogman849]

If you go to Youtube, and search for “California Aircheck”, you can see some more videos of people in radio stations doing their thing!

[PPM]

“reverb”
Trivia question: some big USA stations used to have “reverb rooms” (echo chambers), i.e. small rooms with acoustic controls. Any names come to mind?

The Beeb used to have Reverb rooms with curtains that could be drawn to change the amount of echo in the room. There’s a certain commercial station not far from me that still has an EMT plate reverb in their loft. It’s not used anymore but they’d have to take the whole roof off to get rid of it. It looks a bit like a folded up table tennis table.

Very interesting Andy. It must be a heritage ILR station to still have one of those. If they could take the roof off, they should sell it (the EMT that is) – I am sure it would be worth a fortune. I have always been fascinated by reverbs used by radio stations.

[AndyWMember]

It is a heritage. I doubt they still have the control panel which is a shame.

[Author]

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