Wheatstone AirAura X5
AirAura X5
<tc>Prix régulier</tc>
Wheatstone AIR AURA X5 FM & HD Audio Processor
Meet X5, Wheatstone’s new flagship FM and HD audio processor.
Built from the ground up, it's based on several breakthroughs, including an innovative new approach to dynamics control and pre-emphasis management.
In more traditional audio processing designs, pre-emphasis is either managed by specialized limiting or carefully designed clipping that merely tolerated the pre-emphasis curve. Thinking about this problem, and the fact that it’s been over a decade since there has been a major development about dealing with pre-emphasis, Wheatstone set out, through our work with DSP, to come up with the ultimate solution to the problem.
We have seen what the power of DSP can do to restore audio and video over the years. What if we found a way to apply that thinking to FM pre-emphasis and peak control?
Enter LIMITLESS. FM peak control technology that reconstructs the audio after the application of pre-emphasis. No more dull smeary highs or spitty audio. Just clean and clear high end that’s perfectly matched to the texture of your HD audio.
X5 also leads the way with Unified Processing®, which allows the processor to share information between ALL stages. In the X5, the iAGC, Dynamics and Limitless Clipper work together no matter which control a user adjusts. Changes are made automatically, in real time, in ways never envisioned before.
The X5 also includes a totally redesigned limiter. As part of the Unified Processing system, this unique limiter, designed as 31 independent filter banks with no crossovers to colorize the audio, works directly with the X5's Limitless clipper, providing an audio blueprint for how the clipper should behave.
Additionally, X5 offers a full suite of static and dynamic RDS features along with with multi-stream UECP support.
The X5 adds a number of other state of the art features, including LIVE LOGGER which documents everything from remote logins to audio failover to preset changes. Our redesigned bass processor and enhancement controls in the iAGC that allow you to safely equalize your audio for maximum consistency. The days of “maybe it will sound better on the next song” are over. Your audio signature is preserved cut after cut, element after element.
Wheatstone’s popular HD/FM audio alignment makes the jump to the X5 with our FM&HD LIVELOCK. The system works either with third-party HD/FM modulation monitors or by itself, using the FM/HD tuner built in to the X5.
Additionally, you can now keep the processor at the studio and still keep HD and FM audio in perfect alignment to the transmitter with our optional MPX SYNC-LINK receiver. MPX SYNC-LINK manages multiple audio streams to keep them in perfect sync, preventing any possibility of the FM and HD audio getting out of alignment.
AES insert points are also available via PPMport. Users can now insert their ratings encoder into the processing system instead of placing it in front of the processor. This allows the X5’s specialized front end to deliver a steady audio diet to the encoder and increase the instances of watermark embedding. What’s more, the sonic transparency of the LIMITLESS clipper preserves the watermark for more reliable detection at the meter.
X5 also offers built-in watermark encoding for the Kantar Media ratings measurement system.
We’ve spoken a lot about what’s new in X5, but Wheatstone processing users will be happy to know that many of the features we’ve pioneered in previous models have been incorporated and improved on in the X5, including our legendary Multipath Mitigation algorithm, our composite processing system with selectable look ahead limiting or clipping, baseband192 composite AES connectivity, and a full set of analysis displays.
The X5. Processing for the needs of radio TODAY!
Features:
-
Processor shares information between ALL stages – iAGC, limiters and clipper all share information and changes can be made automatically, in real time, in ways never envisioned before.
-
Redesigned bass processor and enhancement controls in the iAGC that allow you to safely equalize your audio for maximum consistency.
-
Full RDS capabilities.
-
Works either with third-party HD/FM modulation monitors or by itself, with the new FM/HD tuner built in to the X5.
- AES insert points (PPMport) are also available for customers who wish to insert their ratings encoder into the processing system instead of placing it in front of the processor.
- New look and feel, with an intuitive GUI and dual touch screens on the front panel.
- Experienced users of Wheatstone processing will be happy to know that many of the popular features in previous models have been incorporated in the AirAura X5, including:
- Improved Multipath Mitigation algorithm
- Redesigned composite processing with selectable look ahead limiting or clipping
- Baseband192 composite AES connectivity
- Full set of analysis displays.
X5 Now Includes New Nielsen Audio Software Encoder
Wheatstone worked behind the scenes with Nielsen developers and has gone through the necessary testing to receive the Nielsen certification. The Audio Software Encoder is now integrated in our Aura X5 audio processor, which is available to FM stations.
General Specifications:
Analog Line Input
- Type: Electronic Differential
- Input Impedance: > 10Kohm (bridging)
- Optimum Source Impedance: < 1Kohm
- A/D Converter: AKM5394, 192kHz, 24-bits
Digital Line Input
- Data Standard: AES3 (AES/EBU)
- Data Amplitude:
- Per AES3-2003 assuming minimum allowable output signal amplitude of 2V and minimum allowable input signal amplitude of 200mV
- AES Receiver: CS8416, 192kHz, 24-bits
- Type: WheatNet-IP
- Data Type: 100 BaseTEthernet Network per IEEE 802.3-2008
Input Gain Adjustment Ranges
- Gain Range: +/ -24dB
- Gain Adjustment Resolution: 0.5dB
- Gain Calibration:
Input Failsafe
- A gain control setting of 0.0 aligns an external 0dBFs signal with the X5’s 0dBFs internal reference
- Type: Automatic
- Analog Fail Cause: Audio level below -24dBu (fixed)
- Response Time: 30 seconds (fixed)
- Digital Fail Cause 1: Audio level below -48dBFs (fixed)
- Response Time: 30 seconds (fixed)
- Digital Fail Cause 2: Corrupted or invalid AES data
- Response Time: Immediate (fixed)
- Failsafe Direction: Digital to Analog/Analog to Digital (no Digital to Digital)
Audio Level Balance
- Type: Common to both Analog and Digital Inputs Analog/Digital L/R Balance Range: +/-12dB
- Control Resolution: 0.5dB
Voice Symmetry via Phase Rotator
- Operating Modes: In/Bypass
- Filter Type: 4th Order All-pass
High-Pass Filter
- HPF Filter Class: 24dB/octave Butterworth
- Frequency range: 20Hz – 300Hz
Parametric Equalizer
- Sections: Four
- Frequency Range: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Bandwidth Range: 0.2 – 3.0 octaves
- Boost/Cut Range: +/- 14.0dB
- Options: Bypass
- Bands 1&4 Shelving
5 Band AGC/Compressor with iAGC
- Drive Gain Range: -12.0dB to +6.0dB in 0.5dB steps
- AGC/Compressor Thresholds: - 50dBFs to -70dBFs
- AGC Attack: 50mS to 3000mS
- AGC Release: 1000mS to 7000mS
- AGC Band Coupling: 0dB to -6.0dB per band to key band
- Compressor Attack: 10mS to 1000mS
- Compressor Release: 50mS to 3000mS (3Sec)
- Compression Ratio: 2:1 to 20:1
- L+R Mixer: Boost/Cut +/-6dB
- L-R Mixer: Boost/Cut +/-6dB
- Gating Mode: Slow Release/Hold
- Gate Threshold Range: -20.0dB to -79.5dB, plus OFF
- iAGC Attack/Release Speed: 2 to 7.0 seconds
- iAGC Threshold: -60.0dBFs to -40.0dBFs
- iAGC Window Size: 0dB to 8.0dB
- iAGC Operating Style: Linear or Adaptive
Crossover Frequencies
- Band 1/2: 60, 80, 120, 150 Hz
- Band 2/3: 250, 364, 530, 700 Hz
- Band 3/4: 1.2, 1.59, 1.73 kHz
- Band 4/5: 4.49, 6.17, 7.55 kHz
31-Band FM Peak Limiter
- 31-Band Limiter Drive: 80 – 100%
- Clipper Drive: -6.0dB to +6.0dB
- 31-Band Limiter Knee Shape: Soft/ Hard
- Pre-Emphasis: Flat/50µS/75µS
Stereo Encoder
- Reference grade Stereo Encoder with embedded Composite Processing, Test Oscillator, SCA digitizer, and balanced and unbalanced composite outputs.
- Composite Processor Modes: Oversampled Clipper or Lookahead Limiter MPX Processing Drive Range: +/-6dB
- Automatic Multipath Limiter: 10% to 100% in 5% steps, plus Off 19kHz Stereo Pilot Injection: 0-20%, 0.1% steps
- 19kHz Stereo Pilot Phase: +/- 22.5 degrees referenced to 38kHz
- SCA 1 & 2 Input: Analog, 10Kohm input impedance
- Maximum SCA Input Level: +24dBu
- Gain Control Range: -79.95dB to +10dB; OFF Stereo Encoder Operating Modes:
- Analog Left/Right Only: Analog L/R or Analog L/R De-Emphasized
- Stereo Multiplex: Unbalanced MPX Output
- TX 1 & 2 Output Standard Level: 3.5V P-P (1V RMS)
- TX 1 & 2 Maximum Output Level: 8V P-P into 1Kohm (BNC Outputs)
- BS.412 Power Control: On/Off (Bypass)
- BS.412 Power Control Options: Level/Style/Speed/Calibration/Action
System
- Headroom Level: >20dB
- Nominal Operating Level: -20dBFS digital
- FM Path Processing Latency: 46mS maximum – all features engaged HD Path Processing Latency: 29mS maximum – all features engaged Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.1%, 20Hz – 20kHz *
- Intermodulation Distortion: <0.1% SMTPE *
- Signal to Noise Ratio: >80dB * Signal Chain Internal Dynamic Range: >144dB
- Stereo Separation: >50dB (FM) 100dB (HD) *
- Crosstalk: >50dB, 20Hz – 15kHz (FM) 20Hz – 20kHz (HD) *
- Power Requirements: 100-250 VAC (auto sensing)
- 50/60Hz, 100 VA Max.
- Power Connector: EMI suppressed IEC male
- Shipping Weight: 37 pounds
- Operating Temperature: 0 to 50 degrees C (32 to 122 degrees F)
- Overtemp alarm reporting via APP@50 degrees C
* Bypass Preset, unity gains, and 75µS pre and de-emphasis
All specifications subject to improvement or change without notice.