Wideband AGC

Source input audio levels are often very inconsistent. Songs may have been imported into an automation system at different levels over the years. Modern music is mastered at much higher levels than material from 20 or 30 years ago. Live sports and talk formats are a challenge to mix well due to multiple microphones and phone calls.

The Wideband AGC automatically compensates for those variations and also keeps the levels in downstream processing stages consistent. It is often described as a "slow hand on the fader."

• Drive: Adjusts the gain to the input of the Wideband AGC. More drive results in more gain reduction which in turn allows low-level audio to be increased more. Adjust the Drive control so that the average program material puts the Wideband AGC meters around 0 (mid-scale).

• Normalization Power: Simultaneously adjusts the Ratio and Threshold of the Wideband AGC. Higher settings provide more source-to-source consistency and more overall Wideband AGC activity.

• Speed: Simultaneously adjusts the Wideband AGC Attack and Release rates. Higher settings will more quickly and aggressively attenuate high-level audio and boost low-level audio, but settings that are too fast can cause audible "pumping."

Figure 1 - Wideband AGC controls