AIRAURA SUPER DIGITAL AUDIO SPECTRAL PROCESSOR

Your On-Air Sound is About to Get Awesome™

U LT R A - H I G H R E S O L U T I O N P R O C E S S I N G

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AIRAURA SUPER DIGITAL AUDIO SPECTRAL PROCESSOR

“ Your Sweet Spot Technology

AGC has the most invisible gain

correction that I have EVER heard

in ANY on-air processor. Listeners

have been calling to compliment

us on the improvement in our

on-air sound.”

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The AirAura® audio processor features proprietary AirAura final clipper technology for cleaner, clearer, more natural mid and high end detail without smearing, dulling and other artifacts commonly associated with managing the FM pre-emphasis curve. AirAura's 2.0 upgrade features the latest Vorsis Bass Management System (VBMS) with new Bass Tools for adding “floor” feel to the bottom end. It creates a virtual subwoofer in the 40Hz-90Hz range to give your listeners bass they can feel – perfect for CHR and Urban programmers.Also new in AirAura's 2.0 upgrade is Speech Smart™ technology – a new way to manage the multiband AGC and compressor to keep speech sounding perfectly clean and natural – without any of that 'scooped-out' missing-presence sound the other processors are infamous for. Its advanced multiband AGC/SST (Sweet Spot Technology) delivers incredibly smooth and unobtrusive gain and spectral control during widely varying incoming program levels, and the AGC boasts separately adjustable low and high inter-band coupling algorithms for serious sonic sculpting.

Dual front panel ‘widescreen’ displays show extensive detail about the processor’s operation. In addition to real-time measurement of input, output, and RMS (loudness) output levels, its comprehensive metering also shows all gain reduction activity.AirAura accepts audio feeds from three different kinds of sources: Analog, AES3, or Wheatnet-IP. Just as AirAura is WheatNet aware, so too are the Wheatnet-IP Blades. Each AirAura input may be configured for automatic failover in the event of an unplanned audio outage.Specialized analysis functions exclusive to Vorsis offer an astonishing overview of input or processed audio. And for ultimate flexibility, AirAura gives you remote processor control via wired Ethernet or integrated WiFi connectivity. Of course, your music still has that AirAura sound that keeps happy listeners calling with compliments. Add a host of fresh factory presets that take advantage of all the new technology and you’ve got the best processor in ANY market! AirAura is completely designed and built in Wheatstone’s New Bern, NC USA plant.

AIRAURA SUPER DIGITAL AUDIO SPECTRAL PROCESSOR

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• New AirAura 2.0 Speech Smart™ technology for keeping speech sounding perfectly natural

• New AirAura 2.0 Vorsis Bass Management System (VBMS) Bass Tools for creating bass you can feel

• New AirAura 2.0 presets• New proprietary “AirAura” final clipper

technology• Advanced multiband AGC/SST

(Sweet Spot Technology)• Dual front panel ‘widescreen’ displays• Input audio via Analog, AES3, and

Wheatnet-IP• Remote processor control via wired

Ethernet or integrated WiFi connectivity• Specialized audio analysis functions,

including FFT and oscilloscope analysis of input or processed audio, Energy vs. Frequency display of input or processed audio, 3-D plotting of audio spectral content vs. time, Spectral Dynamic Range metering, and activity display of clipper’s distortion masking algorithm

U LT R A - H I G H R E S O L U T I O N P R O C E S S I N G

Wheatstone believes that you should have the power to shape your OWN sound – one with a completely unique sonic signature that’s your sound, not the one created by a processor manufacturer. To achieve this goal Wheatstone has developed Vorsis Ultra-High Resolution Processing technology to provide completely clean, high quality ‘draw you in’ sound that even the best ears in the business love to hear. This proven Vorsis technology is embedded in every Wheatstone processor to create the cleanest sound, as loud as you want it.

To get there, it required taking a completely fresh approach to processing. Vorsis Dynamics Control (AGC and compression) employs multiband AGC to ensure consistent spectral balance. Its Multiband Compressor works with the AGC to provide unprecedented dynamics control.

The Vorsis Bass Management System (VBMS) extracts and reveals nuances in the program to deliver pristine, deep, distortion-free bass over the air. No other processor delivers bass this bold and clean.

Vorsis’ Superior Stereo Enhancement is integral to the processing and creates a smear-free perception of a wider sound field in the cleanest possible way. Just stunning.

Our limiting and clipping are, bar none, the finest you’ll ever use. Up to 31-bands ensure surgical precision and the ability to have the cleanest, loudest signal on the dial.

Vorsis’ presets are also some of the best in the world. You may never need to tweak them, but if you do, our Graphical User Interface, whether via the front panel or accessed by a PC, gives you an intuitive toolset that’ll make you feel right at home.

We think Wheatstone’s Vorsis Ultra-High Resolution Processing is the best you’ll ever use. But don’t take our word for it. Try it out. We CAN guarantee you’ll be happy you did!

“AirAura is Amazing! When I installed the AP2000, I thought,

‘it can’t get any better than this.’ I was wrong!

AirAura is clean and loud. No matter what the audio goal is for

your station, it can beachieved with the AirAura!”

Scott Tanner Director of Engineering and IT Services

Howard University Radio, 96.3

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“I am giving the Vorsis development team a BIG thumbs up as this product stands out as a very SUPERIOR audio processor design.”

“This processor is amazing!”

“I have the HD output feeding our web stream encoder, and two national program hosts at remote locations in the US have told us ‘your audio stream sounds incredible!’”

“I can say that the Vorsis processor does NOT sound like the “O”ther guys! It sounds far better and has a very unique ‘signature.’ I really, really like how this processor sounds! Every other station in the market sounds like crunched up FM radio while our station is loud now and yet it still has “life” with CD quality dynamics and punch.”

“I’ve listened to the station since the first few days after the format flip (which was a month ago yesterday), and the one thing I notice most is that the new Vorsis processor’s audio quality is always terrific, regardless of the source material.”

“If the Vorsis that I heard while you were testing processors last night is your final air chain (it was) it might just be the cleanest and best sounding FM I’ve heard since...well, forever. Great work!”

“Thanks for a great sounding box that makes us sound bigger than the so called big stations!”

“Your Sweet Spot Technology AGC has the most invisible gain correction that I have EVER heard in ANY on-air processor. Listeners have been calling to compliment us on the improvement in our on-air sound.”

“We’ve used your product close to a year now and it’s just out of this world. When we put the Vorsis box online our audience noticed the difference instantly and started calling asking questions like ‘What's going on? What did you all do? Your sound is clear, crisp, and bright and the audio sound level is great now!!!’”

“The music sounds great, and this box can be tweaked to anyone's preference. There is a lot to discover in this machine.....but our single biggest achievement has been achieving the clearest, cleanest ‘voice’ I have ever heard come from an FM processor.”

“I am extremely impressed with the unit’s capabilities and how well it performs with our NPR talk/Classical format.”

“What an amazing difference in sound quality!!! This is a brand new FM station and comparing it to the other new station in town using the Other brand of processor our client is louder, cleaner, and even legal. Wheatstone definitely has a winner here with Vorsis.”

“This is a great sound and we are so, so pleased with our new Vorsis on-air processor. You just threw down the gauntlet to the process-ing industry with this new unit! Nobody can match a sound this loud, this clean, and this unique! Now everybody gets to chase after us for a while. Thanks Vorsis!!”

“Our signal used to virtually disappear in downtown New York when we went on night pattern because of the extremely high level of man-made noise. Now when we’re on night pattern our coverage in downtown is actually better than when we are on day pattern, the other brand of audio processor and a 10X higher powered transmitter! We’re buying a second one to put on our daytime transmitter!”

“You have to be kidding! I have NEVER heard FM audio sound this good, this detailed, this smooth, this clean, and this loud (how did you do it???). Very nice work!”

“Love the box!!! Overall the sound of the station is vastly improved. It’s loud, wide and clear.”

“I guess the only word for Vorsis is ‘WOW.’ It’s got some great bottom end, and it’s more transparent than any processor I’ve heard.”

“The AGC/Compressor/SST combination is simply amazing. We play classical CDs. Older classical CDs were mastered at a much lower level than current ones. Announcers don’t compen-sate and never will. Your processor is able deal with what amounts to probably 40-45dB (or more) average level variations and hold them perfectly in the sweet spot with virtually no squashing, pumping, sucking, or other usually audible artifacts of such wide range level control. In short it does its job perfectly every time.”

“This box sounds much better than any other processor I have ever tried. Ever!”

“I love classic rock and it’s the program format on the station that I own. No other processor that I’ve tried (and I think I’ve tried them all!) sounds as good on this format. We’re nice and loud and still cleaner than the other stations in the market. We were surprised to hear the intentional dynam-ics of songs actually get on the air – other processors just flatten them out or turn them into a sea of mush. For the first time ever we’re also hearing subtle nuances in songs that we used to think we knew every single note of. What an amazing air sound! No…What an amazing processor!!”

“Your equalizers are actually useful and, unlike other processors, do not grunge-up the sound merely by enabling them.”

“The SST algorithm is the least audible of ANY processor I have ever had experience with. I’m not sure how you did it or exactly how it works but its automatic “leveling” is excellent – no pre-processing whatsoever is necessary with SST.”

“The high end of this processor is very open sounding – there is no fake “sparkle” with the HF EQ either. Perfectly clean and natural sound. And did I mention LOUD?”

“Finally! A processor that deals effectively and transparently with overly-sibilant announcers and audio levels that usually go all over the place! (I especially love the tweakable multiband thresholds!)”

“Why haven’t the other audio processor companies been able to make an AM box that sounds this good? I can’t think of a positive superlative that is big enough to describe how pleased I am with our AM sound now. Our coverage seems to have increased by quite a bit too!!”

“Our multipath is Gone! GONE! As an engineer I have difficulty believing a processor can make this much difference in apparent coverage area but the listening is the proof. We’ve had several listeners call and comment that their reception has greatly improved and even I’ve noticed vast improvements when driving through what were previously horribly multipath prone areas. I’m not sure why, but it sure does work!!”

“This box has great metering and excellent analytical tools – you get good visual indication of everything that is happening inside.”

“The unit’s stability has been flawless, not even a tiny glitch. We have it set up to time- sync and it works great. The scheduler-based (and SILENT!!) preset switching is perfect! Unit sounds very accurate sonically and is very easy to set-up.”

“We are now VERY unique in our audio. Compared to other stations in the market, we are as loud yet maintain legal modulation (at least 4 stations in our market run with 130%+ modulation). We’re not “squashed” sounding at all and if you compare us with the other stations (all formats) we’re clearly a dynamic and clean stand-out signal on the dial now.”

Real Comments From Real Users About Wheatstone’s

Vorsis Ultra-High Resolution Processing

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AirAura is designed to be the most listenable and yet most competitive FM broadcast audio processor ever conceived. Regardless of the program format or competitive challenges, AirAura effortlessly meets them. Delivering audio to the audience that is clean, musical, alive, and most importantly, compelling to listen to, AirAura is a crowd pleaser.New, and wickedly powerful, the AirAura clipper is one of several Vorsis technologies contributing to AirAura’s astonishing on-air muscle. The AirAura clipper is a low distortion final clipper technology that allows stations to be incredibly loud and yet still have an un-fatiguing and easy to listen to sound that captures listeners and keeps them locked to the station. Speech Smart™ technology, part of the AirAura 2.0 upgrade, is a new way to manage the multiband AGC and compressor to keep speech sounding perfectly clean and natural - without any of that 'scooped-out' sound you get with the other processors.

AirAura is also equipped with SST, the very first “program-density aware AGC”. SST, or Sweet Spot Technology, was invented by Vorsis in 2007 and is included in AirAura’s vast arsenal of processing tools. Field proven in prior Wheatstone high-end audio processors, SST silently and accurately adapts AirAura’s multiband AGC to varying program density conditions to produce a consistent, easy to listen to final sound.AirAura’s Vorsis Bass Management System (VBMS) puts real bass on the air, not that fake pillow punching bass that other processors have. And it does it without creating the objectionable bass-to-midrange intermodulation distortion that plagues other processors. New in the 2.0 upgrade are Bass Tools for adding “floor” feel to the bottom end. It creates a virtual subwoofer in the 40-90Hz range to give your listeners bass they can feel – perfect for CHR and Urban programmers.AirAura 2.0 adds a host of fresh factory presets that take advantage of all this new technology.

AirAura — it’s the audio processor that Vorsis customers are calling the audio processing ‘game changer’!

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IMD Comparison Clipping Depth 10dB – 50Hz + 5kHz – 1:1

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AirAura Distortion-Managed Final Clipper

The technology utilized in our new AirAura final peak clipper generates none of the objectionable aliasing and intermodulation distortions that are commonly associated with less-complex clipper technology. Squeaky clean audio, even at extremely competitive loudness levels, is AirAura’s forte.Similar in certain ways to our acclaimed 31-band ‘Fine Grain’ limiter (a Vorsis exclusive), AirAura utilizes high resolution distortion recognition algorithms to discern audio from distortion. The fine-grained selectivity afforded by this technology is the best way to sense and truly mitigate distortion. Other, more simplistic technologies can only make a “best guess” at separating desirable audio components from undesirable distortion products.By analyzing the audio and the distortion products created during peak control, AirAura removes distortion products and other artifacts that a listener might find objectionable. It is highly adept at minimizing intermodulation distortion, especially the annoying close-spaced difference frequency intermodulation products in the midrange frequencies where human hearing is the most sensitive.During beta testing in major markets station personnel commented about how smooth and open the entire audio spectrum sounded when processed by our new AirAura clipper. Achieving effortless competitive loudness on the air while remaining subjectively cleaner than the station’s previous on-air processor was never an issue. In fact, one top-ten market Program Director commented “Wow…that processor sounds amazing! I think maybe we can even turn it down a little bit!”

Fine Grain Processing

Fine Grain processing overcomes the limitations of previous meth-ods of peak limiting in on-air audio processors. Using 31 frequency bands, the AirAura final limiters (one for FM, one for HD) perform precision spectral energy control without generating the artifacts associated with peak limiters with fewer bands. Operating accord-ing to accepted principles of human psychoacoustics, the action of the Fine Grain limiters goes completely unnoticed by the ear. There are absolutely no 'swishing' artifacts; just increased on-air loud-ness, detail, and "listenability" of the station's programming. Speech Smart™ Technology

Speech Smart is part of the new AirAura 2.0 upgrade. It intelligently manages the multi-band AGC and compressor to keep speech sound perfectly clean and natural at all times. You'll never experience that "scooped-out," missing midrange presence that is unavoidable on the other processors.

Reconsidering what is possible in audio processingrequired a brand new toolset...

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Sweet Spot Technology

Sweet Spot Technology (SST) has been uniquely designed by Vorsis to manage the behavior of the multiband AGC as program content density changes, something a typical broadband AGC simply cannot do. It effortlessly handles transitions between the hyper-compressed record-ings of today and those of the past that have considerably more dynamic range. SST achieves uncannily natural-sounding consistency in both on-air loudness and spectral balance regardless of density variations in the incoming source material.Conventional audio processing systems that employ broadband AGC ahead of multiband processing suffer the same malady; all broadband AGC’s are completely blind to what the multiband section of the processing will later do with the audio. Consider this…without knowing that later multiband processing even exists, how can a broadband AGC know what to feed it? The answer is that it doesn’t know. It can’t know. As a result the broadband AGC will make mistakes, some of them big, that the multi-band section simply can’t fix.Vorsis SST has no such handicap. Its 20/20 vision keeps an eye on what the multiband section is doing with the audio. Because SST ‘knows’, it can automat-ically and invisibly manage the operation of the entire multiband processing section in real time. Result? Program levels, density and spectral balance stay right where the user wants them. No ‘low-I.Q.’ broadband AGC needed here! Linkin Park, The Beatles, Kenny G., or Burt Bacharach – SST seamlessly handles it all. Vorsis Bass Management System

The Vorsis Bass Management System (VBMS) enhances bass impact without affecting the clarity of mid and high frequency program. In fact, bass detail and the clarity of higher frequency audio are actually enhanced by this powerful, innovative algorithm. With VBMS operating in conjunction with our 'Fine Grain' limiters, on-air bass has never sounded so good and so natural. With the AirAura 2.0 upgrade, it now FEELS as big and natural as it sounds. New Bass Tools add “floor” feel to the bottom end to create a virtual subwoofer in the 40-90Hz range to give your listeners bass they can really feel – perfect for CHR and Urban programmers. Smart Stereo Enhancement

Stereo enhancement is a standard feature on all Vorsis on-air processors and utilizes a new Vorsis technology: Smart Stereo Enhancement. Operating in the sum and difference domain and utilizing specialized spectral management algorithms, it provides a smooth, natural, wide listening experience without triggering multipath effects. It delivers an extremely stable 'on-air' stereo image that's exciting to listen to. Users have reported hearing, for the very first time, artistically important nuances in familiar music that could not be heard when that material was processed by other on-air processors.

BroadbandAGC

Crossover Network

MultibandCompressor Mixer

Conventional Multiband System The broadband AGC knows nothing about the multiband compressor!

IN OUT

Comparison Between Conventional & Wheatstone Vorsis SST Multiband Systems

Crossover Network

MultibandCompressor

SST“Brain”

Mixer

“VirtualHearing”

Wheatstone Vorsis SST Multiband System SST knows everything about the multiband compressor!

IN OUT

Audio SignalsSST Neurons

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AirAura Built-In LCD Graphical User Interface

AirAura gives you brand new ways to interact with your processor. Far more than pretty lights, these detailed graphic displays provide you with visual analyses of audio functions. This provides a level of editing sophistication never before seen in our industry. It’s also pretty durned cool....

The top third of this screen shows the audio levels preset at the AirAura inputs and outputs with sample accurate, true peak meters.The center third of this screen is the Spectral Dynamic Range display. Measuring the audio output of each of the 31 band limiters, this screen shows the difference between the actual peak and RMS (loudness) levels in each band. The shorter the blue bar, the louder the audio in that part of the audio spectrum is to the ear.The bottom third of this screen shows the gain reduction, or amount of processing, that is occurring in the SST, the five-band AGC, the 31 band limiters, and in final clipper. The display may be switched to show this information for either the FM or HD processing sections.

MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS CAN BE DISPLAYED SIMULTANEOUSLY

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This screen shows an FFT, or Fast Fourier Transform of the processed audio at the output of the entire processing chain. The FTT can be switched to show the output of the FM or HD processing paths.

FAST FOURIER TRANSFORM

This screen is the 3D Plot display. This display shows the audio after processing, and as a function of loudness, frequency, and time. This provides the user with information about the audio that has just been processed and also how it behaved historically over the past few seconds.

3D PLOT

This screen is the AirAura clipper activity display. Using a familiar color scheme similar to most weather radars, the A-Clip display shows how much work the AirAura clipper is doing to mask distortion and where in the audio spectrum it is doing this work. Just like weather radar, the more orange and reds there are in the image, the more ‘active’ AirAura’s distortion manager is.

AIRAURA CLIPPER ACTIVITY

This screen is the Energy versus Frequency display. Measuring the output of the entire processing chain this display indicates the total relative loudness in various parts of the audio spectrum. The display may be switched to show the affects of processing for the FM or HD signal paths.

ENERGY VS FREQUENCY

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AirAura is the perfect processor for our WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network. An intelligent network is one where the network’s core intelligence is distributed to all of its access points. These nodes, which we call “BLADES”, are intelligent – each has knowledge of itself, of its place in the network, and of the network as a whole. This means that every BLADE has the smarts to get things done, locally or anywhere else in the network. WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network is self-aware. Every BLADE on your network knows who it is and what it is supposed to do. This makes setup as easy as plugging it in and turning it on. When you need to add to your network, just connect the new BLADE, and watch it configure itself in seconds. It’s literally THAT easy. WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network is self-healing, offering as many points of recovery as you have BLADES in your system. In the exceptionally unlikely event that a BLADE should fail, just plug an alternate in and you are up and running. Since each BLADE has the entire WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network’s configuration embedded in its DNA, the new BLADE inherits its function immediately and you are back up and running in moments.

WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network is 10 times faster. You may not think you need the speed, but think of it this way... remember when a 10 meg hard drive seemed like it was all you’d ever need? Or when a 56K modem seemed like overkill? Audio needs as much bandwidth as you can throw at it, and WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network gives you 10 times the bandwidth of the other major system. Think of it as money in the bank.WheatNet-IP Intelligent Network is NOT more expensive. When you add up all the costs for your entire network, WheatNet-IP comes out to just about the same money as the other systems on the market. No marketing-speak about your labor or performance here - we’re talking straight hardware comparisons. Finally, WheatNet-IP is incredibly easy to use - from setup and configuration to daily use, WheatNet-IP is intuitive and straightforward. And since it forms the backbone of your entire network, adding AirAura to your network is a natural (both for sound and functionality). You literally plug it into the Ethernet switch. From there, the Wheatnet-IP network recognizes it and knows what to do with it.

AirAura and WheatNet-IP: The Intelligent Network

Interfacing AirAura with WheatNet-IP Is Incredibly Easy:

CD PLAYER

HYBRID

CODEC

AUTOMATION

ETC

ETHERNET SWITCH

YOUR STUDIO AUDIO GEAR

To/From Other Studios Or IP Gear

IP88 BLADE

AIRAURA

E-1 CONTROL SURFACE

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AIRAURA SUPER DIGITAL AUDIO SPECTRAL PROCESSOR

System Description

OVERALL SYSTEMHeadroom 20dBNominal Operating Level -20dBFS digital, +4dBu analogLatency (FM Section) 15.4ms, analog in to analog out14.2ms, AES in to AES outLatency (HD/DAB Section) 11.2ms, analog in to analog out12.6ms, AES in to AES out

ANALOG LINE INPUTType electronic differential, RFI suppressedInput Impedance >10K ohm (bridging)Optimum Source Impedance

AIRAURA SUPER DIGITAL AUDIO SPECTRAL PROCESSOR

Your on-air sound is about to get awesome...

Wheatstone Corporation 600 Industrial Drive | New Bern, NC 28562-5440 USA phone 1.252.638-7000 | fax 1.252.635-4857wheatstone-processing.com | sales@wheatstone.com

© 2012 Wheatstone Corporation 010112

Your On-Air Sound is About to Get Awesome™