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Re: Need some insight
Actually, this is a misconception. Audio engineers and MCO's (Master Control Operators) monitor audio signals to ensure that the loudest "sound" hits as close to "100%" on their boards as possible. Broadcasters get their shows from different production houses. Commercials come from hundreds of different studios and marketing groups. They have a standard hz tone (can't remember what it is now) they calibrate to 100%, which is usually put at the beginning of the spot so the engineers responsible for playing them back don't have to preview the entire program to set levels correctly.
The reason commercials sound so much louder is for several reasons. Most likely, the loudest part of the program you are watching does not happen right before every commercial break. If you were to take the loudest part of the show and play it next to the commercials, you would find them remarkably similar. Most shows have long quiet passages or conversations. The commercials are only 30 seconds, or a minute at most, so the time in which you hit 100% is much shorter, so it's more likely they will be at or near 100% when it starts up. Commercials also tend to be high-energy and want to get your attention quickly, so they are more likely to start with loud music or noise or announcer, right at that 100% point. There's also less chance a commercial will change in tempo or pitch during its 30 seconds, so a "quieter" commercial will still hit 100% even though it might be only conversation. The engineers can adjust the levels to make it louder without going over.
The thing is, if the audio goes too much over 100%, they're going to overmodulate, and that distorts the signal, and the FCC doesn't take kindly to messing with the signal.
Roderick Martin
Network23
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