Orban Labs is marking the 50th anniversary of its signature Optimod FM audio processor and will celebrate the milestone at IBC2025 in Amsterdam.
The company shipped the first Optimod 8000 in 1975, setting a new standard in audio processing for FM broadcasting. Since then, Orban has expanded its reach across AM, FM, HD Radio, DAB, shortwave, streaming and other platforms, with its technology used by tens of thousands of broadcasters worldwide.
“Over the years, many things have changed in the market, including a wider range of places to listen to audio, but one thing has remained consistent,” said Orban Labs President David Day. “Between bandwidth issues, transmission methods and other considerations, audio needs extra treatment to make it pleasing for listeners. The overall sound of AM, FM, TV, and now internet broadcasting has been vastly improved over the decades thanks to Bob Orban and the Optimod.”
A continuous process
Bob Orban released the first Optimod processor after combining his training in electrical engineering with experience as a musician and producer. “I knew how the music industry wanted their creations to be heard over the air, and my designs reflected that,” he said.
Orban continued to evolve the Optimod range in step with developments in digital signal processing and software-based design. “Processor development is a continuous process that allows improvements — and is never really finished,” Orban said. “Perhaps the most important thing any processor developer can learn is not to project their preference on the listening audience, but instead to supply a variety of presets that best serve different demographics and formats.”
Orban says it has accelerated its innovation cycle in recent years. New developments include the Orban New Platform (ONP), a single-rack-unit processor; next-generation FM processing in partnership with Super Hi-Fi; onboard watermark encoder support for Nielsen, Ipsos and Kantar; and the XPN-AM software platform, which the company says is transforming AM audio quality.
“Bob Orban and his engineering team are achieving remarkable things in the world of audio processing, and we’re excited to bring these ideas to the world,” said Day.
Orban Labs will showcase its latest products at IBC2025 at Stand 8.D93 in Hall 8, and invites attendees to join its team at the stand to toast 50 years of Orban FM Broadcast processing on Friday, Sept. 12, between 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
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