Why do volume levels differ between different radio stations and between AM and FM
infundibulum Sat 19/08/06 01:11
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The final volume level you hear is affected by a series of processes taking place between the initial source of the sound and the signal coming from the radio receiver driving the amplification stage that is powering the speaker/s or headphone/s you are listening to. I’ll divide these into four main categories: the program source, the broadcast station, broadcast transmission, and broadcast reception; and give some details on each of these aspects.
The first link in this chain of events would be the volume of a performer, performance, announcer, musical instrument, vocalist etc., as well as the acoustical environment in which the sound is being generated. The next variable could be the sensitivity directionality proximity and placement of a microphone or other electromechanical transducer that converts acoustic energy or a mechanical motion, as of the string on an electric guitar, into an electrical signal, or the strength of the signal coming from an electronic audio signal synthesizer such as an organ, electronic keyboard, etc.
The relative volume levels of a combination of the electronic signals from several different sound sources are often adjusted in a mixing console and sound qualities modified with internal and/or external effects processors. The results of these processes may be played back from a recording of them or sent directly into or created entirely within a radio broadcast studio. The aforementioned constitutes the program source.
At the broadcast studio levels are again adjusted and processed to maximize the modulation of the carrier signal so that the power and bandwidth required to reach the widest audience are used in the most efficient possible way while preserving a semblance of the dynamics of the original sound source.
continued . . .
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Several factors, among these the direction, distance and power of the broadcast signal, obstacles and atmospheric conditions between your receiver and the broadcast antenna, the directionality of both the broadcast and your receivers antenna, and the frequency/gain characteristics or your receivers antenna, will affect the signal strength delivered to your receiver from a particular broadcast station.
The amount a given signal strength affects the volume your receiver delivers will vary depending upon how well your receivers circuitry (AVC, automatic volume control for AM and AGC, automatic gain control for FM) compensates for varying signal strengths it receives and how well it matches volume levels from it various sources, AM, FM, CD etc.
The final variable link in this chain is how you manipulate a control on your receiver commonly referred to as a volume control. Proper use of this control will allow you to totally compensate for all the previous variables leading to the amplifier stage and the electromechanical transducers through which you are listening to whatever it is you are listening too.
I hope you found this answer useful and satisfactorily explanatory, however if there is some aspect/s of this answer for which you desire further elucidation, please do not hesitate to ask.
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Wow! mibn2cweus, that is one of the most comprehensive and perfect answers I have seen on the answerbank. I'm fairly new to it and have seen many misguided answers, but yours is superb. Sorry (as an electronic engineer of many years) I can't add to your answer but I feel praise is due on this occasion. Cheers, Andy
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