http://www.theradiosource.com/products/tr6000-hq5.1-processor.htm
Listen to the 555 improve the audio.
That looks like a copycat Inovonics 222, down to the exact placement of the LEDs, Switches, and pots. (Also Color, Size and Diminsions, I wonder if this actually IS a 222 that has been rebadged with a different faceplate)
Looks identical
It's a 222. Special deal with the TIS guys.
Couldn't be too special of a deal. In my experience, if you have to inquire on the cost, you can't afford it!
I just did one listen to each file, so it's not really an analysis, but as a 3 khz example, I liked file 1 better. File 2 seemed to just filter out the bass response, and sounded like it had more of a limiting effect. File 3 had better bandwidth on bass and treble, that was nice, though I could hear limiter bite pretty hard.
My rationale for liking file 1 is that having an extended bass response can make a signal with lack of upper frequency bandwidth sound smoother and more pleasant to listen to, as long at the bass isn't distorted and boomy. The old Comrex phone remote equipment was based on that idea, extending the bass of a 3 khz signal.
File 3 has good bass and highs, and aside for more apparent limiter biting, I can hear the sibilent frequencies more clearly.
It's all based on what's presented, assuming the transmitter is wideband, but what receiver is in use? Standard radio, or wideband monitor?
You're right, no price = boutique item, best served on a velvet draped pedestal. 🙂 If they just took a wideband Innovonics and adjusted a few things to make a TIS proceessor, it would seem to be better to engineer something made specifically for voice processing only and with the 5 khz bandwidth in mind.
Another viewpoint, all of this for traveler's stations? Is there any need? I've never heard a one of these stations do any meaningful public service. Here they're owned by the road department, I can hear half a dozen around the area, and all they do is run a test message, and it's been that way for years, and I mean every one I can hear. One was even on a traffic loop around in the middle of a construction area all around it, repeating a test message.
When they relaxed the AM TIS audio restriction, allowing 5 KHz, I disabled the TIS audio filter in the transmitter we use for our AM TIS.
I'm using the Sound Solution plugin to taylor the audio bandwidth and it does result in a clearer sounding audio program.
The plugin does the compression and limiting in addition to audio pass band filtering.
Sorry I shouldhave been more clear. the TIS guys have an arragment to rebrand the 222. That's what I meant by special deal.
Turns out these are modified as well. A Very special 222 indeed.