Audio for Presidential Debate

[Paul F]

I'm watching the presidential debate and flipping between CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The difference in audio is dramatic. NBC's feed has modest reverb while Fox and ABC have substantial reverb.

They are all using the same feed. Has anybody else noticed this and care to comment?

I do note that both speakers have dual lavalieres and a podium microphone. I suppose each network has the choice to mix between them. Buy why would anyone purposely mix to have a lot of reverb?

 

[David W. Jones]

I just flipped over to listen. I think what you are taking issue with is the fold-back monitor feed for the audience to hear being picked up by the mics.

 

[Paul F]

I just flipped over to listen. I think what you are taking issue with is the fold-back monitor feed for the audience to hear being picked up by the mics.

Ok, but why would the fold-back be picked up by Fox or ABC, but not by NBC? They are using the same microphones.

 

[unclebob6958]

FOX seemed to be louder than some of the other networks, so perhaps FOX compressed the audio somewhat, bringing up the level of the rooms ambient reverb.

 

[Alex H.]

FOX seemed to be louder than some of the other networks, so perhaps FOX compressed the audio somewhat, bringing up the level of the rooms ambient reverb.

That was my thought. Some networks use harsher Optimod settings than others, and if the audio is really squashed, you'll hear more of the background.

 

[Richard Crowley]

This seems to be a common thread for most large-scale broadcast situations. There are a great many variables at work here including the whole distribution and broadcast chain AFTER it leaves the network origination point. It should come as no surprise to us that there are variations in what the sound mixer, and the line producer consider "good" and even what kind of feeds are available, what equipment is being used, and even the quality of the audio monitoring space. By the time you consider all that, it seems remarkable that it ends up as good as it does at our end.