Orban Celebrates 50 Years of Optimod FM Processors

The Optimod FM audio processor is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025. 50 years ago, Orban shipped its first audio processor for FM radio broadcasting, the Optimod 8000, and it revolutionized the broadcasting business. Since that day, the company founded by Bob Orban has been leading in audio processing for broadcast audio and the name "Optimod" basically defines the whole radio processor category.

At the IBC 2015 show there was a unique chance to compare how really efficient audio compression algorithms have become, from mp3 and ogg-vorbis to AAC, HE-AAC and the new xHE-AAC, optimized for speech and music transmission with very low bit rates. The Fraunhofer Institute For Integrated Circuits IIS together with Modulation Index promoted the demonstration.

During the 137th International Audio Engineering Society (AES) Convention in Los Angeles, CA, a session on the Broadcast & Streaming Media Track discussed “Loudness for Streaming and Radio.” Thomas Lund (TC Electronic), an expert and longtime promoter of the loudness standards currently implemented in TV broadcast, chaired the session, which included an interesting angle from Bob Orban (Orban) and Frank Foti (Telos/Omnia).