TLDR; KRVS has adjusted the audio levels so that it is compliant with FCC regulations.
You are probably familiar with the old expression "do not deviate from the path". Well, that is what this is all about. The "loudness" of FM radio comes from how much the signal deviates from the center frequency of 88.7Mhz. The more deviation, the louder things get. The FCC mandates that we keep our deviation within a certain range as to not interfere with nearby stations. The way most commercial station accomplish this is through audio compression. Others simply have the volume turned up to 12!
Most modern music is already very "loud". If you observe it on the old school VU meters you see very little deflection of the needles. Conversely, throw on a jazz tune or classical piece and there is a very large difference in the quiet parts to the loudest parts.
Since KRVS has such a wide range of programming, it is difficult to apply a "one size fits all" approach to our overall loudness. Therefore, we try to keep our loudness between "keeping up with everyone else" and enough dynamic range to ensure that we have the best signal possible.
With our HD radio signal, we purposefully have that level a little lower so that it blends well with our analog signal when listeners are in the fringe areas. Our two other HD signals are a little louder but should not be jarring when tuned from one to another. Likewise, the delay between our analog FM and our HD1 should be seamless. Your radio should blend between them without you even knowing.
If you ever have any technical issues or questions about our sound or signal, please let me know. I appreciate you as a listener and strive to ensure that KRVS has the best quality audio signal on the dial and maintain compliance with the FCC regulations.
