Company
Orban
The manufacturer. A brand name, not a single product, so "Orban alternative" can mean very different things.
Comparison · Independent software
Looking for an Orban or Optimod software alternative? Compare models, not brand names.
OptiLive by OptiBob is FM and web radio processing software running a dedicated, independently written algorithm. This page sets out what it is, what Orban publicly describes for its PCn1600 software, and how to test the two honestly on your own station.
Windows 10/11 · macOS 10.15+ · Basic €30/year · Pro €120/year · launch prices until 31 Dec 2026
Both editions include a 12-month licence with periodic software updates during the licence period.
01Get the names right
Brand, family, model. Three different things.
Product family
Optimod
Orban’s processor family name. It covers several models in hardware and software forms, with differing features.
Software model
PCn1600
Orban’s software processor for Windows. The source cited on this page describes it in detail.
Hardware model
Optimod 8200
The specific hardware unit OptiLive was compared against by ear and by measurement. We do not publish its specifications here.
02What OptiLive is
Its own algorithm, four stages.
OptiLive’s processing was written from scratch by OptiBob. It contains no Orban code. During development it was compared by ear and by measurement against a real Optimod 8200 hardware unit; that reference shaped testing, not the code.
- Two-speed AGC: a slow ride for programme drift, a fast catch for sudden jumps.
- Five-band compression: the spectrum held in five independent bands.
- Clipper with distortion control: peaks shaved while keeping harshness in check.
- True-peak limiter: the final ceiling, catching intersample overs.
03OptiLive and PCn1600, side by side
A factual read of published descriptions.
PCn1600 column summarised from Orban’s own page: orban.com/in-depth-pcn1600. Check it for current details.
| Aspect | OptiLive | Orban PCn1600 |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Software | Software (per Orban) |
| Level stage | Two-speed AGC (slow and fast time constants) | Two-band AGC (described by Orban) |
| Multiband | Five-band compression | Five-band compression (described by Orban) |
| Peak control | Clipper with distortion control, then true-peak limiter | MX peak limiting (described by Orban) |
| Platform | Windows 10/11 and macOS 10.15+ | Windows 10 minimum; Intel SSE4.1 minimum, AVX2 recommended |
| Loudness tools | Not claimed on this page | Loudness controls and BS.1770 meters (described by Orban) |
| Pricing | Basic €30/year, Pro €120/year (launch, until 31 Dec 2026) | Not listed here; check with Orban |
Two-speed is not two-band.
OptiLive describes its AGC by timing: two speeds acting on the level. Orban describes the PCn1600 AGC by frequency: two bands. These are different descriptions of different designs, not the same algorithm under two names. AGC itself is a long-established broadcast technique used by many processors.
Same labels, different processors.
"Five-band compression" or "peak limiting" on two spec sheets does not mean matching implementations, matching sound or matching features. Crossovers, time constants, clipping and limiting design all differ. Only a test on your material tells you which fits.
OptiLive is an alternative to evaluate, not a feature-for-feature replacement for every Optimod model. No complete equivalence, regulatory certification or loudness-standard compliance is claimed here. Orban offers both hardware and software processors.
04How to evaluate
Choose a model. Then test what you need.
- 01Pick the exact model you are comparing against: PCn1600, a specific hardware Optimod, or another product. "Orban" alone is not a test target.
- 02Map your routing first: where the processor sits between playout or mixer and encoder or transmitter, and which audio interface or virtual device carries it.
- 03Confirm platform fit: operating system, CPU requirements and the inputs and outputs your chain actually needs.
- 04Process the same programme material through each candidate and level-match the outputs before listening. Louder almost always sounds "better" at first.
- 05Listen at the end of the real chain: after the encoder and bitrate you stream at, or off-air through the transmitter, not only on the processor output.
- 06List features you depend on that are model-specific, such as loudness metering, presets, remote control or specific outputs, and verify each one directly.
05Basic & Pro
Same engine. Two depths of control.
BasicFree trial
€30€90/ year · until 31 Dec 2026
12-month licence · periodic updates included
Three factory sounds (Soft, Radio, Loud) and the core controls: leveller, bank, drive.
ProFree trial
€120€180/ year · until 31 Dec 2026
12-month licence · periodic updates included
Everything in Basic, plus individual controls for all five bands, draggable crossovers and your own saved tunings.
Windows 10/11 and macOS 10.15+. One installer per system; choose your edition in the app. Full edition details and purchase options.