Another angle to this; older music that has been released repeatedly.
I have often heard it said that the older or original CD releases sound much better because they were mastered before the Loudness War began.
My question is; Is there a database somewhere that has this information? If I wanted to find out which version of a CD has the most dynamic range and/or least clipping and compression, is there a place I can find that information?
"Loudness War" indeed. Like any war. Everyone loses except the rich.
I have often heard it said that the older or original CD releases sound much better because they were mastered before the Loudness War began.
My question is; Is there a database somewhere that has this information? If I wanted to find out which version of a CD has the most dynamic range and/or least clipping and compression, is there a place I can find that information?
"Loudness War" indeed. Like any war. Everyone loses except the rich.
There's a lot of info out there, like this: The Loudness War Analyzed | Music Machinery, and Loudness War - Television Tropes & Idioms, and, what you really want: DR Database ...
Frank
Frank
long time not postet anything here... well... finally I made a YouTube video, too... LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7p-iVkL_mU
You can see my hard work, for "correcting" what they screwed up @ Metropolis Mastering... poor sweet Lana disc... Did what I could ;-)
ALL THE BEST you tweakers !
Felix (btw, does anyone know where the JRGuitarGuy went?... miss him
)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7p-iVkL_mU
You can see my hard work, for "correcting" what they screwed up @ Metropolis Mastering... poor sweet Lana disc... Did what I could ;-)
ALL THE BEST you tweakers !
Felix (btw, does anyone know where the JRGuitarGuy went?... miss him
)
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Sorry about reviving old threads, but the loudness wars are still ongoing, and sometimes one has that specific itch that requires the purchase of new music.
I've been trying out some plugins from Terry West: Terry West Productions
His Relife plugin actually seems to work, I've tried it on some overly compressed and limiter abused drum'n'bass, and it really does sound better, and the occassional flat peaks seem to be gone. He asks for a small donation for which you get as many of his plugins as you like. A bit cheaper than Perfect Declipper at least.
I've been trying out some plugins from Terry West: Terry West Productions
His Relife plugin actually seems to work, I've tried it on some overly compressed and limiter abused drum'n'bass, and it really does sound better, and the occassional flat peaks seem to be gone. He asks for a small donation for which you get as many of his plugins as you like. A bit cheaper than Perfect Declipper at least.
IMHO the best sounding solution is still Perfect Declipper/Stereotool.
The VST plugin apart declipping also has an effect called Natural Dynamics which tries to restore percussion's dynamics.
With most songs it works pretty well but some limiters do so much damage that not much can be done.
If interested I can share my results, it's 2 years I'm playIng with it.
The VST plugin apart declipping also has an effect called Natural Dynamics which tries to restore percussion's dynamics.
With most songs it works pretty well but some limiters do so much damage that not much can be done.
If interested I can share my results, it's 2 years I'm playIng with it.
Interesting Topic etc
Try this & see what you think.
I wouldn't call it "completely transparent" but as always it probably depends on the source material, & how near to 0dB it is, & how much you boost !
Whilst you're there check out this, also a VST Plugin & free, but donations also welcome !
Be interested to hear your impressions etc on either/both ?
Try this & see what you think.
I wouldn't call it "completely transparent" but as always it probably depends on the source material, & how near to 0dB it is, & how much you boost !
Whilst you're there check out this, also a VST Plugin & free, but donations also welcome !
Be interested to hear your impressions etc on either/both ?
Seems to me boostx does nothing for already compressed music, other than compress it more, there might be some slight benefit from using this after preparing files with other things. The only setting you can adjust is the gain, which has the function of... gain adjustment.
This plugin may have some benefit as an alternative to regular compressors for mastering, but it's still a compressor and I really do not see much advantage to using this vs just using a soft/proper setting on any other compressor. It adjusts the low level signals but one could argue that low level signals are low for a reason, and possible reasons would probably be either intentional adjustment or noise.
The way I see it Relife is the poor mans solution, and can actually produce good results when used together with other plugins.
Perfect Declipper/Stereotool is a more proper way to go, but I would not spend 30€ on a plugin that makes noise on random. For me this would be a tool for making batch conversions of lossless music, optimizing settings for each batch, also possibly just enabling it occassionally on some radio and/or video. And 100€ is a bit much, I think the creator of this would earn a lot more selling the plugin for maybe 70€.
This plugin may have some benefit as an alternative to regular compressors for mastering, but it's still a compressor and I really do not see much advantage to using this vs just using a soft/proper setting on any other compressor. It adjusts the low level signals but one could argue that low level signals are low for a reason, and possible reasons would probably be either intentional adjustment or noise.
The way I see it Relife is the poor mans solution, and can actually produce good results when used together with other plugins.
Perfect Declipper/Stereotool is a more proper way to go, but I would not spend 30€ on a plugin that makes noise on random. For me this would be a tool for making batch conversions of lossless music, optimizing settings for each batch, also possibly just enabling it occassionally on some radio and/or video. And 100€ is a bit much, I think the creator of this would earn a lot more selling the plugin for maybe 70€.
@ KaffiMann
Hi, yes see my reply in here http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pc-b...gs-stereotool-loudness-war-3.html#post4427741
As you noted, it does expand the low level signals though.
Hi, yes see my reply in here http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pc-b...gs-stereotool-loudness-war-3.html#post4427741
As you noted, it does expand the low level signals though.
As a side note i just discovered what is supposed to be one of the best solutions, I have not tried or heard this yet:
Algorithmix reNOVAtor -- time-saving, high-resolution audio repair processor freeing problematic live recordings from unwanted tenacious audio disturbances
A bit steep at 2092€
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Omnia 9 by sound processor designer Leif Claesson It uses perfect decliper license from StereoTool And his own design Psychoacoustic multiband expander. Its called the Undo it is a part of Omnia 9 and 11 Broadcast processor. Demonstration of Undo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyaWXYiB_44
I used to use Waves plugins to do this just for experimentation.
I forget the exact plugin i used but there is an expandor or something with a preset called UNCOMPRESSOR.
It would redraw the peaks.
If you tested it with a source recording then clipped it and uncompressed it the original looked identical to the uncompressed one.
In all honesty though i don't think it changes the sound at all. In my tests clipping the audio and keeping it with peaks you can't tell a difference with an ABX test and the two are level matched.
Redrawing the peaks should sound about the same in my experience.
With anything like this when comparing things you MUST perceptually level match the two you are comparing or you might think you are hearing something that is simply just an increase in volume.
I forget the exact plugin i used but there is an expandor or something with a preset called UNCOMPRESSOR.
It would redraw the peaks.
If you tested it with a source recording then clipped it and uncompressed it the original looked identical to the uncompressed one.
In all honesty though i don't think it changes the sound at all. In my tests clipping the audio and keeping it with peaks you can't tell a difference with an ABX test and the two are level matched.
Redrawing the peaks should sound about the same in my experience.
With anything like this when comparing things you MUST perceptually level match the two you are comparing or you might think you are hearing something that is simply just an increase in volume.
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