Software that can "restore" some dynamics from overly compressed recordings?

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venomizer

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Joined 2010
ventura-audio.de
The golden mean:
At least you are able to measure recordings with this program and how about demanding
companies to publish graphs?
Click to expand...
Do you mean me? I don't know any company that'd be interested in publishing "things like that"... So I publish it myself, I probably have enough webspace for roughly 30.000 more Albums, so that should be enough for a while...

I'll wait for the backlink from tnt-audio, maybe they might be interested in it... and maybe try to get an article in soundonsound, but this would have to be more "professional" written...

I won't give up that thing, and try to put out some more "De-Master" settings, but I'm a one person show, and also not the quickest ;-)

ven
 
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madtecchy

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Joined 2010
regal said:
Exactly the latest reaction for the studios is to compress the crap out of each track then mix without much compression keeping the final mix level lower and they think they've answered the cries to end the loudness wars.
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Unfortunatly for us into hifi and quality recordings . The mass market listens on ipods and phones and real naff stero equipment .. Why would the recording engineer really give a damm as most are listening on pure rubbish bought from a super market...
 
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venomizer

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Joined 2010
ventura-audio.de
Yes yes, just too sad the whole thing... Although a "good" "dynamic" record would even sound "better" on cheap stuff. It is a "fact" (at least for me), and everything else is a ****ing LIE, imho

And I am wondering why this all really is the way it is? But that's a question too difficult for me ...

I suspect many recording engineers are not that happy with the situation, but why should one blame them at first? They need their job and they do what the customer demands ... :-(
 
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Gary P

Gary P

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Joined 2002
pimmlabs.com
I'm starting to feel better after a week of bad cold morphing into bronchitis.

Got out the old DBX 3BX and was playing around with it on the lab system. Forgot how much improvement it makes to compressed recordings. Keep in mind I'm playing with music from the '80s so there is something to work with. I don't think it will help the new totally compressed recordings as there is no range left to give the processor something to work with.

Went to look at venomizer's link to check out the VST project. Seems the website has disappeared...
 
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venomizer

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Joined 2010
ventura-audio.de
Hi GaryP!

I'll have to update the page, sorry for that!

Have a look at Jeroen Breebaarts site:
You can download the JB VST plugin bundle for free! Included you will find the "RedPhattPro" dynamics processor. You can use that as an upward expander!

Simply use ratios smaller than 1 for the compander... If I can help you out further, I will (here or PM).

Good health, and a good day!
ven
 
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davidsrsb

Member
Joined 2005
StigErik said:
Yeah, its less bad, but not anywhere near "The Nightfly", a record that is 30 years old now.

The problem with "Sunken Condos" is not clipping, but too much track compression and very strange EQ.

I tried a little EQ on it, and just a little lift at the top end, and 4-5 shelf below 100 Hz helped a lot actually.
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I was looking for Nightfly and noticed that "Sunken Condos" was "mastered for iTunes" hmm...
 
Soldermizer

Soldermizer

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Joined 2012
Reading with interest. I've little experience in the software part. I am a past owner of several dBX units -- currently the ultimate and expensive 5bx. Works great, but as noted above, it needs "something to work with." Notable: even with the impact restoration, there is very little "impact" on much modern pop. To be fair, much of whaat I listen to is free streaming or mp3 so who knows what processing. But yes, most modern pop has the life compressed out of it. still sounds good .. for a while at least. If I were an artist, I might demand the option to release mixes of my music to my taste, not the engineer's. On the other hand, if you give me millions of dollars and stuff cocaine up my nose, do what you want to my music!
 
6

63781

Disabled Account
Joined 2008
Since I started the thread, I'd like to share the method I've used successfully on the latest two Donald Fagen albums, that to my ears sounds horrible. The result of this "tampering with nature" is in my opinion very pleasing, and made me actually listen to these albums in a way I've never done before.

1. EQ - drop the bass below 100 Hz several dB (a little variation from track to track - anywhere between 6 and 10 dB). Lift the top end at 20k some 6 dB. Drop the 4 kHz area 4-5 dB.
2. Apply some mild stereo enhancer above 250 Hz. This takes away some of the "hard" character of the sound, as the center of the stereo image gets less focus.
3. Very mild reverb to sweeten it (Lexicon 4080L software plug-in) The reverb itself is not audible.
4. A little dynamic expansion of the upper 2-3 dB, to get a little "faster" transients. Must be used VERY carefully.
5. Master the whole thing to peak no higher than -1 dB.

I did this in Samplitude (good and old software).
 
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MLStrand56

Member
Joined 2012
Just so you know, the ONLY dbx Range Expander, that is TRUE STEREO, is the Original 3BX, from the late 70's. ALL other dbx range expanders (& I've owned them all), combine both stereo signals, to arrive at a Single Upward/Downward expansion value, that is applied to Both channels.

MLStrand56
 
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otto88

otto88

Member
Joined 2007
StigErik said:
The result of this "tampering with nature" is in my opinion very pleasing, and made me actually listen to these albums in a way I've never done before.

1. EQ - drop the bass below 100 Hz several dB (a little variation from track to track - anywhere between 6 and 10 dB). Lift the top end at 20k some 6 dB. Drop the 4 kHz area 4-5 dB.

2. Apply some mild stereo enhancer above 250 Hz. This takes away some of the "hard" character of the sound, as the center of the stereo image gets less focus.

3. Very mild reverb to sweeten it (Lexicon 4080L software plug-in) The reverb itself is not audible.

4. A little dynamic expansion of the upper 2-3 dB, to get a little "faster" transients. Must be used VERY carefully.

5. Master the whole thing to peak no higher than -1 dB.

I did this in Samplitude (good and old software).
Click to expand...


Hi Stig

The approach you used with Samplitude sounds very “right”

But . . MAGIX Samplitude ? Audio production . . I cant justify its cost of $499.

Does anyone know a less expensive standalone package that does dynamic expansion and EQ? reverb and a stereo enhancer would be nice

Or know a forum that discusses sound engineering software for the home/ enthusiastic amateur, ie not pro?
 
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venomizer

Member
Joined 2010
ventura-audio.de
otto88: post26, the free JB VST plugin bundle contains several useful tools, ... you can even host VST plugins e.g. in an audio player like Winamp, why not have a look how I am doing this here or here... !

Have a nice day!
ven

(P.S. there is another interesting free VST plugin called "EQ22". It is kind of a vintage tube EQ, but also features some dynamics manipulation. if you push the levers upward it somehow expands (if I remember right), though it is not really explained what it exactly does ... )
 
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