Stereo Tool

Version with improved square wave generator. No more spikes above 100% (0 dB), and the spikes that people reported seeing in MpxTool on top/bottom transitions should be gone as well (for freqs above 10 Hz).

Stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 2-018A.exe

Ow. CPU load of the new square wave generator is far too high.

I don't use that...

Seriously... I don't...

...but if you're saying it, it must be really bad then...

Changes in this version:
- Improve square wave generation (now with only small CPU load effect)

Stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 32-019.exe
DSP: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 32-019.exe
VST: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 32-019.dll
Cmd: Not available

Older changes:
- Bass sensitivity clipping level drop: If there are both mids and highs, the drop is a bit less strong than before
- Bass sensitivity clipping level drop: Determining more precisely when the clip is needed. So instead of dropping the bass the whole 4096-samples block, it's now only dropped at the locations of this block where there really are mid/high freqs
- Bug reported by Phoenix ( viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4235 ) should be fixed.
- BS412 also needs a max deviation (+/- 75 kHz) display --> Added
- BS412 sometimes caused drops of upto 2.5 dB. This is preset dependent. --> Adding a slider with which you can specify the amount of headroom; by lowering the output level by 0.05 dB the margin for error is already increased by 50% which seems sufficient. Test if adjustment adjust compressors properly.
- Also adding a BS412 slider with which the max deviation can be lowered; this way you can create a denser sound (apparently many commercial stations like that even though they don't gain any loudness) and it protects against spikes when the sound card or path to the transmitter isn't perfect (reason: Many current processors usually clip the signal at around +/- 50 kHz instead of 75, so in many cases the path to the transmitter doesn't have to be perfect). (Partially done, to be added: BS412 must take clipping into account; clipping level adjustment for pilot/rds).
- Something is broken in latency 512.
- Different up speeds for louder end result
- Sound card adjustment for low freqs needed (that was on my todo list anyway, but I'm moving it to the top now).
- Slightly changed sensitivity behavior (les steep drops and rises of bass). Not sure if this is the best possible solution: Alternative might be to let the bass drops start and end INSIDE the area where loud bass is present, or do the same as now but limit the maximum change speed.
- Made tilt configuration a bit easier (less steep changes at the extremes)
- 2nd RC slider is saved now
- Added displays so you can see what is being sent out to the sound card (including calibrations)
- Changed clipper distortion masking filter, this version should have slightly less distortion than the previous one but almost the same amount of highs.
- Added 2 extra sliders to control the distortion masking. Increasing the 1st or decreasing the 2nd increases the amount of highs. The goal is to find a combination of values which allows the highs to pass without adding (too much) distortion.
2nd slider determines how fast something is determined to be a tone instead of hiss - for tones I don't allow more distortion than before. First slider multiplies the calculated effect (that is, it multiplies the allowed amount of distortion, which doesn't mean that it will actually be used or lead to louder highs).
- Found and fixed several bugs in the clipper (hole punching by loud highs should be reduced).
- Allowing some extra very brief distortion to reduce hole punching by loud highs.
- Improved behavior of Highs Priority to avoid volume drops.
- Improved de-esser
- Cleaned up Loudness panel (removed some things that are no longer needed).
- Added de-esser slope slider. Set it higher to reduce the de-esser effect for highs that are not very loud.



Note about tilt: High frequency square waves are NOT good for testing. Use square for low freqs, normal for high (above approx. 100-200 Hz).

square wave not working in the latest beta . Check it for mistakes !

Could you clarify 'not working'? It seems fine here... Is your CPU load too high? And if so, at which frequency?

Changes in this version:
- Fixed small bug (filter frequency was too low) in square wave generator
- Several code changes for the Carbon Coder plugin which should have no effect on the other versions

Stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 32-020.exe
DSP: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 32-020.exe
VST: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 32-020.dll
Cmd: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 32-020.exe
Linux cmd: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... ETA632-020
Linux GUI http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... ETA632-020
DSP declipper: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 32-020.exe
VST declipper: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 32-020.dll


Older changes:
- Bass sensitivity clipping level drop: If there are both mids and highs, the drop is a bit less strong than before
- Bass sensitivity clipping level drop: Determining more precisely when the clip is needed. So instead of dropping the bass the whole 4096-samples block, it's now only dropped at the locations of this block where there really are mid/high freqs
- Bug reported by Phoenix ( viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4235 ) should be fixed.
- BS412 also needs a max deviation (+/- 75 kHz) display --> Added
- BS412 sometimes caused drops of upto 2.5 dB. This is preset dependent. --> Adding a slider with which you can specify the amount of headroom; by lowering the output level by 0.05 dB the margin for error is already increased by 50% which seems sufficient. Test if adjustment adjust compressors properly.
- Also adding a BS412 slider with which the max deviation can be lowered; this way you can create a denser sound (apparently many commercial stations like that even though they don't gain any loudness) and it protects against spikes when the sound card or path to the transmitter isn't perfect (reason: Many current processors usually clip the signal at around +/- 50 kHz instead of 75, so in many cases the path to the transmitter doesn't have to be perfect). (Partially done, to be added: BS412 must take clipping into account; clipping level adjustment for pilot/rds).
- Something is broken in latency 512.
- Different up speeds for louder end result
- Sound card adjustment for low freqs needed (that was on my todo list anyway, but I'm moving it to the top now).
- Slightly changed sensitivity behavior (les steep drops and rises of bass). Not sure if this is the best possible solution: Alternative might be to let the bass drops start and end INSIDE the area where loud bass is present, or do the same as now but limit the maximum change speed.
- Made tilt configuration a bit easier (less steep changes at the extremes)
- 2nd RC slider is saved now
- Added displays so you can see what is being sent out to the sound card (including calibrations)
- Changed clipper distortion masking filter, this version should have slightly less distortion than the previous one but almost the same amount of highs.
- Added 2 extra sliders to control the distortion masking. Increasing the 1st or decreasing the 2nd increases the amount of highs. The goal is to find a combination of values which allows the highs to pass without adding (too much) distortion.
2nd slider determines how fast something is determined to be a tone instead of hiss - for tones I don't allow more distortion than before. First slider multiplies the calculated effect (that is, it multiplies the allowed amount of distortion, which doesn't mean that it will actually be used or lead to louder highs).
- Found and fixed several bugs in the clipper (hole punching by loud highs should be reduced).
- Allowing some extra very brief distortion to reduce hole punching by loud highs.
- Improved behavior of Highs Priority to avoid volume drops.
- Improved de-esser
- Cleaned up Loudness panel (removed some things that are no longer needed).
- Added de-esser slope slider. Set it higher to reduce the de-esser effect for highs that are not very loud.
- Added Carbon Coder plugin with multi-pass R128 support

No Hans it`s not too high .
But in beta 20 it`s OK
It was freezing when turned on and no signal at the output. That`s it. Sine was OK too. But now it`s all working.

edit :Notice a CPU usage reduce with maybe 6-7 %
and more linear usage ( jumps are reduced ). Now from 24-25 to 29% . Before from 27-28 to 50% . Difference is huge.

@Hans:
A last change I ask you, if possible, change in the slider ABDP "Max Bass Reduction" is the amount of maximum dB can be reduced from the value of the slider "Always bass clip below" and that is not the lower limit to where Bass are reduced.
I think it would be a little more convenient to adjust.

Edit:
In the slider of the De-Esser, the values ​​of -1 to 0 dB, the minus sign disappears. (tested on Stand alone version)

_________________
by GAP
"Less is More" (Bob Katz)

I'm not too sure if that's really easier (the max reduction value affects the amount of distortion, the 'always' value not really).

And I'm stopping with making changes now - need to release it at some point and I want to do that now.