Stereo Tool

I still haven't gotten the output that I want out of the exciter. Sound is much clearer now (no distortion, much fewer MP3-like artifacts), but there are some other issues and the CPU load is going through the roof. I hope to be able to post something tomorrow, but if so it will be extremely heavy (but it will be a reference point for what is possible).

I had to increase the number of bands to 160 to get rid of the MP3-effects......
Oddly, and very counter-intuitively, reducing the number of bands makes it much worse. 1 band doesn't have them, but 5 bands already does. At 160 it's nearly gone again.

7.85 BETA012

Windows 32 bit:
Windows stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 85-013.exe
Winamp DSP: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 85-013.exe
Windows VST 32 bit: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 85-013.dll

CHANGED:
- Improved Exciter: Increased number of bands from 40 to 160. MP3-like artifacts AND distortion should be gone now.
- Exciter: Calculate target amplification levels for each bin using white (?) noise!

Example input (lowpassed at 10 kHz) and output file:
https://www.wetransfer.com/downloads/cd ... 413/a461a1

OLD CHANGES:
- Fixed some Exciter issues (which might have been the cause of errors that some people reported).
- Improved Exciter: Now using 40 bands instead of 1
- Show something in settings that have been changed (for example a dot next to the name of the setting).
- Add license check function: extern "C" bool stereoTool_IsLicenseValid(gStereoTool* st_instance);
- Added some filtering to make sound less 'sandy' (distorted).
- Exciter: Check why it sometimes boosts audio around 10 kHz (?) more than it should (Johnnie Cash) - protection filter appears not to work completely. Compare what happens without protection filter! -> Fixed (more or less)
- Added a soft of exciter (not an FM exciter but something that generates highs). I've placed it (for now) under True Bass, and it cannot be configured yet. Not really sure what to make of it yet, I think I like it but it does sound a bit "rough" sometimes. Note: It can cause pre- and post ringing at higher latency settings (I will fix that later, first want to get a bit of a feeling for what it does).
- Make scope skinnable
- Bug: i found one malfunction in the BS412 Section: If your switch off the FM Option and leave the BS412 Limiter in On-Position the Advanced Clipper only works in a reduced way: You can´t change the Clipper drive even if you pull the handle. The BS412 Limiter is greyed out instead so maybe someone doesn´t find the failure. If You switch the BS412 to off everything works fine again! Just a small detail, but maybe someone will have problems… -> I think I have fixed it (but there are a lot of different combinations of settings that can impact the result, I hope I haven't missed any). The next version shouldn't have this problem anymore, also, when BS412 is used I have now disabled the Advanced Clipper Drive slider.
I've been busy hiding a lot more deprecated features (if they are set to their default value). This should make the GUI a bit simpler. Stuff that's now hidden (still there and still functional if you really want to use it):
- "Bass AGC (Old)" panel
- "Classic Multiband Compressor" panel
- "Classic Singleband" panel
- "Pre-limiter" panel (in Advanced Clipper)
- "Leif's clipper efficiency modification" checkbox
- "Composite clipping Strictness (CPU)" checkbox
- Phase rotation: ""At start of processing" checkbox
- AGC "Compatibility & behavior" header
- All Singleband and Multiband "Compressor type" (Analog/Digital) pull-downs
- Multiband and Natural Dynamics "Compatibility mode (bad)" for Flat Frequency Response checkbox
- "Bass protection (Deprecated)" header in Advanced Clipper -> Bass
- "Highs gap protection: *" in Advanced Clipper -> Highs
- "Smooth slope" in Advanced Clipper -> Distortion
- "Upsampled highs clipping (useless)" in Advanced Clipper -> Distortion
- Stokkemask: "Force Stokkemask even if not using Composite Clipping (bad for audio)"
- BS412: ""De-basser non-ITU.1770 compatibility mode (bad)"
- Right clicking now restores default again, mid or double right clicking restores last loaded preset (or startup) value.
Bug: If you use FM and Normal output, with separately processed audio for streaming for Normal output, and for FM output enable pre-emphasis but *not* pre-emphasize output, then Normal output is not processed separately!
- What is the pink line in the BS412 display? Maybe remove it. http://i.imgur.com/70mWvqp.png -> Ah no, it's the adjustment of the compressor thresholds. Needs to be added to Help page.
- BS412 has VERY narrow jump on de-basser from 240 to 250 Hz. (Jump of multiple dB's). -> No, brown line jumps but actual output is smooth, so no problem.
- BS412 bass filter doesn't use ITU1770 as it should but some weird other shape that goes up to about 250 Hz.
- Need to support 2 default values and a RESET TO LAST LOADED VALUE reset option.
- Hide not selected deprecated stuff - partially working!
- Move Copyright stuff etc. also to command line version (maybe just copy it?)

TODO:
- Try "True Bass" for highs -> Probably make a version where different modes (with/without filtering, with better HPF) are tested. Maybe also with multiple bands?? To reduce generated distortion.
- Exciter: Smooth curve to avoid ringing (which is now filtered out by later steps, but that's bad).
- Exciter: Check why lowest part (just above start) is too soft.
- Add Polar stereo viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6233&p=33031#p33031
- Continue with finding parameters to hide
- Try adding phase delay compensation
- O skin
- Blog post pre-processing
- Blog post MP3 and declipping

Oops - when I enable the Exciter, StereoTool immediately crashes.

Problem Details from Windows:

Problemereignisname:	BEX
  Anwendungsname:	StereoTool.exe
  Anwendungsversion:	0.0.0.0
  Anwendungszeitstempel:	56a17093
  Fehlermodulname:	StereoTool.exe
  Fehlermodulversion:	0.0.0.0
  Fehlermodulzeitstempel:	56a17093
  Ausnahmeoffset:	00e8bcf7
  Ausnahmecode:	c0000417
  Ausnahmedaten:	00000000
  Betriebsystemversion:	6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.49
  Gebietsschema-ID:	1031
  Zusatzinformation 1:	61a0
  Zusatzinformation 2:	61a0f2de3b59a9adb63494d31ba4eee1
  Zusatzinformation 3:	d66e
  Zusatzinformation 4:	d66e25f6191c4bd1cd79d019ab17f9ac

+1

Oops! Found it. Will fix it and upload a new one.

7.85 BETA014

Windows 32 bit:
Windows stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 85-014.exe
Winamp DSP: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 85-014.exe
Windows VST 32 bit: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 85-014.dll

CHANGED:
- Error (crash) on some systems should be solved
- Exciter generates more highs than the previous version (which generated too little). The amount of filtering is reduced though!

OLD CHANGES:
- Improved Exciter: Increased number of bands from 40 to 160. MP3-like artifacts AND distortion should be gone now.
- Exciter: Calculate target amplification levels for each bin using white (?) noise!
- Fixed some Exciter issues (which might have been the cause of errors that some people reported).
- Improved Exciter: Now using 40 bands instead of 1
- Show something in settings that have been changed (for example a dot next to the name of the setting).
- Add license check function: extern "C" bool stereoTool_IsLicenseValid(gStereoTool* st_instance);
- Added some filtering to make sound less 'sandy' (distorted).
- Exciter: Check why it sometimes boosts audio around 10 kHz (?) more than it should (Johnnie Cash) - protection filter appears not to work completely. Compare what happens without protection filter! -> Fixed (more or less)
- Added a soft of exciter (not an FM exciter but something that generates highs). I've placed it (for now) under True Bass, and it cannot be configured yet. Not really sure what to make of it yet, I think I like it but it does sound a bit "rough" sometimes. Note: It can cause pre- and post ringing at higher latency settings (I will fix that later, first want to get a bit of a feeling for what it does).
- Make scope skinnable
- Bug: i found one malfunction in the BS412 Section: If your switch off the FM Option and leave the BS412 Limiter in On-Position the Advanced Clipper only works in a reduced way: You can´t change the Clipper drive even if you pull the handle. The BS412 Limiter is greyed out instead so maybe someone doesn´t find the failure. If You switch the BS412 to off everything works fine again! Just a small detail, but maybe someone will have problems… -> I think I have fixed it (but there are a lot of different combinations of settings that can impact the result, I hope I haven't missed any). The next version shouldn't have this problem anymore, also, when BS412 is used I have now disabled the Advanced Clipper Drive slider.
I've been busy hiding a lot more deprecated features (if they are set to their default value). This should make the GUI a bit simpler. Stuff that's now hidden (still there and still functional if you really want to use it):
- "Bass AGC (Old)" panel
- "Classic Multiband Compressor" panel
- "Classic Singleband" panel
- "Pre-limiter" panel (in Advanced Clipper)
- "Leif's clipper efficiency modification" checkbox
- "Composite clipping Strictness (CPU)" checkbox
- Phase rotation: ""At start of processing" checkbox
- AGC "Compatibility & behavior" header
- All Singleband and Multiband "Compressor type" (Analog/Digital) pull-downs
- Multiband and Natural Dynamics "Compatibility mode (bad)" for Flat Frequency Response checkbox
- "Bass protection (Deprecated)" header in Advanced Clipper -> Bass
- "Highs gap protection: *" in Advanced Clipper -> Highs
- "Smooth slope" in Advanced Clipper -> Distortion
- "Upsampled highs clipping (useless)" in Advanced Clipper -> Distortion
- Stokkemask: "Force Stokkemask even if not using Composite Clipping (bad for audio)"
- BS412: ""De-basser non-ITU.1770 compatibility mode (bad)"
- Right clicking now restores default again, mid or double right clicking restores last loaded preset (or startup) value.
Bug: If you use FM and Normal output, with separately processed audio for streaming for Normal output, and for FM output enable pre-emphasis but *not* pre-emphasize output, then Normal output is not processed separately!
- What is the pink line in the BS412 display? Maybe remove it. http://i.imgur.com/70mWvqp.png -> Ah no, it's the adjustment of the compressor thresholds. Needs to be added to Help page.
- BS412 has VERY narrow jump on de-basser from 240 to 250 Hz. (Jump of multiple dB's). -> No, brown line jumps but actual output is smooth, so no problem.
- BS412 bass filter doesn't use ITU1770 as it should but some weird other shape that goes up to about 250 Hz.
- Need to support 2 default values and a RESET TO LAST LOADED VALUE reset option.
- Hide not selected deprecated stuff - partially working!
- Move Copyright stuff etc. also to command line version (maybe just copy it?)

TODO:
- Try "True Bass" for highs -> Probably make a version where different modes (with/without filtering, with better HPF) are tested. Maybe also with multiple bands?? To reduce generated distortion.
- Exciter: Smooth curve to avoid ringing (which is now filtered out by later steps, but that's bad).
- Exciter: Check why lowest part (just above start) is too soft.
- Add Polar stereo viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6233&p=33031#p33031
- Continue with finding parameters to hide
- Try adding phase delay compensation
- O skin
- Blog post pre-processing
- Blog post MP3 and declipping

I still have gaps when i enable it....! dont know why..! at any settings.
Cpy on 31% memory at about ~144mb

_________________
Sexy Girls in your city

If I select highs he begins to stutter

Winamp Dsp

Windows 7 64 bit Intel Core i5-4670K CPU 3.40GHz

Beta14 doesn't crash anymore, but CPU-Load is so high that I cannot test it Buffers running empty almost immediately.

Yeah, it's 160 bands! Anyway I'll make an option to turn 160 bands on or off. I'm actually not really sure if 1 band doesn't sound better in the end...