Declip program restores dynamic impact to modern recordings

[kevtronics]

Not sure whether to post this in "Production" or "Engineering", but since it relates to audio processing, I'll post it here...

I came across this amazing "Declip" program:

http://www.cutestudio.net/data/products/audio/declip/index.php?sid=0

The results are outstanding... far better than the "Clip Restoration" feature in Cool Edit Pro / Adobe Audition. It even restored the bass drum beats to Kelly Clarkson's horrendously clipped "Because Of You" without causing any audible artifacts. Here's the waveform of the original track (right channel, WaveGain normalized) on top, and the Declip-processed version on bottom (also WaveGain normalized):

http://mysite.verizon.net/tekel/kellyclip.gif

Declip automatically reduces the peak level of each track as necessary to make headroom for the restored peaks. It does a lot to not only make modern songs sound better, but also to make them more "processing- friendly". It even handled "Livin' La Vida Loca" well -- one of the most dynamically smashed songs in my entire music library.

 

[Studio1]

Looks like a useful program...

Would be nice however if someone could write a Windows GUI for it.

I don't mind command line operation but a Windows interface would make life so much easier.

 

[BofH]

I gave it a whirl on Vanessa Carlton's latest CD "Heroes & Thieves" (GREAT artist and album, BAD Mastering however)

Unfortunately it wasn't able to do to much with it as I don't think there was much of a stereo soundstage to work with.

Will try on some other tracks and see how it goes.

 

[Robert Bass]

Looks like a useful program...

Would be nice however if someone could write a Windows GUI for it.

I'll second that!

R

 

[SirRoxalot]

Not a front end, but...

If you find some settings that you like, you could create a batch file, or create a shortcut with the program file followed by the appropriate switches. If you create a folder, you could put in several shortcuts for different presets.

 

[kevtronics]

Re: Not a front end, but...

The Declip command line progam doesn't accept wildcards, but you can use the FOR command to process a group of WAV files, as such:

FOR %A IN (*.WAV) DO DECLIP %A C:\Declipped\%A

Assuming you're in the directory containing the WAV files to be processed (use CD to get there, if necessary), that command will process all the WAV files in that directory, and then save the resulting declipped WAV files in the directory called "C:\Declipped".

If you're using Windows 95/98/ME, type LFNFOR ON first to enable the FOR command to process long file names. This is not needed in Windows NT/2000/XP.

 

[Turntable]

Could you post audio samples of the difference? Even a 192 MP3 would easily show the difference.

Visually, it looks impossible.

Lets see?

-A

 

[Lee_Sackett]

Could you post audio samples of the difference? Even a 192 MP3 would easily show the difference.

Visually, it looks impossible.

Lets see?

-A

http://www.cutestudio.net/data/products/audio/CD clipping/index.php?sid=0

Scroll down almost to the bottom of the page.

 

[Info-warrior]

While I think I hear a bit of difference, I didn't hear the improvement to the vocals that the author hears.

 

[fm-engineer]

I hear a moderate improvement with a standard soundblaster equipped computer. I just played the same clip through an audio science soundcard. The difference is quite amazing.

 

[Info-warrior]

I wonder if it can do anything to the "remastered" version of Warrior Soul's Last Decade: Dead Century album. Rip any song from that into Cool Edit and look at the waveform. Unless you zoom in, you can hardly see any peaks or valleys.

There's so much distortion, the music audibly breaks up and all that great drumming is lost in the mush.

I don't know how the people at Escapi 'Music' could put this out nor the former members of the band for that matter? I love this LP, but I guess if I want a genuine factory CD copy, I'll have to look for a used 1991 release.

 

[Studio1]

There's so much distortion, the music audibly breaks up and all that great drumming is lost in the mush.

I don't know how the people at Escapi 'Music' could put this out nor the former members of the band for that matter?

I have noticed similar issues with various albums and tracks by a range of artists. It seems like the recording engineer did it on a Friday
or he was stoned off his face at the time, or both.

There is so little quality control done these days. As someone once said about computer parts: "There is no QC at the factory - the QC is done by you, the end user. If it's faulty, you send it back and get another one. The one you send back, they throw it in the bin".

 

[Lee_Sackett]

There's so much distortion, the music audibly breaks up and all that great drumming is lost in the mush.

I don't know how the people at Escapi 'Music' could put this out nor the former members of the band for that matter?

I have noticed similar issues with various albums and tracks by a range of artists. It seems like the recording engineer did it on a Friday
or he was stoned off his face at the time, or both.

There is so little quality control done these days. As someone once said about computer parts: "There is no QC at the factory - the QC is done by you, the end user. If it's faulty, you send it back and get another one. The one you send back, they throw it in the bin".

Nope, it's done on purpose, at the direction of the artist or the producer: "Make mine louder than _______'s latest album." Cute tricks like over driving preamps and "clipping the converters."

 

[Info-warrior]

There's so much distortion, the music audibly breaks up and all that great drumming is lost in the mush.

I don't know how the people at Escapi 'Music' could put this out nor the former members of the band for that matter?

I have noticed similar issues with various albums and tracks by a range of artists. It seems like the recording engineer did it on a Friday
or he was stoned off his face at the time, or both.

There is so little quality control done these days. As someone once said about computer parts: "There is no QC at the factory - the QC is done by you, the end user. If it's faulty, you send it back and get another one. The one you send back, they throw it in the bin".

Nope, it's done on purpose, at the direction of the artist or the producer: "Make mine louder than _______'s latest album." Cute tricks like over driving preamps and "clipping the converters."

I have no doubt that it was done under the direction of someone.

Honestly, the Warrior Soul example above wouldn't even have bothered me if it was originally produced that way and all they were doing is just trying to recreate that sound for the new release, but it wasn't. It was a 1990 record, I'm sure they could have gotten more loudness while still keeping it sounding like a 1990 record.

I guess I look at it in the same way people viewed the re-edited Star Wars films: restoration was fine, but no one should have altered a classic.

The artists et al could do what they like since it is their property, but it's a shame that great work gets ruined over a non-exsitant problem

 

[Lee_Sackett]

Honestly, the Warrior Soul example above wouldn't even have bothered me if it was originally produced that way and all they were doing is just trying to recreate that sound for the new release, but it wasn't. It was a 1990 record, I'm sure they could have gotten more loudness while still keeping it sounding like a 1990 record.

I guess I look at it in the same way people viewed the re-edited Star Wars films: restoration was fine, but no one should have altered a classic.

The artists et al could do what they like since it is their property, but it's a shame that great work gets ruined over a non-exsitant problem

I really hate it when they do that to older stuff. I once forked over $42 for the vinyl pressing of the remastered George Harrison album "All Things Must Pass," only to find that they had even flat topped the vinyl version - the ultimate sacrilege!

Here's an article about the remastering of the Led Zeppelin collection. Check out the quote by Abbey Road mastering engineer Peter Mew about doing that to old stuff because he wants to keep a paycheck coming in! He never mentions that the artist wanted him to do that!

 

[stace]

Nope, it's done on purpose, at the direction of the artist or the producer: "Make mine louder than _______'s latest album." Cute tricks like over driving preamps and "clipping the converters."

True, but this makes no sense at all. How can you get into a loudness war with yourself? When do you have two albums playing where you can compare?? If I'm listening to a CD I'm happy to turn the volume knob up. Different story on the radio dial though!

In the words of Frank Foti, a listener can always turn it up, but he can't undo a distorted clipped sound.

At least I think thats from one of the Omnia manuals??? Same goes for an album track

 

[gtomas]

In the words of Frank Foti, a listener can always turn it up, but he can't undo a distorted clipped sound.

At least I think thats from one of the Omnia manuals??? Same goes for an album track

Actually, I think those are Bob Orban's words He puts that distortion vs loudness paragraph in every manual since I think Orban 8200...


Regards,
Goran Tomas

 

[FredRichards]

There is a app within Sound Forge which I have used on CD rips where the stuff is limited and compressed to death. That's the only one I know of that actually works.

 

[rorban]

In the words of Frank Foti, a listener can always turn it up, but he can't undo a distorted clipped sound.

At least I think thats from one of the Omnia manuals??? Same goes for an album track

Actually, I think those are Bob Orban's words He puts that distortion vs loudness paragraph in every manual since I think Orban 8200...


Regards,
Goran Tomas

Yep, those are my words. They were written a *long* time ago, but are as true as ever. Too bad the congregation never seems to accept the sermon :-(

Bob Orban