Stereo Tool

Stereo Tool 9.03 BETA012

Windows 32 bit:
Windows stand alone: https://www.stereotool.com/download/ste ... 03-012.exe
Winamp DSP: https://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp ... 03-012.exe
VST: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 03-012.dll

Windows 64 bit:
Windows stand alone: https://www.stereotool.com/download/ste ... 03-012.exe
VST: https://www.stereotool.com/download/vst ... 03-012.dll

Latest MicroMPX:
Windows MicroMPX web based decoder: https://www.stereotool.com/download/Mic ... 03-012.exe
Windows MicroMPX web based encoder: https://www.stereotool.com/download/Mic ... 03-012.exe
Windows MicroMPX command line enc/dec: https://www.stereotool.com/download/Mic ... 03-012.exe
Windows libsndfile-1.dll (needed for MicroMPX decoder and command line version, place in same directory): MicroMPX command line enc/dec: https://www.stereotool.com/download/libsndfile-1.dll


New vs old Stokkemask measurement numbers, relative to 48 kHz no stokkemask, for audio with quite extreme stereo. Numbers are L-R loudness, L loudness

Freq     old/new          L-R    L
48   kHz no  Stokkemask:  0.00,  0.00 (reference)
48   kHz new Stokkemask: -0.62, -0.27 (0.46, 0.10 better than old!)
44.1 kHz new Stokkemask: -0.63, -0.22 (0.54, 0.11 better than old!)
40   kHz new Stokkemask: -0.82, -0.29 (0.65, 0.14 better than old!)
48   kHz old Stokkemask: -1.08, -0.37
44.1 kHz old Stokkemask: -1.17, -0.33
40   kHz old Stokkemask: -1.47, -0.43

CHANGES:

• New Stokkemask mode now works well in all Strictness settings above 7 (below 7 it's not very strict)
  
• Stok: Post filter caused NANs
  
• Stok: Move start point to later stage? (TUESDAY)
  
• Cleanup code for VST3 David
  
• Turn BIMP *OFF*
  
• DrawWave draws outside of screen in FM analyzer (TUESDAY) - apparently ok
  
• Include MicroMPX - for real now [22]
  
• Hide Matrix Stereo for now
  
  OLD CHANGES:
  
• Stok: Add post filter
  
• Stok: Legacy CPU load back to that of 9.02
  
• API: Audio signal VU meter, info about whether stream is good NOW.
  
• Started with matrix-based stereo widener; not happy yet.
  
• Stokkemask NAN and other exceptions solved. (from previous beta)
  
• Stokkemask threading issue solved. (from previous beta)
  
• Stok: Remove overlap shortcut for stricter result (increases CPU).
  
• Stok: Measure mask in every stage for stricter result (increases CPU).
  
• Stok: Apply measured results in every stage for stricter result (increases CPU).
  
• Stok: Replace L-R reduction in final stages by total volume reduction.
  
• Stok: Figure out how to adjust shape at different sample rates -> Found correct Gaussian window sigma value instead, applied for both processing and display (which were set differently before!)
  
• Stok: Replace "Looseness (sounds better)" by something that moves the mask up and down.
  
• Stok: 1e stage only inner
  
• Stok: More steps at end, needs to be both tighter and have less effect (is that last thing still needed???)
  
• Stok: Try reducing the audio level in the final stage - lowering highs has proven useless at that point. --> SEEMS TO WORK, but only do this as the last stage!
  
• MicroMPX SWEEP
  
• Fixed a crash in the "Limit instead" code (Advanced Clipper).
  
• Removed (moved to Extreme Tweaker for possible future testing) some Stokkemask settings that had a bad effect on compliance. Good settings are 50% / 30% / 40 dB (without the 40 dB it should be fne too, but there's a bigger chance at overshoots at the bottom of the mask. 100% for the first value increases overshoots!!!!! 39 and 38 should be safe as well - but I haven't had time to measure those separately anymore. Anyway in the older versions this value was set to 0....... Setting it higher may cause an audio quality reduction.
  
• Crash fixed
  
• Stokkemask: Try I/Q Clipper mode, highs are coming out slightly too loud, due to LPF? Might be good enough... -> Idea doesn't work
  
• Stokkemask: We don't care about CPU load, try adding more stages -> No effect
  
• Stokkemask: Default back to 50% for safety - that way we don't have to worry about breaking older versions. And we still get 90% of the improvement that way.
  
• More experimental stokkemask settings added.
  
• Stokkemask: Improved further (looks about equally strict, but I can squeeze over 1 dB more anti-phase content through than with 9.02). NOTE: SETTINGS ARE DEFAULTING TO 9.02 BEHAVIOR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YET IF THE SIGNAL IS EQUALLY STRICT, AND I DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO GET FINED FOR HAVING STOKKEMASK OVERSHOOTS. To get the new behavior, set "New looseness 1" higher (50% should definitely be safe, I'm not sure about 100%), "New looseness 2" to 30%, and "Side level" to 40.
  
• Improved Stokkemask - output is stricter (closer to the mask), so it has less impact on stereo separation. (*)
  
• Memory usage reduced by about 12 MB
  
  PLANNED:
  
• Sneak peek - PHOTO
  
• Stok: Lower samplerates look less good (and that makes no sense test without LOWER) -> 44.1 is ok now (-0.01 dB), 40 kHz is clearly lower (-0.20 dB), still way better than before (it was more than -0.40 dB in 9.02).
  
• Add MicroMPX plugin licensing [22]
  
• Fix Pi build (Stokkemask NEON code)
  
• Update LogInOut code
  
• Add MicroMPX decoder abonneer-IP Done but might not work - wait for Mathijs
• Update Paul Thompson and Bojcha presets and Dutch Moose
  -
• Coins
• The BIMP BUSY, done?
• The BIMP on LQLL
• Matrix stereo widener BUSY, problem with suddenly loud stereo (goes down in level, makes everything pump - badly). Try running L+R with a slower attack speed, if that doesn't sound good, remove it.
• Allow lower latency (6 ms, 9 ms) (it's just a setting, but show a warning if Quality it not set to 150%)
  -
• Crackle in 2nd PDF track
• SST/uMPX interface BUSY
• Improve clipper sound 1-6 kHz area
• Video
• Add Kantar support BUSY
• MicroMPX: highs idea BUSY -> Find beta testers TEST STOKKEMASK EFFECT TOMORROW
  -
• Optimize Stokkemask post filter
• RDS urgent issue
• Cntrct IN
  -
• Show warning when using MME with wrong sample rate
• Test preset that causes buffer to run empty - why? --> Settings issue, maybe add a popup for this situation (buffer is slowly filling up or running empty)...
• Bug report: Linux version uses 100% CPU on one thread, even in bypass mode (must be sound card thread?) -> Not here. Not sure what's going on.....
• Test 64 bit sound card exception handling in ProppFrexx - that wasn't the problem... apparently
  -
• Declipper: Put startup in system tray back in Declipper (at least in the Winamp plugin version).
• RDS: EON: Support for other type of AF frequencies?
• RDS: Support for AF method B
• RDS: RT end at \n
• Brian, NAB
• MOBO
• uMPX encoder/plugin: Sound card speed message
• uMPX decoder: Add multicast subscribe
• Add MagicRDS AF method B support

Hello, Hans,

I accidentally tried password management, and I noticed a bug in the windows layout that becomes completely messy, my resolution is 1920x1024 on a 22 inch screen. Linked images

Oops ! how to get smaller images in the forum

Ah, I need to hide those pages if you're logged out - I added them after adding password protection....

If you restrict the use of the software by a password, only the login should appear at the top, of course the visual indications below for operation are displayed normally, this is my opinion

Hi Hans,

just installed 9.02 (upgrade from 8.54) on my Ubuntu 16.04 system (64 bit). I already mentioned the problem that the GUI does not always pops up when you start steretool on my system viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24054. It actually more often does not pop up then it does. The stereotool is running however, it is just the GUI that is not visible. After killing the process once or more and restarting it, it does pop up. Are you planning to have a look at this or are other Linux systems worth to give a try? I can do that if you prefer to.

Maybe someone else who is running ST on a Linux system? What OS do you use?

For now, great update! Bastardizer also sounds awesome . Keep up the good work!

Stereo Tool 9.03 BETA013

Windows 32 bit:
Windows stand alone: https://www.stereotool.com/download/ste ... 03-013.exe
Winamp DSP: https://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp ... 03-013.exe
VST: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 03-013.dll

Windows 64 bit:
Windows stand alone: https://www.stereotool.com/download/ste ... 03-013.exe
VST: https://www.stereotool.com/download/vst ... 03-013.dll

Latest MicroMPX:
Windows MicroMPX web based decoder: https://www.stereotool.com/download/Mic ... 03-013.exe
Windows MicroMPX web based encoder: https://www.stereotool.com/download/Mic ... 03-013.exe
Windows MicroMPX command line enc/dec: https://www.stereotool.com/download/Mic ... 03-013.exe
Windows libsndfile-1.dll (needed for MicroMPX decoder and command line version, place in same directory): MicroMPX command line enc/dec: https://www.stereotool.com/download/libsndfile-1.dll


New vs old Stokkemask measurement numbers, relative to 48 kHz no stokkemask, for audio with quite extreme stereo. Numbers are L-R loudness, L loudness

Freq     old/new          L-R    L
48   kHz no  Stokkemask:  0.00,  0.00 (reference)
48   kHz new Stokkemask: -0.62, -0.27 (0.46, 0.10 better than old!)
44.1 kHz new Stokkemask: -0.63, -0.22 (0.54, 0.11 better than old!)
40   kHz new Stokkemask: -0.82, -0.29 (0.65, 0.14 better than old!)
48   kHz old Stokkemask: -1.08, -0.37
44.1 kHz old Stokkemask: -1.17, -0.33
40   kHz old Stokkemask: -1.47, -0.43

CHANGES:

• Stok: Lower samplerates look less good (and that makes no sense test without LOWER) -> 44.1 is ok now (-0.01 dB), 40 kHz is clearly lower (-0.20 dB), still way better than before (it was more than -0.40 dB in 9.02).
  
• Add MicroMPX plugin licensing [22]
  
• Fix Pi build (Stokkemask NEON code)
  
• Update LogInOut code
  
  OLD CHANGES:
  
• New Stokkemask mode now works well in all Strictness settings above 7 (below 7 it's not very strict)
  
• Stok: Post filter caused NANs
  
• Stok: Move start point to later stage? (TUESDAY)
  
• Cleanup code for VST3 David
  
• Turn BIMP *OFF*
  
• DrawWave draws outside of screen in FM analyzer (TUESDAY) - apparently ok
  
• Include MicroMPX - for real now [22]
  
• Hide Matrix Stereo for now
  
• Stok: Add post filter
  
• Stok: Legacy CPU load back to that of 9.02
  
• API: Audio signal VU meter, info about whether stream is good NOW.
  
• Started with matrix-based stereo widener; not happy yet.
  
• Stokkemask NAN and other exceptions solved. (from previous beta)
  
• Stokkemask threading issue solved. (from previous beta)
  
• Stok: Remove overlap shortcut for stricter result (increases CPU).
  
• Stok: Measure mask in every stage for stricter result (increases CPU).
  
• Stok: Apply measured results in every stage for stricter result (increases CPU).
  
• Stok: Replace L-R reduction in final stages by total volume reduction.
  
• Stok: Figure out how to adjust shape at different sample rates -> Found correct Gaussian window sigma value instead, applied for both processing and display (which were set differently before!)
  
• Stok: Replace "Looseness (sounds better)" by something that moves the mask up and down.
  
• Stok: 1e stage only inner
  
• Stok: More steps at end, needs to be both tighter and have less effect (is that last thing still needed???)
  
• Stok: Try reducing the audio level in the final stage - lowering highs has proven useless at that point. --> SEEMS TO WORK, but only do this as the last stage!
  
• MicroMPX SWEEP
  
• Fixed a crash in the "Limit instead" code (Advanced Clipper).
  
• Removed (moved to Extreme Tweaker for possible future testing) some Stokkemask settings that had a bad effect on compliance. Good settings are 50% / 30% / 40 dB (without the 40 dB it should be fne too, but there's a bigger chance at overshoots at the bottom of the mask. 100% for the first value increases overshoots!!!!! 39 and 38 should be safe as well - but I haven't had time to measure those separately anymore. Anyway in the older versions this value was set to 0....... Setting it higher may cause an audio quality reduction.
  
• Crash fixed
  
• Stokkemask: Try I/Q Clipper mode, highs are coming out slightly too loud, due to LPF? Might be good enough... -> Idea doesn't work
  
• Stokkemask: We don't care about CPU load, try adding more stages -> No effect
  
• Stokkemask: Default back to 50% for safety - that way we don't have to worry about breaking older versions. And we still get 90% of the improvement that way.
  
• More experimental stokkemask settings added.
  
• Stokkemask: Improved further (looks about equally strict, but I can squeeze over 1 dB more anti-phase content through than with 9.02). NOTE: SETTINGS ARE DEFAULTING TO 9.02 BEHAVIOR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YET IF THE SIGNAL IS EQUALLY STRICT, AND I DON'T WANT SOMEONE TO GET FINED FOR HAVING STOKKEMASK OVERSHOOTS. To get the new behavior, set "New looseness 1" higher (50% should definitely be safe, I'm not sure about 100%), "New looseness 2" to 30%, and "Side level" to 40.
  
• Improved Stokkemask - output is stricter (closer to the mask), so it has less impact on stereo separation. (*)
  
• Memory usage reduced by about 12 MB
  
  PLANNED:
  
• Add MicroMPX decoder abonneer-IP Done but might not work - wait for Mathijs
  
• Update Paul Thompson and Bojcha presets and Dutch Moose
  -
  
• Crackle in 2nd PDF track -> Improved
  
• Allow lower latency (6 ms, 9 ms) (it's just a setting, but show a warning if Quality it not set to 150%)
  
• Improve clipper sound 1-6 kHz area
• License The BIMP
• SST ID's
• Test The BIMP
• Test MicroMPX with Stokkemask
• PRESET
  -
• Fri: SST/uMPX interface BUSY
• Video
  -
• MicroMPX: highs idea BUSY -> Find beta testers TEST STOKKEMASK EFFECT TOMORROW
  -
• Coins
• Add Kantar support BUSY
• The BIMP on LQLL
• Lower latency quality warning
• Matrix stereo widener BUSY, problem with suddenly loud stereo (goes down in level, makes everything pump - badly). Try running L+R with a slower attack speed, if that doesn't sound good, remove it.
• Optimize Stokkemask post filter
• RDS urgent issue
• Cntrct IN
  -
• Show warning when using MME with wrong sample rate
• Test preset that causes buffer to run empty - why? --> Settings issue, maybe add a popup for this situation (buffer is slowly filling up or running empty)...
• Bug report: Linux version uses 100% CPU on one thread, even in bypass mode (must be sound card thread?) -> Not here. Not sure what's going on.....
• Test 64 bit sound card exception handling in ProppFrexx - that wasn't the problem... apparently
  -
• Declipper: Put startup in system tray back in Declipper (at least in the Winamp plugin version).
• RDS: EON: Support for other type of AF frequencies?
• RDS: Support for AF method B
• RDS: RT end at \n
• Brian, NAB
• MOBO
• uMPX encoder/plugin: Sound card speed message
• uMPX decoder: Add multicast subscribe
• Add MagicRDS AF method B support

It seems to be a linux issue, since we've seen the same thing happening to other programs as well. It's certainly planned to have a look at this to find a workaround, though we're not sure when. Probably after IBC, anyway. Too busy already

_________________
Imaging producer & Stereo Tool audio processing consultant

I'm doing tests on my Optimod this afternoon. I confirm that the option is called "AGC Matrix" on the Optimods. Then, you have to choose "L/R" or "sum/dif".

Beta 9.03 0.13 doesn't display GUI on Windows (x32 version).
Is this a known problem? Just a white window.