Stereo Tool

Update 20090322:
- Performed a similar quality improvement to the Hard Limit filter.
- Reduced the CPU load a bit (one of the two extra filters in version 20090320 did not have any effect on the sound, so I removed it)
- In High Quality mode: Added an extra filter before the Hard Limit to improve the sound quality of the Hard Limit filter, while allowing a slightly (0.1 dB) louder output signal.

Update 20090325:

1. In the multiband compressor, I've made the bands look at their surroundings more. When a loud frequency is present, the surrounding bands will be lowered a bit also. This seems to give a slightly warmer sound, and also the input volume of the multiband compressor can be increased a bit without getting a very flat sound.

2. There was a bug in the "limit output" clipper of the multiband compressor. I've solved it, and now the peaks in the output signal of the multiband compressor are slightly softer.

The difference in sound quality are minimal, but the bass sounds are about 0.5 dB louder now. It does not seem to have any effects on the rest of the sound.

Thank's Hans, i will give it a test run today.

I have to say that i like stereo tool very much at this point!

/Martijn

Update 20090326:

- Improved the HARD LIMIT filter, to reduce ringing and pumping on loud high frequencies. (This introduces some clicking sounds, but only when loud high frequencies are present, which should mask those sounds. If you hear them anyway, let me know...)
- I have increased the input volume of the HARD LIMIT filter a bit, now the total output volume on all frequencies is approx. 0.3-0.4 dB louder than in version 20090320. (I may have gone a bit too far here, will check that tomorrow).

In version 20090326, Loudness 3.6 is about equal in volume to Loudness 4.0 in 20090320.

EDIT: I just realized that the new filtering is DISABLED when using Direct Sound Card output, unless you also enable "Normal output" in "Send to Winamp"... I'll fix that tomorrow - for now you'll probably get MORE pumping on the Direct Sound Card output than before, and little extra volume.

Hi Hans,
well done with all the hard work you have been doing for the improvement of the stereo tool, i have checked the 20090325 update, i have noticed some further improvement with the sound, it is more open and warmer, i also am going to check the 20090326 update later on with various type of music and will give my comments accordingly. It is a good practice to receive many users opinion and then you finally judge them by yourself prior to release any product.
Truthfully speaking Hans, we have notice a good deal of improvement in sound since the 3.3 version and even the 3.4 version.
Wishing you a good luck with the version 3.5.
Thanks and regards,
Abdul

Update 20090327!

- Reduced the volume by about 0.1-0.15 dB. Higher loudness causes distortion.
- Direct Sound Card Output is now also filtered by the HARD LIMIT filter.
- Due to this, the Composite Limiter now needs to handle far smaller volume differences. Because of that, I've been able to use a much steeper filter in the Composite Limiter which results in a higher output level with less artifacts. (+ 0.5 dB compared to the previous version is possible!)
- Also found a HUGE bug in the Composite Limiter filter due to which spikes were still present in the limited signal in the previous versions (probably also in 3.40). - Solved, the "composite limited" output MPX signal is now really constant (as it should have been all along). Also, in previous versions this bug MAY have caused distortion on the entire MPX signal if the Volume slider was set at or near 1.

So in short, for FM transmitters using the composite limiter, this new version sounds better and is about 0.3 dB louder than yesterday's version.

(Unfortunately the CPU load is probably also a lot higher - I'll perform some measurements soon).

Note: In case you don't want to use a composite limiter because you have read that the pilot tone and RDS signal are damaged by it: That's not the case with the composite limiter in Stereo Tool. The pilot tone and RDS signal are NOT affected by the composite limiter.

Hello,
I just downloaded the 20090327 version, but when I look in "about" the title is the display version 20090326, is this a bug? Or download link to change and I do not have the latest version?
Sorry for the translation, I'm French!
And bravo for your program is by far the best software for processing sound!

Hi There,

The version is the new one compiled on 03-27 i think Hans forgot to update the version info.

/Martijn

OOPS! NO I FORGOT TO UPLOAD IT!

It's online now.

Lol nobody is perfect! To err is human!
Only he who does nothing which does not be silly!
Good day!
Seb.