Stereo Tool

Mapleleaf,

This version should perform a bit better. Could you check what it does on your pc? Thanks!

http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_rt4.dll

Just save it to your Winamp plugins directory, select it from Winamp and check your CPU usage...

Note: It's still labelled 3.27, if this version is indeed faster I'll release it as 3.28.

(Update August 23: Now labeled as 3.28, and - measured on 4 different pc's - equal to or faster than 3.22, depending on the settings)

hi hans,

could you also compile the standalone version?
im also interested because my pc (non sse2) barely can handle stereo tool

thanks

http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... r_BETA.exe

Please not that this version is already labeled as "3.28", but I'll release an official 3.28 version (I'm thinking about adding your highpass filter) later on. So upgrade when it becomes available!

Hi Hans,

men your quick!
Really cool, i'm going to test it on monday.

I'm a bit qurious how stereotool is build.
Where is the preemphasing done?

I'm ask a lot but if you have some spare time left could you show us something like this: http://www.diffusionsoftware.com/images ... _block.gif

This shows where every filter is placed.

grts Gijs

Wooh... I don't have time right now to draw an image of all the filters in Stereo Tool (besides, it still changes every few weeks when I find another improvement...)

Anyway, the pre-emphasis is done before the multiband compressor. This is done intentionally so all the processing steps coming after it can aim at a constant output volume, If the pre-emphasis would be done at the end, it would result in loud peaks, which would cause either pumping caused by high frequencies (sounds really bad), and/or a much lower output volume.

Ok just saw the message and d/l this will check it out.

"update"

cpu is markedly down 7-10% is indicated
sound appear to be richer
note: I am not using winamp only added it to the plugin directory of SAM then used this as the dsp.

On the note of kernal streaming NOT all sound card permit it but for those that do it certainly yields a better audio production sinc eit communicate directly with the sound card.
In doing so I am bale to add the additional feature that the sound card has available.

I like this new version the audio is much richer. avg cpu is 30-38%
I am still using kernal streaming.

I would suggest to release 3.28 IMHO

Hi Hans,

If attached some examples of broadcast processors.
Yust for your information, how the chain is made inside the official processors.

http://www.orban.com/products/radio/fm/ ... ochure.pdf
http://www.omniaaudio.com/tech/mastering.htm

Because I don't now the chain order of stereotool i'm not quite sure if the order of stereotool is ok.

Grtz Gijs

Hi Gijs,

The Omnia description is roughly similar to what Stereo Tool does (the stereo enhancer is placed before the AGC, if you consider the dualband compressor to be the AGC).

I'll look at the PDF file later.

What Stereo Tool does is:
- Noise gate
- Pre Amp
- Stereo enhancer
- Pre Limiter (corresponds to AGC)
- Pre-emphasis
- Highpass and Lowpass filtering
- Multiband compressor/limiter (taking Pre-emphasis into account)
- Clipping
- "Limit output": Total volume limiting/clipping with feedback to multiband compressors
- Final Pre-limiter
- Final Limiter
- Loudness
- Lowpass filtering (2) - filters out high frequencies caused by Loudness
- Very aggressive limiter (Loudness can cause the volume to get above 0 dB, but only if there's a lot of high frequency content. So an agressive limiter can be used for that).
- Lowpass filtering (3) - filters out high frequencies caused by agressive limiter
- Less agressive limiter (removes peaks caused by previous lowpass filter).
- Post Amp
- Add FM pilot, encode stereo and RDS information

Note: Many of these filters are skipped if they are not needed (for example, if Loudness is off, one lowpass filtering and the aggressive limiting steps are skipped).

thanks hans!

Addition: Starting in version 3.30 a composite clipper will be added to the chain, which can give you about 7% higher output levels (although they will not be constantly 7% higher).