This high end shrillness from low bitrate mp3's is what i have been fighting for years. The agc setup in sound solution, many other plugins, and sam ver3+ have not allowed me to address this. I think I finally have an answer. look at it and maybe you can add a stage in front of the preamp. i am finally happy with the sound but will work to replace lowbitrate mp3 with 320k ones. even then different music styles and different recording labels make me want to change settings for each.
i will post my settings if i can. What i have done after several days of twiking/expermenting and listing to many hundreds of songs over air with several radios is this.
remember i use SAM 4 so I turned on the 5 band stage in sam-mixer-agc. everything is off but the 5 band and then only the expander and limiter , not the compressor. And only for the 3 top bands #'s 3, 4, and 5. band gain sliders should all be 0.
the problem is with different songs using the preamp and prelimiter as a form of AGC boost the artifacts created by the mp3 compression. any setting over about 2.18 on the slider will cause crackling and shrillness especally on the s and sh sounds. the agc in other dsp all suffered from the same issue.
using this setup gets me 3 things.
1) a very nice 3 band limiter on the high end only. this can be set to drop the edge off the highs and reduce the tininess.
2) an expander to bring out the quite between notes, a little more help for the quiter passages
3) band link sliders. linking 4 and 5 about 6% really helps drop the essss off.
this has allowed me to push the preamp slider in STool back up a bit and ease the compression in the multiband. this lets me bring up the highs and open up the sound. lower bitrate mp3 96k now sound much more like a 320k. not as rich since to much data is lost in the encode but at least the annoying tinness(sic) and esss is droppedway down with out dulling the sound.
maybe you can add a multiband stage before the preamp for highs only. if i can post my preset from sam i will. sts extensions still not allowed so here is my current on air preset.
Mike
khel
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Stereotool preset
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[Common]
Pre amplifier=3.139999866
Post amplifier=1
Extra loudness=1.090000033
Hard limit output=1
Downsample very high input sample rates to near 44.1 kHz=0
Mode=Advanced
[Singleband Compressor]
Enabled=0
Difference=0
Maximum volume=1.5
Maximum value=24576
Attack speed=0.00009
Decay speed=0.100000001
Above Top Limiter=0
[Pre Compressor]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Delay enabled=0
Maximum volume - Band 1=27970
Maximum volume - Band 2=10170
Attack speed - Band 1=0.000032212
Attack speed - Band 2=0.000032212
Decay speed - Band 1=0.001414664
Decay speed - Band 2=0.002081846
[Multiband Compressor]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Delay enabled=0
Very high quality enabled=1
Maximum volume - Band -1=5250
Maximum volume - Band 0=7120
Maximum volume - Band 1=7120
Maximum volume - Band 2=6940
Maximum volume - Band 3=6850
Maximum volume - Band 4=6610
Maximum volume - Band 5=5420
Maximum volume - Band 6=4410
Maximum volume - Band 7=3220
Maximum volume - Band 8=850
Attack speeds linked=0
Attack speed - Band -1=0.000090152
Attack speed - Band 0=0.000264443
Attack speed - Band 1=0.000264443
Attack speed - Band 2=0.000090152
Attack speed - Band 3=0.000072158
Attack speed - Band 4=0.000072158
Attack speed - Band 5=0.000055309
Attack speed - Band 6=0.000055309
Attack speed - Band 7=0.000034489
Attack speed - Band 8=0.000055309
Decay speeds linked=0
Decay speed - Band -1=0.001414664
Decay speed - Band 0=0.001828427
Decay speed - Band 1=0.00160793
Decay speed - Band 2=0.0010933
Decay speed - Band 3=0.0010933
Decay speed - Band 4=0.0010933
Decay speed - Band 5=0.0010933
Decay speed - Band 6=0.001244719
Decay speed - Band 7=0.001244719
Decay speed - Band 8=0.001244719
Above Top Limiter=0.699999988
Clipping enabled=1
Postprocessing enabled=1
Relative clip position - Band -1=1.777777672
Relative clip position - Band 0=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 1=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 2=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 3=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 4=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 5=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 6=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 7=1.985074759
Relative clip position - Band 8=1.985074759
Final limiter value=0.354799986
Final limiter decay speed=0.002506041
Final limiter clipping=1.56410265
Equalizer enabled=1
Equalize before multiband-compression=0
Equalizer position - Band -1=0.886792541
Equalizer position - Band 0=1.247190952
Equalizer position - Band 1=1.247190952
Equalizer position - Band 2=0.886792541
Equalizer position - Band 3=1
Equalizer position - Band 4=1.127659559
Equalizer position - Band 5=1.247190952
Equalizer position - Band 6=1.127659559
Equalizer position - Band 7=1
Equalizer position - Band 8=0.886792541
[Stereo]
Enabled=1
Delay enabled=0
Difference=0
Center bass=1
AZIMUTH limit=12.199999809
AZIMUTH change speed=1.370000005
Image phase amplifier=1.330000043
Image phase amplifier maximum angle=180
Image phase amplifier maximum separation strength=25.63999939
Image width amplifier=1.110000014
Extra phase shift=0
Mono or stereo only=0
[Channel Delay]
Enabled=0
Left Delay=0
[Output Filter]
Enabled=1
Lowpass filter=15000
[Final Pre-Limiter]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Pre-amp=1.000255942
Response time=0.400000006
[Final Limiter]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Pre-amp=0.914943933
Response time=0.100000001
[FM Transmitter]
Enabled=0
Pre-emphasize=0
Pre-emphasis time=50
Output is pre-emphasized=0
Stereo encoder enabled=0
RDS encoder enabled=0
RDS PS text=2s:STEREO/2s:TOOL/<1=1.5s,2..-2=2t,-1=1.5s:
WWW.STEREOTOOL.COM
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here is my sam 4 agc setting
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<CONFIG application="SAM" version="4.3.6"><AGC><Enabled>-1</Enabled><GatedAGC><Enabled>0</Enabled><GateLevel>-25</GateLevel><MaxGain>0</MaxGain></GatedAGC><StereoExpander><Enabled>0</Enabled><Depth>8</Depth><Level>40</Level><Threshold>-21</Threshold></StereoExpander><BassEQ><Enabled>0</Enabled><Freq>72</Freq><Gain>3</Gain><BassEqType>1</BassEqType></BassEQ><PreEmphasis><Enabled>0</Enabled><PreEmpType>1</PreEmpType></PreEmphasis><MultiBand><Enabled>-1</Enabled><Link01>0</Link01><Link23>6</Link23><Link34>10</Link34><Drive>0</Drive><Gain0>0</Gain0><Gain1>0</Gain1><Gain2>0</Gain2><Gain3>0</Gain3><Gain4>0</Gain4><Bands><MBand0Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>3</Ratio><Threshold>-16.7000007629395</Threshold><Attack>180</Attack><Attack2>138</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>500</Release2><Hold>44</Hold></MBand0Proc0><MBand1Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2.59999990463257</Ratio><Threshold>-10</Threshold><Attack>214</Attack><Attack2>500</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>2000</Release2><Hold>44</Hold></MBand1Proc0><MBand2Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2.59999990463257</Ratio><Threshold>-12.5</Threshold><Attack>167</Attack><Attack2>500</Attack2><Release>176</Release><Release2>2000</Release2><Hold>37</Hold></MBand2Proc0><MBand3Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2.5</Ratio><Threshold>-15.8000001907349</Threshold><Attack>221</Attack><Attack2>500</Attack2><Release>398</Release><Release2>2000</Release2><Hold>64</Hold></MBand3Proc0><MBand4Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2.5</Ratio><Threshold>-17.5</Threshold><Attack>180</Attack><Attack2>500</Attack2><Release>398</Release><Release2>2000</Release2><Hold>64</Hold></MBand4Proc0><MBand0Proc1><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-25</Threshold><Attack>10</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>10</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand0Proc1><MBand1Proc1><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-24.2000007629395</Threshold><Attack>10</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>10</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand1Proc1><MBand2Proc1><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-25.7999992370605</Threshold><Attack>10</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>10</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand2Proc1><MBand3Proc1><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-25</Threshold><Attack>30</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>121</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand3Proc1><MBand4Proc1><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-25.7999992370605</Threshold><Attack>37</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>121</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand4Proc1><MBand0Proc2><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-14.1999998092651</Threshold><Attack>64</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>17</Hold></MBand0Proc2><MBand1Proc2><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-8.30000019073486</Threshold><Attack>112</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>17</Hold></MBand1Proc2><MBand2Proc2><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-16.7000007629395</Threshold><Attack>85</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>121</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>30</Hold></MBand2Proc2><MBand3Proc2><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-18.2999992370605</Threshold><Attack>85</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>342</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>64</Hold></MBand3Proc2><MBand4Proc2><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-20.7999992370605</Threshold><Attack>112</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>232</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>64</Hold></MBand4Proc2></Bands></MultiBand><DualBand><Enabled>0</Enabled><Drive>0</Drive><Bands><MBand0Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-20</Threshold><Attack>105</Attack><Attack2>425</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>2000</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand0Proc0><MBand1Proc0><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2</Ratio><Threshold>-10</Threshold><Attack>105</Attack><Attack2>500</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>2000</Release2><Hold>24</Hold></MBand1Proc0><MBand0Proc1><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2.5</Ratio><Threshold>-19.2000007629395</Threshold><Attack>44</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>12</Hold></MBand0Proc1><MBand1Proc1><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>2.5</Ratio><Threshold>-19.2000007629395</Threshold><Attack>51</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>65</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>12</Hold></MBand1Proc1><MBand0Proc2><Enabled>1</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-18.2999992370605</Threshold><Attack>85</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>232</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>58</Hold></MBand0Proc2><MBand1Proc2><Enabled>0</Enabled><Ratio>0</Ratio><Threshold>-7.5</Threshold><Attack>105</Attack><Attack2>0</Attack2><Release>342</Release><Release2>0</Release2><Hold>51</Hold></MBand1Proc2></Bands></DualBand><Clipper><Enabled>0</Enabled><Level>0.100000001490116</Level></Clipper><OutputLevel><OutputLevel>100</OutputLevel></OutputLevel></AGC></CONFIG>