Stereo Tool

Loudness is "free", up to the level that I am using (x1.19, or +1.50 dB). I also do not enable declipper, also to remain in the "free" area, as that's the type of user that I am.

Let me clarify that. If I could, I'd give Hans a donation, but as I am in the middle of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding, I can't really do that, if you know what I mean.

Your direction is towards the paying user. Mine, is towards the non-paying user. As such, you generally push for higher RMS levels, where I attempt to retain more dynamic range. I say "attempt", because I'm finding that below a final RMS level (around -6), it gets difficult or almost impossible to retain a good sound.
Bass really needs to have compression, due to its' "punchy" nature.
That's my expressed displeasure with the entire processing chain.
Hans told me in a PM discussion that the "singleband compressor", being used in non-AGC mode, is equivalent to a single band in multiband.

At any rate, I've yet again reached the decision that I can't get the sound to where I want it to be, in the power envelope that I want it to be, with the current software. That was my frustration with you and Hans with all the minor tweaks to loudness, because they did not help people who were not trying to push high RMS levels.

Bah! I really hate having these "I wonder what would happen if I tried this" ideas...

Boosting Loudness beyond the "free" limit ends up helping, again because of the higher ending RMS value once everything is said and done.

I'll tinker, but only a very little bit. If it turns into this same exasperating "have to be at least X" RMS level, I'll give up on it pretty quickly.

This is a LOUDER version of the bundled WEB PRESET version of Purity Control.

The only differences here are:

- Increased LPF to 18K based on the 20% above/below behavior of multiband bands (final band @ 14500, so 14500 x 1.20 = 17400, so I rounded up to the next 1K)

- Increased LOUDNESS value from x1.19 (+1.50 dB) to x1.50 (+3.50 dB). This extra 2dB of loudness helps to mask the problem noted before with track "Rolling in the Deep" with AGC enabled.

In other words:

Increasing loudness, aka "Loudness War", masks deficiencies elsewhere in the product, and why I was, and am, exasperated with so much focus on Loudness. This is like treating the symptom instead of curing the disease.

I'll tinker with this more tomorrow to see if I can bring the power envelope down or not.

I've decided that I'm making a change in direction with preset development.

Purity Control will remain as a "generic" preset. I have the changes almost completed.

After I post the updated Purity Control preset, I will make a different preset that will be targeted towards the "web" section. The goals will be:

1) Higher starting level for mids and highs.
2) Higher RMS output.

As a result, the dynamic range will be reduced, but it appears as though many people like that, and that was not the intent behind anything that I had worked on so far (Supersonic -> Hypersonic -> Purity Control).

Per the previous reply, listed in this message is the GENERIC-ONLY version of this preset. It does not use loudness, nor does it use the declipper. Due to the problems with file attachments not working right now, I am doing a full copy/paste of the contents of the STS file.

I'm going to leave the previous versions posted for now, but my intent is to have this as "generic" and not under "web radio stations", and develop a new preset (well, probably derived from this) for "web radio stations" that does use loudness, but may or may not use declipper (I've noticed some crackling and popping when using it).

Whenever attachments work again, I'll post this as an attachment. For now, here's the STS file contents:

[Common]
CPU usage - Quality (new style)=1
Latency (samples)=4096
Pre amplifier=4
Post amplifier=0.949999988
Extra loudness=1
Extra loudness - De-esser limit=58000
Extra loudness - Deep bass protection - Enabled=1
Extra loudness - Deep bass protection - Difference=0
Extra loudness - Deep bass protection - Value=1.117249966
Extra loudness - Forcibly remove DC component caused by Loudness=0
Extra loudness - Reflection strength=0.25059998
Extra loudness - Dirty Bass=0
Extra loudness - Allow more distortion=0.25
Extra loudness - Allow more distortion - highs=0.100000001
Extra loudness - New Bass Protection - Clip very deep bass at=0.560000002
Extra loudness - Voice vibrations - Allowed graininess multiplication=1
Extra loudness - Non constant sound vibrations - Sensitivity=1.75
Extra loudness - Non constant sound vibrations - Relative highs sensitivity=1.5
Extra loudness - New Bass Protection - Strict clipping frequency 1=100
Extra loudness - New Bass Protection - Strict clipping frequency 2=200
Extra loudness - New Bass Protection - Strict clipping - Never dynamically raise bass level above=0.839999974
Oversample limiters=0
Extra loudness - Take some shortcuts (CPU)=1
Extra loudness - Advanced Extreme Highs Protection - Never clip below=0.660000026
Extra loudness - Advanced Extreme Highs Protection - Always clip below=0.889999986
Extra loudness - Advanced Extreme Highs Protection - Maximum low/mid frequency volume reduction=0.699999988
Extra loudness - Stokkemask enabled=0
Extra loudness - Stokkemask output level (if no MPX output)=0.910000026
Extra loudness - Highs gap protection: Always=0
Extra loudness - Highs gap protection: Always HQ=0
Extra loudness - Highs gap protection: Preemphasized=1
Extra loudness - Highs gap protection: Preemphasized HQ=1
Extra loudness - Reduce asymmetric bass=1
Extra loudness - Bass shape - Strength=0.5
Extra loudness - Bass shape - Maximum harmonics frequency=200
Extra loudness - Highs priority=0.5
Extra loudness - Time spread - Short=0.200000003
Extra loudness - Time spread - Medium=0.200000003
Bass protection - Enabled=1
Bass protection - Two steps=0
Bass protection - Clip level=175.880004883
Bass protection - Deep bass boost=50
Bass protection - Raise clip level if highs get above=0
Bass protection - Maximum clip level raise=0
Extra loudness - Clipping strictness=6.260000229
Bass protection - Smoothe mid frequencies=4.800000191
Bass protection - Smoothe peak detection steepness=0.100000001
Bass protection - Allowed highs distortion=0
Extra loudness - Advanced Bass Protection=1
Extra loudness - Advanced Extreme Highs Protection=0
Extra loudness - Advanced Extreme Highs Protection - Keep transients=1
Extra loudness - Take oversampling shortcuts=1
Extra loudness - Bass protection - Bass clipping strictness=6
Extra loudness - Highs vs bass protection - strictness=3
Hard limit output=1
[BS412]
Enabled=0
Smart clipping=0
Sluggish rise=0
Input amplification=1
Target maximum level (dB)=0
Allowed dynamics (dB)=2.75
De-esser threshold (dB)=1
De-basser threshold (dB)=1
De-basser pumping vs. bass reduction=0
Volume dropping shape (power)=3
[Declipper]
Enabled=0
Analog input=0
Maximum restored peak=4
Quality=25
Reduction precision=0.870000005
Maximum expected distortion level=0.109999999
Definitely clipped if below (relative)=0.975000024
Probably clipped if below (relative)=0.774999976
Maybe clipped if below (relative)=0.649999976
Not clipped if below (absolute)=4090
Clipping straight line margin=0.200000003
Clipped if below short term margin=0.200000003
Clipped if below short term margin Enabled=1
Only declip if tilt can be determined=1
Do not allow restored peaks to be lower than clipped signal=0
Do not reconstruct if reconstructed signal resembles original - threshold=1
Do not reconstruct if reconstructed signal resembles original - texture threshold=1.25
Amount of peak samples to remove - long term=0.100000001
Amount of peak samples to remove - short term=0.400000006
Tilt default level=0
Tilt maximum adjustment per measurement=0.027777778
Tilt level detection enabled=1
Tilt minimum level=-0.125
Tilt maximum level=0.125
Only declip if clipping histogram spike is symmetrical=0
Declip if (type)=3
Declip if type 4 long term margin=0.920000017
Dynamically increase probably clipped level=1
Dynamically increase maybe clipped level=1
Veil normal down speed (dB/ms)=2
Veil after spike down speed (dB/ms)=4
Veil speed drop time reduction time after spike (ms)=1
Veil margin=0.899999976
MP3 margin=0.925399959
MP3 number of samples=1
Display - Show input=1
Display - Show tilted=1
Display - Show output=0
Display - Show output big=1
[Natural Dynamics]
Enabled=0
Difference=0
After AGC=1
Expected input level=3
Effect strength=1
Smooth time=16
Keep transients=1
Half value time=0.150000006
Expected maximum volume - Band 1=7494.120117188
Expected maximum volume - Band 2=7494.120117188
Expected maximum volume - Band 3=7319.359863281
Expected maximum volume - Band 4=7319.359863281
Expected maximum volume - Band 5=6969.840332031
Expected maximum volume - Band 6=5571.760253906
Expected maximum volume - Band 7=3659.679931641
Expected maximum volume - Band 8=2261.600097656
Expected maximum volume - Band 9=1223.320068359
Maximum relative boost - Band 1=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 2=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 3=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 4=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 5=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 6=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 7=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 8=1
Maximum relative boost - Band 9=1
[FM Hiss]
Enabled=0
Difference=0
FM median pos=25
FM measure max multiplier=2
FM reduce=150
FM delay=2.5
FM delay median=7.502121449
[Noise Gate]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Noise level=1
Relative noise gate level - Band 1=0.176470518
Relative noise gate level - Band 2=0.290322661
Relative noise gate level - Band 3=0.481481433
Relative noise gate level - Band 4=0.639344215
Relative noise gate level - Band 5=0.923076987
Relative noise gate level - Band 6=1.272727251
Relative noise gate level - Band 7=1.409638405
[Singleband Compressor]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Maximum volume=0.899999976
Attack speed=0.000513465
Decay speed=0.008586173
Above Top Limiter=1
AGC RMS style Enabled=0
AGC RMS style Attack speed=0.000007
AGC RMS style Decay speed=0.000241506
AGC RMS style Target RMS level=72330
AGC RMS style Remove remaining peaks above=1.25
BS412 Attack speed=0.000022565
BS412 Decay speed=0.000252777
BS412 Remove remaining peaks above=1.5
[Pre Compressor]
Enabled=1
Maximum volume - Band 1=24430
Attack speed - Band 1=0.000003931
Attack speed - Band 3=0.000004586
Minimum attack speed near top=0.50999999
Decay speed - Band 1=0.00026822
Decay speed - Band 3=0.00026822
Dual band=1
Third band=1
Relative expected volume of highs=0.949999988
Relative maximum volume of highs=1.5
Relative maximum volume of very highs=0.670000017
Remove remaining peaks above (relative to maximum volume)=1.659999967
Remove remaining peaks above (relative to maximum volume) - band 2=1.659999967
Remove remaining peaks in mono=1
Startup input level=0.5
Maximum expected dynamics strength for smoothing=1
Enable smoothing=0
Smoothing time=0
Gating level=27556
Use ITU-BS.1770 Head=0
Use ITU-BS.1770 Bass=1
Channel separation=0.5
Gating based on volume before Pre Amp=1
Lock bass to band 2 strength=0.150000006
Prepare for BS412=1
Level jump protection threshold=1.75
Level jump protection threshold width=0.75
Allow louder female voices=0.159999996
[Pre Compressor Bass]
Enabled=0
Maximum relative volume=2
Attack speed=0.000167641
Decay speed=0.003434225
Remove remaining peaks above (relative to maximum volume)=1.200000048
[Multiband Compressor]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Maximum volume - Band -1=6750
Maximum volume - Band 0=8000
Maximum volume - Band 1=9000
Maximum volume - Band 2=10000
Maximum volume - Band 3=10000
Maximum volume - Band 4=10000
Maximum volume - Band 5=10000
Maximum volume - Band 6=10000
Maximum volume - Band 7=10000
Maximum volume - Band 8=10000
Attack speeds linked=0
Attack speed - Band -1=0.000108694
Attack speed - Band 0=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 1=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 2=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 3=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 4=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 5=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 6=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 7=0.000121411
Attack speed - Band 8=0.000121411
Decay speeds linked=0
Decay speed - Band -1=0.00010306
Decay speed - Band 0=0.00010306
Decay speed - Band 1=0.00010306
Decay speed - Band 2=0
Decay speed - Band 3=0
Decay speed - Band 4=0
Decay speed - Band 5=0
Decay speed - Band 6=0
Decay speed - Band 7=0
Decay speed - Band 8=0
Above Top Limiter=1
Clipping enabled=1
Postprocessing enabled=1
Flat frequency response enabled=1
Relative clip position - Band -1=2.225806475
Relative clip position - Band 0=2.333333254
Relative clip position - Band 1=2.508771658
Relative clip position - Band 2=2.70370388
Relative clip position - Band 3=2.70370388
Relative clip position - Band 4=3
Relative clip position - Band 5=2.70370388
Relative clip position - Band 6=2.508771658
Relative clip position - Band 7=2.508771658
Relative clip position - Band 8=2.508771658
Final limiter value=1
Final limiter decay speed=0.00080601
Final limiter clipping=1.380952358
Channel separation steepness protection enabled=1
Channel separation steepness (maximum artifact strength)=1.25
Voice protection strength=1.419999957
Band 1+2 locking strength=0.5
Equalizer enabled=1
Equalize before multiband-compression=0
Equalizer position - Band -1=1.816901207
Equalizer position - Band 0=1.597402573
Equalizer position - Band 1=1.352941036
Equalizer position - Band 2=1.247190952
Equalizer position - Band 3=1
Equalizer position - Band 4=1
Equalizer position - Band 5=1.020201921
Equalizer position - Band 6=1.040816307
Equalizer position - Band 7=1.061855555
Equalizer position - Band 8=1.105262995
Center frequency - Band -1=35
Center frequency - Band 0=75
Center frequency - Band 1=110
Center frequency - Band 2=220
Center frequency - Band 3=440
Center frequency - Band 4=880
Center frequency - Band 5=1760
Center frequency - Band 6=3520
Center frequency - Band 7=7040
Center frequency - Band 8=14500
[Stereo]
Enabled=3
Stereo AZIMUTH Enabled=1
Stereo Image Enabled=0
Stereo Boost Enabled=1
Stereo Boost Excessive Reverb Protection Enabled=0
Difference=0
Center bass=1
AZIMUTH limit=60
AZIMUTH change speed=0.5
Image phase amplifier=1
Image phase amplifier maximum angle=180
Image phase amplifier maximum separation strength=100
Image width amplifier=1
Extra phase shift=0
Mono or stereo only=0
Stereo Boost strength=1.25
Stereo Boost maximum amplification=1.330000043
Stereo Boost multiplier=1
Stereo Boost - Never reduce below original level=1
[Channel Delay]
Enabled=0
Left Delay=0
[Output Filter]
Enabled=1
Lowpass filter=18000
Highpass filter=25
Highpass filter linearity=Yes
Non-phase-linear highpass filter order=8
Highpass post filter=1
Highpass post filter - avoid artifacts=1
[Bass Boost]
Enabled=1
Strength=0.758700013
Start lowpass frequency of input filter=50
End lowpass frequency of input filter=150
Start lowpass frequency of output filter=150
End lowpass frequency of output filter=300
Clip level=2.008999825
Clip level is relative to estimated maximum level=1
Preserve louder peaks=1
Difference=0
[Phase Rotator]
Enabled=0
Start frequency=700
Start speed=1400
Number of rotations=4
Smoothness=0.979999959
Low latency look back samples=112
Low latency look ahead samples=20
[Final Limiter]
Enabled=1
Difference=0
Pre-amp=1
Pre-limiter enabled=1
Pre-limiter relative volume=1.5
Reduced CPU processing=0
[FM Transmitter]
Enabled=0
Pre-emphasize=0
Pre-emphasis time=50
Output is pre-emphasized=0
Stereo encoder enabled=0
RDS encoder enabled=0
Pilot signal volume=9
RDS signal volume=4.5
FM overdrive volume=1
RDS PS text=Bangkok Dyn
RDS RadioText text=60s:Stereo Tool: Professional Audio Processing - www.stereotool.com/30s:Stereo Tool by Hans

van Zutphen, 1999-2008 - www.stereotool.com
RDS PTY=0
RDS PI=65535
RDS Alternative frequency 1=0
RDS Alternative frequency 2=0
RDS Alternative frequency 3=0
RDS Alternative frequency 4=0
RDS Alternative frequency 5=0
RDS Alternative frequency 6=0
RDS Alternative frequency 7=0
RDS Alternative frequency 8=0
RDS Alternative frequency 9=0
RDS Alternative frequency 10=0
RDS Alternative frequency 11=0
RDS Alternative frequency 12=0
RDS Alternative frequency 13=0
RDS Alternative frequency 14=0
RDS Alternative frequency 15=0
RDS Alternative frequency 16=0
RDS Alternative frequency 17=0
RDS Alternative frequency 18=0
RDS Alternative frequency 19=0
RDS Alternative frequency 20=0
RDS Alternative frequency 21=0
RDS Alternative frequency 22=0
RDS Alternative frequency 23=0
RDS Alternative frequency 24=0
RDS Alternative frequency 25=0
RDS TP=0
RDS TA=0
RDS Music=1
RDS Artificial Head=0
RDS Compressed=1
RDS Dynamic PTY=0
RDS RadioText Enabled=1
RDS ClockTime Enabled=1
FM Transmitter Calibration Enabled=0
MPX Oversampling mode=Follow main Quality setting
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 20 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 40 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 80 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 160 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 320 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 640 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 1280 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 2560 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 5120 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 10240 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 19000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 23000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 28000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 33000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 38000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 43000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 48000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 53000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Volume 57000 Hz=1
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 20 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 40 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 80 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 160 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 320 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 640 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 1280 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 2560 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 5120 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 10240 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 19000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 23000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 28000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 33000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 38000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 43000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 48000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 53000 Hz=0
FM Transmitter Calibration - Phase shift 57000 Hz=0
[Lossy compression output optimization]
Enabled=0
Spike Protation pre-emphasis time=10.520000458
[Side Channels]
Channel 1 Enabled=0
Channel 2 Enabled=0
Channel 1 Volume=0
Channel 2 Volume=0
Lowpass frequency=0
[Direct soundcard access]
Enabled=0
Device ID=Microsoft Sound Mapper
Volume=1
Buffer size=1
Send to Winamp=Nothing
ASIO Override channel 1=-1
ASIO Override channel 2=-1
[Low latency output]
Enabled=0
Device ID=Microsoft Sound Mapper
Volume=1
Buffer size=0.080000006
ASIO Override channel 1=-1
ASIO Override channel 2=-1

I will most likely not have an update to this for version 6.32. I've had to deal with personal issues, so I haven't had the time or energy to put into working on it. I've also somewhat stalled on Cobalt, for the same reason.