Stereo Tool

Normally I always try to improve the sound quality for each version. However, I saw a Facebook discussion (https://www.facebook.com/wouter.tietema ... nt_mention , in Dutch) where people were claiming that Stereo Tool isn't "powerful enough" to generate a specific type of sound. So I have tried to replicate it, and eventually I managed to fool the person who started the thread into choosing my Stereo Tool recording in a blind A/B comparison as the best sounding of the two. See also viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4979 .

In this new version I'm basically allowing some distortion. Which, I have to admit, does indeed sound warmer, fuller and less restrained when you're listening on low quality speakers (most notably my laptop speakers).

Now this was already possible in older versions (Advanced Clipper -> Sound), but there are 2 problems when using that:
1. It was already used by some presets to make more headroom for highs, and in those cases the filter was switched off unless there were really loud highs. And I still wanted to allow that.
2. No good protection against intermodulation distortion caused by loud bass. I hope that everyone agrees that that IS really ugly, also on low quality speakers...

So, I added a second stage of what I call 'Controlled Distortion'. And you can now draw a graph (just like for the equalizer and side chains) in which you can determine for each frequency how much distortion you're allowing. I expect that most people who will be using this will use more for low frequencies than for high frequencies - but you're free do draw whatever you like.

There are also 2 new sliders that control sensitivity and threshold of tone detection (for frequencies around loud tones, the extra distortion is turned off). They might need some more improvement and I don't know how good the default values are.

No further changes.

Windows stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 32-001.exe
Winamp DSP: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 32-001.exe
Windows VST: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 32-001.dll


Note: I still have to test it, but I am now expecting that using a very small amount of extra distortion (say, 1 dB) might give the clipper some 'room to breathe', which might make it sound better. I have not yet tested it though.

I hope this new feature can be off , because i am against any kind of distortion . The words "warmer" is not good enough to be element of need. For me dostortion is unneeded signal . I talk about the after distortion with the manipulation of the sound , not "original sound" distortion

I think so that people who say that need some specific punch like some box processors but I think it's not about distortion... maybe some specific MB behavior.

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I can agree. For me, a compressor must have a transparent sound. If he strikes it is bad. And because of this "transparency" I love the stereo tool.

New feature is definitely off by default. I agree that distortion sounds bad - however it turns out that there are really people out there who think that if it doesn't distort, it sounds bad. (Yes really.)

I should add that a small amount of extra distortion might not even be so bad - on low quality speakers and headphones it sounds 'fuller' and less 'plastic'.

About the time 2008-2009 I was desperately looking for audio processing software / plugins that could replicate FM's on-air like sound. Which is when I chanced across Stereo Tool - must have been version 2.x.

Then there was another program by some Japanese programmer (can't recall the name) and another called Sono (or something like that). None came near the typical Orban 8400 like punch. To be honest, that punch, muddy bass was driving me crazy.

At one point, I was so restless not coming anywhere near that I approached Hans to create a preset - the result was O-84. By then ST had improved leaps and bound compared to version 2.x
I also tried Breakaway Live. I would say the sound is neither very clean but also definitely not distorted/muddy. I mean when I used to hear BBC Radio 1 and then compared a specific track on BA Live, I used to get disappointed.

But off late, with the inclusion of Declipper, Clipper, new MB and newest of all ND, I have stopped listening to FM radios altogether. Can't believe at one point the sound I used to admire and used to be my point of reference is now unbearable. ST is exceptionally clean and if you have really good grade of equipment to listen on, you don't need special tricks. Just try to keep sound clean and transparent! That's how I have been listening to my compilation.

Little of topic, unsure if Android phone users have tried an audio driver called Viper's Audio. I listen to my music transcoded using ST VST plugin on my phone with Convolver presets like Sony Xperia Clearbass. There are tonnes of these presets and other effects. Music is fun again!

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That line says it all for me. The ability to create a transparent sound that doesn't sacrifice loudness is what makes Stereo Tool the gem it is for me. As long as that core "feature" is never lost, Hans can make the thing generate triangle waves if the demand is there for all I care.

Something is not right with the start-up levels with VST plugin when playing back live vs when encoding using a batch encoder. The latter sounds higher - so much I can hear noise in some tracks.
VST hosts I am seeing this issue with are dBPoweramp and Foobar VST Plugin.

The only VST host with which I don't see this issue is Adobe Audition.

But then this difference shouldn't exist at first place. Still looking for recognizable pattern..

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Windows stand alone: http://www.stereotool.com/download/ster ... 32-002.exe
Winamp DSP: http://www.stereotool.com/download/dsp_ ... 32-002.exe
Windows VST: http://www.stereotool.com/download/vst_ ... 32-002.dll

- Rewrote Stokkemask code and added some options to control behavior and CPU load. For a similar behavior as before (yet at a lower CPU load), use Audio Quality 0, no skip, no faster. Faster seems to have very little impact on the signal but reduces CPU load, Skip reduces it further but causes bigger overshoots, with far less impact on audio. A higher Audio Quality greatly reduces the impact on the audio (especially if you leave 'allow small overshoots' at 0).
- More than 2 channel audio compressor issue should be fixed.

Very strange; inside ST I don't even know if you're in batch or live mode...