Audio Remastering On The Fly


BaDToaD

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I've been using the freebie version of Audio Burst PowerFX2 CODE
http://www.qolabs.com/audioburst/
on Winamp for a few weeks now and it is excellent for putting dynamic range back into most of todays dynamically compressed CDs and MP3s. Don't try it on well recorded stuff though as it will at best do no good and at worst reduce the quality. It really does make a huge difference to the quality of the sound on most modern stuff though. I was wondering if there is any similar software for Linux that we might be able to get our grubby hands on.

Keep in mind this is remastering on the fly not just a bit of equalizing so it may have high system requirements.

ToaD
 
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If enough Linux packages would be available then yeah, audio remastering at a particular level would be possible. Don't really know about the "on-the-fly" capabilities and extension though.

As for Audio Burst, that's more like cheap audio-pimpin' then real remastering :) Read up a bit more on the whole "loudness war" phenomenon.
 
Trust me when I say I know all about the loudness war. This plugin adds dynamics back into heavily compressed CDs.

It really does work. Try it. I listen on a High end headphone rig so I do understand all about dynamic compression. In fact I can't stand most modern CDs due to their crap dynamics.

Elbows Seldom Seen Kid for instance, I love the music but can't stand the quality through my high end gear but Audioburst adds dynamics that are simply buried in the original mix. More space, better placement of instruments and things that are buried in the mix are brought out where they should be and the lead singer is placed further back in the mix where he should be instead of blasting out. As I said before, if you try it on well recorded stuff it can detract from the original mix but on todays heavily compressed CDs it's well impressive.

ToaD
 
You really believe that using a tool for pimping dynamics makes the compressed audio signal on CD suddenly "uncompressed" as it should be and high-quality?
Sorry bub, but this is purely artificial "pimpin' " :) It's similar to artificially "enlarging" the stereo scene of a sound recording and then going "whoa! so far out!" :)

I know this and similar applications and what they do internally.

How does owning headphones make one an expert on sound? :) On a further note, what high end headphones do you use? I've got Sennheiser's HD-280 and HD-650 at the moment, but I prefer listening through loudspeakers.

QUOTE
In fact I can't stand most modern CDs due to their crap dynamics.

Me too brother, but that's the facts. I personally prefer listening to how the sound is on the medium instead of trying to artificially pimp it so it sounds "more right" to my ears :)
Other than that, I'm mostly a vinyl guy. No, not new/modern rock/pop vinyls, because you get the same sound on that. Mostly older records and bands ;)

As for your last paragraph, you really do believe that "bringing back the original mix" is possible through cheap artificial means. Dream on.

But let's go back to the Panda, shall we? :D
 
My Work rig consists of a PC/Winamp with and without Audioburst depending on recording quality outputting into a Go Vibe DAC into a Graham Slee Novo Headphone Amp and that into Sennheiser HD595s.

My home rig is pretty close to reference grade and consists of an Arcam DV135 running into a Graham Slee Solo headphone amp into AKG K701s

Finally my ears which have been listening to HiFi for a very long time and know a good sound when they hear it. Scoff all you like but I know what makes good sound and the Audioburst plugin really does work.

If you've listened to it and don't like it fine. If not then don't comment on it until you've tried it.

Have you got a headphone Amp for your HD650s? if not then you'll not be getting the best out of them :)

And you're right we should stay on topic so does anyone know if this sort of on the fly "remastering type" software is available on linux?
 
Mixing digital and "high end" gear doesn't really count my friend :) Especially compressed file formats. Arcam and Graham, cool choice.

Very long time? Then how old are you? I'm 22 and have been into the whole HiFi audio scene since I was 14.

Yeah like I said before I know and have tried this particular winamp plugin and sorry but it didn't blow me down. Maybe because I don't listen to much highly compressed music. Hard to tell.

Yeah I occasionally use a dedicated headphone amp for them, but I won't agree that this is the "only way to go". As in, quality isn't just in dedicated stuff ;) This may shock you but I prefer more the sound of 70's hi-end (and some mid-end) audio gear to what we can get for about thousand quid on the niche audiophile gear market. But that may be because of my taste in music and not as a general rule :)

Back on topic:
You may check out if there are similar plugins for the most popular Linux music players, like XMMS, Amarok or Audacious. If not then maybe some of the audio server apps (Pulse for example) have such capability.

But I don't know if the Pandora would have enough "power" to make the operation as good as the winamp plugin you mentioned.
 
Well I won't say how old I am but suffice it to say I bought my first Hi Fi Rack system a few years before you were born and was listining to my Fathers Rotel based system back in the late 70s. Regarding Audioburst lets just agree to differ. I will say that most 60-70s stuff probably wouldn't benefit at all from it.

Maybe I like Audioburst because it does something for these old ears of mine ;) LOL

As for the Pandora let's just hope something similar is available for it to enhance the crap that is todays recordings :)
 
If I've got some more free time for software hunting, I'll let you know if I find a similar solution available on Linux ;) Then we can see if it's possible to appear and be usable on the Pandora ;)
 
(naw)mcx posted on May 15 2009 at 05:49 PM said:
Badtoad, I know it's not on Linux, but have you tried
http://www.fxsound.com/dfx/pages/download/index.php
It's good stuff.
Well I tried it (naw)mcx. It just seems to make things louder and do a bit of equalizing to me. Or at least that's how it sounds. Maybe the pro version is better but the freebie Isn't for me.

Thanks for the heads up tho.
 
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