Clipping: any audio software fixes?

On May 18, 2007, Outdated Mac User <loveoneon DeleteThis @sbcglobal.net> commented:

> I have clipping on two dialogue tracks. I have tried EQ in Pro Tools,
> and have applied Decrackler and Noise Remover in Dart Pro 24.
>------------------------------<snip>------------------------------<

There's a bunch out there, but none of them can work miracles. The one that
is said to have the best results is Cedar DeClip:

http://www.cedar-audio.com/products/cedartools/cedartoolsdeclip.html

but as far as I know, it's only available as a Windows Pro Tools plug-in.

Sony Software's Sound Forge 9 (just released) now gives away an updated
version of their Noise Reduction plug-ins, which includes a "Clipped Peak
Restoration" tool:

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/product.asp?PID=431&PageID=51

Adobe Audition has "Clip Restoration" in their mastering features:

http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/overview2.html#kmhead3


The last time I had to deal with a problem like this, I took a wave file from
Pro Tools on the Mac, brought it into Sound Forge, tweaked the levels, then
ran the Clipped Peak Restoration tool a couple of times. I then took it back
into Pro Tools and painstakingly re-drew the waveform to eliminate the hash
and flattened peaks, all by hand, then did some selective EQ and de-essing.
The result had 50% less distortion than the original and was much more
listenable than before, but wasn't great. Interestingly, the clipping I
dealt with was from an analog preamp, in a recording of an interview done by
a friend of mine. Ten minutes of the bad sections were later used in a radio
show, and nobody complained when it was broadcast.

If you have something that's slammed all the way through, with very little
dynamic range and tons of flattened peaks, it'll never sound good. There's
definitely a "silk purse and sow's ear" principle here. But for occasional
clips, the above programs can definitely improve things.

For more, ask over on rec.audio.pro.

--MFW
 >> Stay informed about: Clipping: any audio software fixes? 

On May 18, 3:23 am, Marc Wielage <m... RemoveThis @musictrax.com> wrote:
> On May 18, 2007, Outdated Mac User <loveon... RemoveThis @sbcglobal.net> commented:
>
> > I have clipping on two dialogue tracks. I have tried EQ in Pro Tools,
> > and have applied Decrackler and Noise Remover in Dart Pro 24.
> >------------------------------<snip>------------------------------<
>
> There's a bunch out there, but none of them can work miracles. The one that
> is said to have the best results is Cedar DeClip:
>
> http://www.cedar-audio.com/products/cedartools/cedartoolsdeclip.html
>
> but as far as I know, it's only available as a Windows Pro Tools plug-in.
>
> Sony Software's Sound Forge 9 (just released) now gives away an updated
> version of their Noise Reduction plug-ins, which includes a "Clipped Peak
> Restoration" tool:
>
> http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/products/product.asp?PID=431&Page...
>
> Adobe Audition has "Clip Restoration" in their mastering features:
>
> http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/overview2.html#kmhead3
>
> The last time I had to deal with a problem like this, I took a wave file from
> Pro Tools on the Mac, brought it into Sound Forge, tweaked the levels, then
> ran the Clipped Peak Restoration tool a couple of times. I then took it back
> into Pro Tools and painstakingly re-drew the waveform to eliminate the hash
> and flattened peaks, all by hand, then did some selective EQ and de-essing.
> The result had 50% less distortion than the original and was much more
> listenable than before, but wasn't great. Interestingly, the clipping I
> dealt with was from an analog preamp, in a recording of an interview done by
> a friend of mine. Ten minutes of the bad sections were later used in a radio
> show, and nobody complained when it was broadcast.
>
> If you have something that's slammed all the way through, with very little
> dynamic range and tons of flattened peaks, it'll never sound good. There's
> definitely a "silk purse and sow's ear" principle here. But for occasional
> clips, the above programs can definitely improve things.
>
> For more, ask over on rec.audio.pro.
>
> --MFW

Thanks Marc, Frank. I called Cedar Audio but their unit is $5000. it
can be rented so I will look at that option. I will try Sound Forge
and Waves, and see how they work. I don't know if the clipping can be
considered analogue or digital; the sound into the mic was probably
ok, but the mixer was not set correctly so the sound going into the
camera from the mixer was overloaded. Analogue or digital?
 >> Stay informed about: Clipping: any audio software fixes? 

Most of the clipped peak noise reduction plug-ins I'm familiar with,
i.e. SF, SS & Waves, can only help "digital overs", therefore mic
preamp or other analog type clipping will probably need to be fixed by
other means, which in many instances can be helped... but not fixed.
However, one can download a demo of NR-2 or SS and try
 >> Stay informed about: Clipping: any audio software fixes? 

"rraudio" <sdfofny.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1179512824.992341.252360@h2g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> Most of the clipped peak noise reduction plug-ins I'm familiar with,
> i.e. SF, SS & Waves, can only help "digital overs", therefore mic
> preamp or other analog type clipping will probably need to be fixed by
> other means, which in many instances can be helped... but not fixed.
> However, one can download a demo of NR-2 or SS and try

A trial of Adobe Audition is also available, IIRC. Often one software will
work better than another for particular instances of noise/clipping. Have
you looked at the wave-form in a daw? What do the wave-form tops of your
distorted areas look like?

Steve King
 >> Stay informed about: Clipping: any audio software fixes? 

On 5/18/07 1:27 PM, in article
1179512824.992341.252360.RemoveThis@h2g2000hsg.googlegroups.com, "rraudio"
<sdfofny.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote:

> Most of the clipped peak noise reduction plug-ins I'm familiar with,
> i.e. SF, SS & Waves, can only help "digital overs", therefore mic
> preamp or other analog type clipping will probably need to be fixed by
> other means, which in many instances can be helped... but not fixed.
> However, one can download a demo of NR-2 or SS and try
>

Find a mastering studio in your area with Cedar's ReTouch on a Sadie system.
I've been able to reduce or completely eliminate all kinds of distortion
with ReTouch.


Allen
--
Allen Corneau
Mastering Engineer
Essential Sound Mastering
www.esmastering.com
 >> Stay informed about: Clipping: any audio software fixes? 

The DeClipping tools that come with Samplitude and Sequoia are decent and
the Restoration tools for the TC Powercore have a decrackler that can work
wonders with clipping.

The best tools are CEDAR and the AudioCube, however they are very expensive.
They are the kind of thing that a post house would do well to have, but
don't make a whole lot of sense for the individual.

--Ben

--
Benjamin Maas
Fifth Circle Audio
Los Angeles, CA

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 >> Stay informed about: Clipping: any audio software fixes?