TBProAudio updates ABLM to 2.0 - AB Loudness Matching Plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X

[TB-ProAudio]

TBProAudio updates ABLM, a gain control which enables level matched and sample accurate A/B comparison of FX chains.

The simple GUI allows the user to concentrate on the most important ABLM functions. Now the user can detect even faster the impact of a parameter change of the plugin on the sound. And that without the mistake "louder is better".

The auto-linking is now much more robust and works in all DAWs. Now the user can create and configure much fast entire cascades of ABLM pairs.

The inverse match function has been revised. Now the sender loudness is adjusted to the receiver loudness. This is an important function for the mastering process.

Important Note: AAX Mac is temporarily unavailable until AAX support for Big Sur/Apple Silicon arrives. Pro Tools users should continue using ABLM V1.x until further notice.



Intro Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm-48acCLPo

ABLM offers following features:

• simple and expert GUI
• match pre and post-FX loudness
• match pre-FX loudness with reference level
• 3 loudness match modes: manual, auto and gain stage
• FX chain drive
• up to 256 sender/receiver pairs including auto channel set/link
• automatic latency measurement/compensation
• 4 measurement modes: RMS, RMS +3dB, EBU R128 SL, EBU R128 ML
• adjustable RMS measurement window
• intelligent bypass
• delta monitoring (sender receiver difference signal)
• global activate/deactivate, match mode, ABFX, drive and delta monitoring
• 4 snapshot slots
• free GUI scaling
• very CPU friendly
• free update for existing ABLM customers

System Requirements:

• Windows 7 or newer, OpenGL 2.1
• Mac OS X 10.11 or newer, Metal
• Compatible DAW
• Win: VST2/VST3/AAX, 32/64 Bit
• OS X: VST2/VST3/AAX/AU, 64 Bit

Price: 49€ (excl. VAT)

[midi_transmission]

ABLM user here. That's a fantastic ui concept to show the signal flow. So well to understand what's going on.

One small thing. Wouldn't it make sense to change the position of 'Post FX Gain Diff' and 'Post FX Gain'?

This was the only thing were I needed a second to understand, because the difference between pre FX and post FX is shown as 'Post FX Gain Diff', but the gain is after the diff measurement in the signal flow. It's easy to fall in to the trap and ask yourself, why is the diff reduced when I add gain after it in the signal flow?

Now:
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> diff (2dB) -> post FX gain (0dB)
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> diff (0dB) -> post FX gain (-2dB)

Idea:
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> post FX gain (0dB) ->diff (2dB)
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> post FX gain (-2dB) ->diff (0dB)


I'm looking forward to give it an extensive test session.

[TB-ProAudio]

ABLM user here. That's a fantastic ui concept to show the signal flow. So well to understand what's going on.

One small thing. Wouldn't it make sense to change the position of 'Post FX Gain Diff' and 'Post FX Gain'?

This was the only thing were I needed a second to understand, because the difference between pre FX and post FX is shown as 'Post FX Gain Diff', but the gain is after the diff measurement in the signal flow. It's easy to fall in to the trap and ask yourself, why is the diff reduced when I add gain after it in the signal flow?

Now:
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> diff (2dB) -> post FX gain (0dB)
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> diff (0dB) -> post FX gain (-2dB)

Idea:
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> post FX gain (0dB) ->diff (2dB)
pre FX (0dB ) -> FX (does +2db to the signal) -> post FX gain (-2dB) ->diff (0dB)


I'm looking forward to give it an extensive test session.

Thanks for your thoughts. And I can follow it. But we also wanted to show that the plugin (FX) does something with the loudness (regardless the match mode) => Post FX Gain Diff.
Then ABLM compensates the difference => Post FX Gain.

In any case we will consider your thoughts and may change it or not

[midi_transmission]

In any case we will consider your thoughts and may change it or not

That's great, I think it would be easier to use this way, but it's not that it's that bad now. I would be happy in both cases.

I only change to the advanced ui when I want to control some advanced things like snapshots or invert gain, otherwise the new ui is a lot more fun to use and I bet especially for new users.

[TB-ProAudio]

I only change to the advanced ui when I want to control some advanced things like snapshots or invert gain, otherwise the new ui is a lot more fun to use and I bet especially for new users.

Thank you This was the plan. Keep it as simple as possible ...

[tusk]

Can this be used to make a reference track approximate the loudness of the track I am working on? This is technically possible through routing in Bitwig but do you the plugin can cope when the two streams of audio it is comparing are radically different? If so can you recommend any settings to optimise this?

[TB-ProAudio]

Can this be used to make a reference track approximate the loudness of the track I am working on? This is technically possible through routing in Bitwig but do you the plugin can cope when the two streams of audio it is comparing are radically different? If so can you recommend any settings to optimise this?

Maybe with special routing (e.g. Reaper), but not out of the box.

[masterhiggins]

Seems like a better implementation than the one from AudioVitamins. Going to check it out for sure.

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to V2.1.17:

- NEW: over protection
- NEW: save start-up parameter set
- NEW: online version check
- NEW: set fixed GUI size in plugin menu
- NEW: set min GUI scale form plugin menu
- NEW: touch support
- UPDATE: all match and reset controls are controllable by Midi CC
- UPDATE: auto plugin update check
- UPDATE: improved PDC measurement
- UPDATE: improved UTF8 support
- UPDATE: plugin activation with either key file or key text
- UPDATE: small GUI and DSP fixes
- UPDATE: toggle online update check
- FIX: AAX, stable link if SR > 44/48kHz
- FIX: Ableton VST3, wrong default init GUI scale
- FIX: Cubase, crash reg procedure
- FIX: Cubase, crash save as default
- FIX: PT, AS crash
- FIX: compatibility of automation parameter to prev. versions
- FIX: crash preset recall (GUI scale)
- FIX: default preset does no longer break autolink sender/receiver autolink
- FIX: improved tooltips handling
- FIX: incorrect sub menues of id menu
- FIX: small GUI changes

more Info https://www.tbproaudio.de/products/ablm

[gondii]

Is anyone using ABLM with the latest versions of Bitwig? The plugins don't communicate anymore with each other. I have tried out the different plugin hosting modes to no avail... Same settings in Bitwig 4.4.6 and even Bitwig 5.0 are working no problem, but suddenly from 5.0.2 they stopped communicating.

Anyone else with this issue?

[TB-ProAudio]

Is anyone using ABLM with the latest versions of Bitwig? The plugins don't communicate anymore with each other. I have tried out the different plugin hosting modes to no avail... Same settings in Bitwig 4.4.6 and even Bitwig 5.0 are working no problem, but suddenly from 5.0.2 they stopped communicating.

Anyone else with this issue?

Just tested with BW 5.0.7 and Win11: no issues. Please check the sandbox settings.

[gondii]

OK, turns out I had to "uncheck" the plugins in the list, so these plugins were hosted "individually" now it's working. Thanks !!! BTW: Extremely awesome plugin, love using it.

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to V2.2.0
-auto gain min/max limits: limits the range of gain values
-auto gain tolerance: gain is not activated if the gain difference is within the tolerance