TBProAudio releases AB_LM - Loudness Match and Gain Staging Plugin for Windows and Mac OS X

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to 1.4.4:
- Gain staging fix: add. PreFXGain compensated
- VU Metering

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to 1.4.6
- GainStaging: remove PreGain during AB off

[midi_transmission]

*I think i figurred out my problems therefore the question is deleted*

I would have a small feature wish. Sometimes you compare peak levels, so a mode for peak level would be great in addition to RMS/EBU.

I love the plugin, it hits exactely my use case for comparing loudness matched FX, but I find the interface a bit confusing.

[midi_transmission]

ps: How much is the AB_LM? I can't have a look at your shop at the moment since it's down. Thanks!

[TB-ProAudio]

*I think i figurred out my problems therefore the question is deleted*

I would have a small feature wish. Sometimes you compare peak levels, so a mode for peak level would be great in addition to RMS/EBU.

I love the plugin, it hits exactely my use case for comparing loudness matched FX, but I find the interface a bit confusing.

Well, PEAK changes the level too fast. If you need faster response you could try to change the window parameter to e.g. 1 (ms) or try the VU mode.

[TB-ProAudio]

ps: How much is the AB_LM? I can't have a look at your shop at the moment since it's down. Thanks!

Shop is open again

[midi_transmission]

Thanks for the fast reply.

What I mean with peak was more max. peak level, that could also be adjusted only after 2000ms or much later or even need a manual reset. So when you want to compare a unprocessed and processed drumloops for the transients/headroom.

At the moment I do this manually at the master. I adjust the mastering compressor and need to constantly re-adjust the volume that I don't peak above -3dbfs or so.

I hear my loop with setting A and note the max peak level. After that I hear the loop again with setting B and adjust the max peak level to the one noted. Because especially at the master I'm also interested in max peak. Does it makes sense to you what I say?

[TB-ProAudio]

Thanks for the fast reply.

What I mean with peak was more max. peak level, that could also be adjusted only after 2000ms or much later or even need a manual reset. So when you want to compare a unprocessed and processed drumloops for the transients/headroom.

At the moment I do this manually at the master. I adjust the mastering compressor and need to constantly re-adjust the volume that I don't peak above -3dbfs or so.

I hear my loop with setting A and note the max peak level. After that I hear the loop again with setting B and adjust the max peak level to the one noted. Because especially at the master I'm also interested in max peak. Does it makes sense to you what I say?

Until now I have not heard about this method, but sounds interesting.
How does it compare to this one: Brickwall lookahead limiter as last plugin (ceiling -3 dBFS) and AB_LM pair before with master compressor?
With this method you could freely set you loudness level.

[midi_transmission]

Some feedback for the usabilty.

I have a technical background, so complex signal flows are no problem for me. But I had a very hard time with the AM_LM UI to understand what's going on. I need to look a lot of times in the manual. My main source of confusion was this:

PreFX, PostFX is pretty clear. But then you have two PreFX. The PreFx current/max would be very clear in combination withe PostFX.

But then you have also the "PreFx diff/gain" and suddenly you're not sure anymore...why are there two PreFX? I know, what it really does is showing the difference to the Ref level. I feel fooled by this still, even when I know what it is. In the first moment the wording indicates something else or better it's very unclear what this value indicate imho. There should be some link to the reference level.

Maybe just change the PreFX diff/gain to Ref diff/gain? I think the link to Ref is much more important than the link were in the signal chain the signal is measured.

PreFx current/max and PostFX diff/gain would also be better grouped visually by the ...FX.

Does it make sense?

Kind regards and great plugin otherwise!


ps: From the manual... In 4. OVerview: "Pre-FX Loudness" , I think it would make sense to change it to Pre-FX Level. I thought it is loudness (RMS...) and not just dbFS. It took me some time before I noticed my mistake.

[midi_transmission]

pps: Sorry, I overlooked the last reply from you!

"How does it compare to this one: Brickwall lookahead limiter as last plugin (ceiling -3 dBFS) and AB_LM pair before with master compressor?
With this method you could freely set you loudness level."

My idea was to more related to critical listening A/B signals based on max. peak level than mixing. A limiter would just change the signal. You can set the max. level the signal should peak and then compare the difference in perceived loudness vs. punsh. It's just a different perspective.

Furthermore, when you know in mastering that you level must be e.g. -1 dbFs and you lower the transients with a compressor to get a better RMS level, I want to see how much "better"/louder it sounds. In this case I don't want a RMS match, because you're interested how well you can use the headroom.

hear loop -> set volume so that max peak. from the level meter hits -1 dbFS -> change transients -> hear loop -> set volume so that max peak. from the level meter hits -1 dbFS

Normally I would need to boost the gained Peak level with a gain knob manually to match -1dbFS again. I thought it would be cool to have this done automatically.

Does it make more sense now? Maybe I'm really the only one who find this useful, could be possible of course.

But you're maybe right, it's difficult to set a useful time window how often the max. peak level will be set. Not sure how well it works in reality. You can do that already manually with dpMeter2 and maximum peak.

[TB-ProAudio]

But then you have also the "PreFx diff/gain" and suddenly you're not sure anymore...why are there two PreFX? I know, what it really does is showing the difference to the Ref level. I feel fooled by this still, even when I know what it is. In the first moment the wording indicates something else or better it's very unclear what this value indicate imho. There should be some link to the reference level.

Thank you for your input!
Yes, Pre-FX diff/gain is related to the reference level. But it is still related to Pre-FX...
We will make it clearer in the manual:-)

[TB-ProAudio]

hear loop -> set volume so that max peak. from the level meter hits -1 dbFS -> change transients -> hear loop -> set volume so that max peak. from the level meter hits -1 dbFS

Well, we know this:-) But AB_LM is not right tools for this, but we are using dpMeter2 for this:
set any meter mode in dpMeter2, set ref. level to -1.0, switch on sync and let the audio run.
As soon DAW stops look at the Max Peak value or even better the TP value. Now shift click on the readout value and the dpMeter2 gain is set accordingly. Run the audio again.
I hope this helps.

In any case let me think if it could be made into AB_LM...

[midi_transmission]

Yes, I know that AB_LM is not the right tool for peak related things. I was just thinking aloud.

I'm already using dpMeter2 exactly for this and in the way you wote for comparing peak level.

By the way, AB_LM + dpMeter2 are exactly the tools I'm looking for. I ask myself how anyone could live without them who knows a bit about engineering and how important a equal RMS is for a/b sound quality. Setting compressors without AB_LM seems completely outdated to me know. I was doing level matching things manually all the time in the past years.

Thank you for these tools.

[TB-ProAudio]

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to 1.5.0
- NEW: GUI
- NEW: delta monitoring (sender receiver difference signal)
- NEW: global activate/deactivate, match mode, ABFX, drive and delta monitoring (shift mouse click)
- PostGain: stored automatically