MAutoVolume grainy/gritty and other artifacts added

[alexis1]

Hello - I ran some vocals through, range at 24, sensitivity at 50, and then because there were a few peaky sections still, ran the resulting track through once more (rather than once at 48 range). IIRC, each pass resulted in a reduction in LUF range of about 3dB, and an overall loudness reduction of about 3 LUFS also (the latter adjusted for with makeup gain). I can get the exact values if it's important.

The final result was a good job taming the peaks, but with noticeable artifacts. For example the "T" sounds were very hard, almost like there was a lot of sibilance added. Also there was an overall characteristic of the sound added, sort of a graininess, a difference that was audible but hard to describe.

Can anyone help with any suggestions to make this more transparent? My alternative is what I usually do, adjusting the clip envelope manually (Cubase 7.5.40), might take a little longer, but is artifact free.

Maybe instead of applying MAutoVolume to the whole track, I should only process the few seconds around each peak?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[MeldaProduction]

Hi alexis1,

I'm afraid it is pretty impossible to give you any hints without actually seeing your processing the sound, hearing the results and mainly hearing the problem. Feel free to send me the audio clip with the settings. Anyways I wouldn't recommend using multiple passes, rather play with the settings until it gets fixed by a single pass.

[steve2KVR]

...very interesting...V! are you suggesting
1/using multiple instances of MAV in series in a single pass
or
2/multipule passes with a single instance of MAV bounced down and run over again?
...gonna wander off and try #1 for sure... .../s~

[MeldaProduction]

I meant trying to use just one instance if possible . But anyways we need the actual audio and results

[alexis1]

I meant trying to use just one instance if possible . But anyways we need the actual audio and results

Thanks for the reply!

The vocal is not mine to send unfortunately. If no one else is hearing these things on male vocals dynamic enough to require two passes with range 24/sensitivity 50 it must be a problem limited to my system.

Thanks-

[alexis1]

I meant trying to use just one instance if possible . But anyways we need the actual audio and results

Thanks for the reply!

The vocal is not mine to send unfortunately. If no one else is hearing these things on male vocals dynamic enough to require two passes with range 24/sensitivity 50 it must be a problem limited to my system.

Thanks-

[alexis1]

I meant trying to use just one instance if possible . But anyways we need the actual audio and results

Thanks for the reply!

The vocal is not mine to send unfortunately. If no one else is hearing these things on male vocals dynamic enough to require two passes with range 24/sensitivity 50 it must be a problem limited to my system.

Thanks-

[MeldaProduction]

Isn't the input level too low? The gain meter should always jump around 0dB, if it's constantly low or constantly high, then the input level is probably way too off charts.

[steve2KVR]

...in general use for me is to raise/lower the input gain, as suggested, to get the gain meter is raised/lowered about the same amount over time...then I start adjusting the other settings...it took a while to "catch on" how MAV worked since I was coming off a couple of "other" plugs that more "one knob" sorta things, but totally lacked the level of control that comes with MAV...now that I'm comfortable with how it works, I use it all over the place whenever I don't want to "ride the knobs"...watch the video tutorial in detail, the guy covers a lot real fast...hth.../s~

[alexis1]

...in general use for me is to raise/lower the input gain, as suggested, to get the gain meter is raised/lowered about the same amount over time ...

Hi steve2KVR - thanks for your reply!

Can you explain a little more please the part in bold?

[MeldaProduction]

Watch the G meter on the right. It displays the gain being performed. In ideal case it would be 0dB all the time, meaning the plugin doesn't have to do anything . But in most cases it will be jumping up and down performing various gain changing. But if it constantly below or constantly above, then it's quite probable that the input level is just too wrong and the required gain would be very high, outside of the range setting. So just use Input gain a fix that.

[steve2KVR]

...alexis1...whate he said^^^^...I found it a little confusing at first, but then realized I needed to use the MAV input gain to raise or lower the signal until the "G meter on the right" was "bouncing" up and down centering around the 0db mark in the middle of the "G meter" graph...then you can adjust the other parameters "to taste"...and finally use the MAv output gain knob to set the signal back into you DAW however you need to...In my experience, extreme settings of the input/output gain are not uncommon depending on the original signal gain level...hth .../s~

[alexis1]

Ok, thanks guys, this is very helpful.

Just to make sure I'm understanding: my gain seemed to generally be positive, between 0 and 12. Would that suggest I need to *increase * the input gain?

One aside ... I find it hard to read/interpret the gain meter, mainly (I *think*), because it is holding the peaks too long ... it mainly just stays up at 12, no bouncing around.

Is there a way to program that meter so it doesn't hold peaks as long?

Thank you!

[Chandlerhimself]

Could the "G meter" be added to MXXX. Now it isn't there so it is a bit hard to set Autovolume, which is a shame. Something like MTurbocomp or something even smaller would be fine.

[Svama]

Maybe a bug? Input gain increases only the output gain! The input metering also doesn´t change, only the output!