Noise Reduction Before and After Samples

Each discrete plug-in in the offers default presets that apply different types of noise reduction.
Within each plug-in you have full control over filter parameters that optimize performance in your
own individual applications. You can save these parameter settings as custom presets and apply
them again when you need them.

General Guidelines and Examples

This section gives some general guidelines and audiovisual examples for applying the individual
Noise Reduction plug-ins.
Each example provides a brief description of the processes that we used to restore the files. To use
the audiovisual examples:
Click on a waveform graphic to open a window that contains a visual Before or After waveform.

Click and Crackle Removal

1. Select the appropriate preset, or create your own based on individual applications.
2. Adjust Click Shape, Click Size, and Sensitivity controls. Experiment with your own filter
parameter adjustments.
3. Select Noise Level to establish noise threshold.
4. Select Remove Low Frequency Rumble option and automatically remove inaudible
frequencies that warped records cause.

Clicked Guitar

First, we used Click and Crackle Removal's "Default for vinyl recordings" preset. Then, we applied
the Noise Reduction "Default for fast computers" preset with a "Reduce noise by" setting of 20 dB
and Mode 3 Reduction Type. Next, we captured a new noiseprint, and applied a second pass of the
Noise Reduction "Default for fast computers" preset using the same settings as the first pass.

Edgewater

This live radio recording was very difficult to process. The crackles had a large amount of very high
frequency content. To remedy this situation, we used Click and Crackle Removal's "Default for vinyl
recordings" preset with Sensitivity at 20 and Click Shape set to 7.

Next, and without getting a noiseprint, we applied one pass of Noise Reduction using the "Default for
fast computers" preset with a "Reduce noise by" setting of 12 dB and Mode 3 Reduction Type. Then
we raised the Noise Bias to 12 dB and performed a High-shelf cut of -10 dB at 7000 Hz. The periodic
crackling is still there—something for us to work on for the next version!
Madison

First, we used Click and Crackle Removal's "Default for vinyl recordings" preset with Sensitivity set
at 20. Next, and without getting a noiseprint, we made one pass of Noise Reduction using the
"Default for fast computers" preset with a "Reduce noise by" setting of 40 dB and Mode 3 Reduction
Type. We also lowered the Noise Bias to -3 dB.

Sax Pops

First, we used Click and Crackle Removal's "Default for vinyl recordings" preset. Then, we captured a
noiseprint from the beginning of the file and made one pass of Noise Reduction with the "Default for
fast computers" preset and a "Reduce noise by" setting of 30 dB.

Clipped Peak Restoration

1. Select the appropriate preset, or create your own based on individual applications.
2. Select Enable Post-limiter to set the attenuation level automatically, or adjust the Attenuation
control manually to set headroom for reconstructed peaks.
3. Select Cross Fade Edges to restore peaks in selected regions seamlessly.

Clipped Guitar
We used Clipped Peak Restoration's "No attenuation, limit clips" preset on this recording.

Clipped Piano

As in the Clipped Guitar recording, we used Clipped Peak Restoration's "No attenuation, limit clips"
preset here.

Clipped Voice

We utilized Clipped Peak Restoration's "No attenuation, limit clips" preset in this recording as well.
Notice how the harmonic distortion is minimized in the word clipped.

Noise Reduction (Broadband)

1. To capture a Noise Print, sample a small interval of silence in your source material.
2. Select an appropriate preset (or create your own based on individual applications).
Experiment with 4 Reduction Type operation modes.
3. Adjust the FFT Window Size and Overlap to model the noise spectrum and optimize precision.
Manually adjust Noise Envelope points as desired.
4. Adjust Noise Bias and Reduce Noise By controls to optimize the Noise Reduction algorithm.
Set Attack/Release Speed controls to suit transient conditions.
 5. Adjust the High-Shelf Gain and Frequency controls to compensate for high frequencies lost in
the noise filter and to brighten the sound.
6. Observe your results with the real-time Preview option. Interactively tune parameters to
optimize results, and review residual output to verify material removed.

Air Conditioner

First, we captured a noiseprint using the provided region. Next, we used the "Default for fast
computers" preset with a maximum setting of 100 dB on the "Reduce noise by" control and Mode 2
Reduction Type.

Noise Reduction

First, we set the FFT size to 1024, and then we captured a noiseprint using the start of the file. The
FFT size must be set before capturing a noiseprint, and files with lower sample rates often require
smaller FFT sizes. Next, we used the "Default for fast computers" preset with a "Reduce noise by"
setting of 60 dB and Mode 3 Reduction Type. We also raised the Attack Speed to 100 and the
Release Speed to 90.

Noise Reduction 2

First, we set the FFT size to 1024 to minimize the artificial reverb artifact. Then we captured a
noiseprint from the end of the file. We used the "Default for fast computers" preset with a "Reduce
noise by" setting of 60 dB and Mode 3 Reduction Type. We also raised the Attack Speed to 100 and
the Release Speed to 90.

Slap Bass

First, we set the FFT size to 1024. Then, we captured a noiseprint from the start of the file. We used
the "Default for fast computers" preset with a "Reduce noise by" setting of 60 dB and Mode 3
Reduction Type. Next, we moved the envelope points below 400 Hz down a few dB's to prevent
harm to the bass although this would have been crucial only if the noise were louder.

Wayfarer

First, we captured a noiseprint from the start of the file. Then we used the "Default for fast
computers" preset with a "Reduce noise by" setting of 40 dB and Mode 3 Reduction Type. Next, we
applied a High-shelf boost of 3 dB to frequencies above 7000 Hz. This made up for the loss of any
high frequencies during Noise Reduction.

Vinyl Restoration
1. Select the General Restoration preset, or create your own based on individual applications.
2. Experiment with this plug-in's simplified parameter controls:

Adjust Reduce Noise By, Noise Floor, and Affect Frequencies Above controls to optimize surface
noise removal.

Adjust Attack/Release Speed controls to minimize processing artifacts.

Adjust Click Removal Amount to optimize click and pop removal.