Fabfilter ProQ-3 noise??

[albee1952]

I keep ProQ 3 open on a third screen so I can glance at the RTA function once in a while and noticed some kind of "noise" showing, so I went looking for a cause. While I don't hear anything, bypassing this plugin makes the reading go away(see screen shots). I can bypass every other plugin in the session with no change. I can also remove the HP filter with no change. Note that the screen shots are happening with transport stopped and no audio in the session. Any ideas?

[BScout]

Bypassing the Q3 plugin also makes it stop analyzing the input. So of course it goes away. But it means nothing.

So your test isn't telling you anything.
(you have noise feeding that channel from its input or a modelling plugin somewhere upstream)

[Sardi]

Originally Posted by BScout

Bypassing the Q3 plugin also makes it stop analyzing the input. So of course it goes away. But it means nothing.

So your test isn't telling you anything.
(you have noise feeding that channel from its input or a modelling plugin somewhere upstream)

Correct.

Double check you don’t have any hidden tracks with plugins instantiated and check you don’t have an Aux channel with an input assigned to your I/O.

Something is creating that noise (which is quite high and has to be audible if you turn up your monitoring) and it’s DEFINITELY not ProQ3.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[henningaround]

There are plugins on the market emulating analogue gear including the noise the original gear made. You would see this on an anlyzer like this while transport is stopped. Also there plugins like Audioease Speakerphone which can be set to be muted on stop.

[henningaround]

Originally Posted by Sardi

Correct.

Double check you don’t have any hidden tracks with plugins instantiated and check you don’t have an Aux channel with an input assigned to your I/O.

Something is creating that noise (which is quite high and has to be audible if you turn up your monitoring) and it’s DEFINITELY not ProQ3.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh yes and it's definitely not ProQ3

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by BScout

Bypassing the Q3 plugin also makes it stop analyzing the input.

That makes sense(though I wish it kept analyzing). Digging deeper revealed 2 interesting things:
#1-In typical Waves fashion, H-Delay had "Analog" defaulting to on(which caused the high freq reading)
#2-Waves Puigtech EQ-1A causes the ProQ meters to register signal around -84, but does not show a noise component. This plugin doesn't have the usual "Analog" control, but instead it has a Mains knob with options of 60Hz, 50Hz and off. Setting to off cleans that up. Both plugins are now set to default with this stupid feature turned off. Thanks for direction

[smurfyou]

Yes those Waves plugins default to producing noise, it's really stupid. There are some other devs that do it but it should always be an option.

We spent the entire history of recorded sound trying to get rid of noise but for some reason they think that's what we like about vintage gear

[nednednerb]

Beam of white noise in one hand, input and output knobs in the other!
I'm ready for a Loudness War! It's not over yet is it?

Noise... everywhere... When the prevailing wisdom is now saying "let your recording gain go down, don't force yourself to max out your use of headroom", putting this kind of extra noise at low level in an industry where things are still going for now to be boosted to a high LUFS by delivery, its a recipe for listener fatigue and masking....

Weird thing to do, indeed.