Any tricks for overmodulated audio?

[Ken P]

is there a difference as to how these programs handle clipped audio (as in over 0 dbfs) vs distorted audio (like a mic or preamp overloaded but still under 0 dbfs)? i think the bulk of what i am dealing with is the later. plus if i see right the sonic stuff is mac only right ?

[minister]

i can't speak about the Waves de-crackle... but, yes, the Sonic de-crackle does deal with mic preamp over modulation.

[zseivers]

I've had amazing results with X-Crackle. It's sort of a no-brainer plugin but works great! I often have to deal with production tracks recorded for EPK material and it's not uncommon for a camera operator to have to record the sound himself. I've heard very few tracks recorded this way that sound good. Check the broadcast and production bundle out. It's not too expensive in the native format but beware of delay compensation problems.

Zach Seivers
Zach Seivers Sound Services

[David Sandwisch]

I have Sonic NoNoise for PT on PC and it is amazing! It has worked miracles for me when used correctly. Have the camera operator fork over the $1,500 for the plug-in and they won't make that mistake again!

[hki]

Hello Ducers,
I have the same problem with a short going to Sundance. What plugin would you suggest I use with an LE setup?

[KK Proffitt]

Hello Ducers,
I have the same problem with a short going to Sundance. What plugin would you suggest I use with an LE setup?

Rent the Cedar Cambridge mentioned above if you can swing the bucks. Otherwise, the Sonic Solutions plug is slightly better at de-crackle than the Waves. I'm speaking from TDM Mac here, so I'm not sure what your options are. The Cedar is by far the best choice, but I believe it's USD 60K fully stuffed. I had one in for a review and wept when I took it to Fedex...

[Richard Fairbanks]

Don't overlook the possibility of sending the offending files directly to Cedar in the UK. Check out their Bureau Services page. I ran into a horribly recorded and badly overmodulated on-camera female host earlier this year. Another facility had tried Waves on it (before I was given the full post mix), with marginal improvement. Sonic Decrackle only made it worse because it added a lot of distortion. I've noticed this before sometimes with female or higher male voices. The other trick of low-pass was a poor solution because there was was so much distortion. I was low-passing more than not and ended up with a muddy sounding host.

Rather than rent a Cedar and risk it would not be able to help much, I ftp'd some test files to them (it only took a couple of emails to arrange payment and ftp info) and the next morning they managed work on them. The results were nothing short of spectacular. Once the client heard them any extra costs involved (which were very very reasonable I might add) were covered without question.

In the long run I was glad to have paid them to do the work instead of rent one here, because there were four different times when I had to send a couple more lines of dialog to them, as the show was being revised over and over. Cedar kept notes and recalled the settings each time so it was very cost effective, much less time and trouble than if I had rented the box on four occassions.