Why “Good Enough”
isn’t always enough 

We all know the importance of choosing the right tools for a job. The same principle should apply when it comes to processing audio.

Choose The Right Tool For The Job

Definitely not the right tool.

When discussing file-based audio processing, a response we commonly hear is “I already have audio processing options in the video transcoding application that I use, so why do I need a designated audio solution for handling this?”

Well, if you needed somebody to carry out work on your home’s electrics would you ask a plumber to do it just because they happen to know how to wire a plug? No. You’d want to employ an expert. Why should you treat your audio any differently? This is also true when it comes to loudness processing.

In a similar way, the quality of your loudness processing will determine whether your audience has an enjoyable viewing experience or whether they come away unhappy and vow never to watch that show or channel again.

Two common loudness components that illustrate why using the right audio tools (pun intended) matter are loudness range (often abbreviated as “LRA”) and true peak. 

Controlling The Dynamics

Simply squashing your audio will not deliver the results you're after.

Loudness range is a measurement of how dynamic an audio signal is. It represents the difference between the quietest parts of the audio and the loudest parts. Content mixed for cinema is generally mixed with a high loudness range. This sounds great when you are sitting in a movie theater, but at home can frequently have you reaching for the TV remote. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve turned up the volume in order to hear a key section of dialog, only to then have our eardrums blasted by some loud music or action in the next scene, causing us to frantically turn the volume down again.

To address this, many modern loudness specifications include a recommendation for the maximum allowable loudness range. However, when it comes to adjusting loudness range, many applications (particularly video-centric apps) either cannot handle it or require a paid add-on to do the job. 

But with AudioTools Server, loudness range correction comes standard with our Loudness Adjustment module. Unlike the traditional compressors that can leave the audio over-processed and devoid of any life, AudioTools® Server utilizes a technology called APTO™, developed by our colleagues at Linear Acoustic®. APTO uses modern psychoacoustic modeling to adapt the audio, resulting in carefully controlled dynamics that are still engaging to the audience.

For customers wanting to go one step further, the AudioTools Advanced Loudness Adaptation module allows for even more dynamic control, with options for adjusting the relative difference between the overall program loudness and the dialog loudness, along with ones for adjusting the dynamic range and short term loudness of the dialog component. This makes it the ideal tool for tackling modern loudness recommendations like Netflix Best Practices, Disney’s Near Field Specification or EBU R128-s4.

Conquering The Peaks

Probably not the subtlest way of managing peaks.

The other loudness component I mentioned earlier in this article is true peak. In essence, true peak represents the highest digital peak in the audio signal. Most loudness specifications define a maximum allowable true peak value, for example, -1dBTP for EBU R128. How different applications meet this requirement varies, which provides a good illustration of why choosing the right tool matters.

With a lot of loudness correction processes, maximum true peak is handled through the application of an overall gain adjustment applied to the audio.

For example, let’s say the source audio has a current maximum true peak value of 0dBTP and the intended target is -2dBTP. A common way to achieve this is to simply lower the entire audio signal by 2dB. This may seem like a logical solution, but doing this will also reduce the overall loudness measurement by the same amount – which could be the difference between producing compliant audio and falling foul of the broadcast regulator.

AudioTools Server uses a more sophisticated approach. Instead of adjusting the entire audio signal, It only reduces the level on either side of the peak itself. This ensures that the maximum peak falls below the maximum allowable value but doesn't affect other loudness measurements, meaning your audio remains compliant.

"Is Good Enough Really Good Enough?"

So the next time you’re sitting there, thinking that your existing audio processing options are probably “good enough,” pause for a moment and consider whether being good enough is really enough!

And if you come to the conclusion that it isn't — reach out to your AudioTools Server representative for more information. We’d love to hear from you.