R/E/P Community

R/E/P => Mastering Dynamics => Topic started by: Dave-G on September 09, 2011, 03:33:30 PM

Title: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Dave-G on September 09, 2011, 03:33:30 PM
Having just completed a huge amount of declicking on a couple of mixes using my most trusted (but time-consuming) scrub-and-Sonic-Manual-Declicking process, I wondered what you guys do for click-janitorial.

I've got iZotope RX as well, and have tried to like using the Declick algo there to avoid my usual one-at-a-time workflow, but find it's only occasionally as effective as I'd like it to be.

I'm currently using PT on a Mac for my playback and handful of digital/plugin processes.  Are any of you using something you like much better?  CEDAR tools looks promising, but it's hard to tell if it's still actually for sale anywhere, and I expect it's rather expensive.  Waves?

-Dave
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Allen Corneau on September 09, 2011, 04:12:45 PM
I've been using Cedar ReTouch on the Sadie V5 and it's great.

I'll be moving to a Sadie 6 system sometime soon but since ReTouch isn't available for it yet I'm planning on using Rx2 for the time being.
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Deleted User on September 09, 2011, 06:05:04 PM
I move between SonicStudio NoNoise II's Manual DeClick (used in soundBlade) and Rx 2's Spectral Repair in standalone mode for manual declicking duties. For automatic work (since, amongst other reasons, NoNoise II doesn't have the Production DeClick module available) I use Cedar's DeClickle module on a basic Cambridge system. No one tool all the time, but often in combination.

Cedar offers a ProTools-specific DeClick AudioSuite plugin but it's not cheap (it's in the $2600 range) and PC-only but does both manual and auto-declicking: http://www.vintageking.com/CEDAR-Audio-Declick-PT (http://www.vintageking.com/CEDAR-Audio-Declick-PT). I have no idea how this compares to Cedar's DeClickle module as I have yet to use the ProTools version. The other Cedar option is the Cedar Duo (rackmount version of) DeClickle but again, it is not cheap ($6500-range).

Does NoNoise for ProTools not have the Production DeClick module? Production DeClick in combination with the Manual DeClick module is still a very good solution and ensures the session is slightly less tedious and time consuming.

cheers,
Reynaud
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Cass Anawaty on September 09, 2011, 06:19:15 PM
One at a time with Sequoia's onboard spectral cleaner.  Have used most of the de-clickers and I've found the manual way just gets better results.
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Jerry Tubb on September 09, 2011, 06:33:59 PM
I move between SonicStudio NoNoise II's Manual DeClick (used in soundBlade) and Rx 2's Spectral Repair in standalone mode for manual declicking duties. For automatic work (since, amongst other reasons, NoNoise II doesn't have the Production DeClick module available) I use Cedar's DeClickle module on a basic Cambridge system. No one tool all the time, but often in combination.

Cedar offers a ProTools-specific DeClick AudioSuite plugin but it's not cheap (it's in the $2600 range) and PC-only but does both manual and auto-declicking: http://www.vintageking.com/CEDAR-Audio-Declick-PT (http://www.vintageking.com/CEDAR-Audio-Declick-PT). I have no idea how this compares to Cedar's DeClickle module as I have yet to use the ProTools version. The other Cedar option is the Cedar Duo (rackmount version of) DeClickle but again, it is not cheap ($6500-range).

Does NoNoise for ProTools not have the Production DeClick module? Production DeClick in combination with the Manual DeClick module is still a very good solution and ensures the session is slightly less tedious and time consuming.

cheers,
Reynaud

Sounds like we're on the same page Reynaud!

Sonic NoNoise II MDC in soundBlade.

RX2 Spectral Editor, also has DeClicking.

Sonic NoNoise for Pro Tools HD. Yes it has Production DeClicking, but it's a little slow compared to the newer tools, and with mixed results.

WaveLab 7 also has built in DeClicking with AutoSearch, but I haven't used it or the Oxford tools yet. But it's on the list. I assume it's on the Mac version, but not sure yet... WL7 is so intuitive... Not.

I havent used Cedar.

cheers, JT
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: 24-96 Mastering on September 09, 2011, 08:48:44 PM
One at a time with Sequoia's onboard spectral cleaner.  Have used most of the de-clickers and I've found the manual way just gets better results.

What Cass said (using Wavelab's onboard spectral editor here though)
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: djwaudio on September 10, 2011, 12:20:42 AM
I use Cedar on SADiE 5.  There is auto de-click and de-crackle that are very good for those projects with hundreds of ticks.  I usually grab a manageable chunk of audio (half a verse/crs, etc) and run it/listen to the result, then move on.

Between the manual CEDAR de-click and Retouch, I can get most of what comes along.  Sometimes an edit with a cross-fade saves the day.

Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Dave-G on September 10, 2011, 09:48:09 AM
Sonic NoNoise for Pro Tools HD. Yes it has Production DeClicking, but it's a little slow compared to the newer tools, and with mixed results.

This pretty much mirrors my experience with it. 

I've gotten reasonably quick over the years with scrub/shuttling and using Sonic's Manual Declicking, which is great, but on click-heavy tracks where I might prefer to use the Production Declicking, I find it's parametrically cumbersome enough, or like RX, takes enough time to scrutinize attempts and manually grab an errant click or two that I start to want to return to scrubbing and manually declicking ... and that's an awful thing to want. 
 
Maybe this just is what it is. 

I may yet try Wavelab ... but curious to know if anyone likes the Sonnox or Waves Restoration (X-Click) stuff.

Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: bblackwood on September 10, 2011, 10:59:18 AM
I use WL's declicker here, works great for most clicks.
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: phonon on September 10, 2011, 12:27:23 PM
I like the results obtainable from manual declicking with NoNoise I (in HD).   I don't care for the veil imparted by auto-detectors, but, I haven't tried DeClickle, which I suspect is pretty transparent with the right settings.   I sometimes use RX, but more in Spectral Repair modes (attenuate and replace).  With DeClick, or any type of restoration dsp, I recommend auditioning each resynthesis with headphones because there can be artifacts that defy easy detection over loudspeakers - especially far-field - no matter how otherwise revealing of musical information those speakers may be.  Having a minimum of air molecules between you and the headphone drivers makes little puffs of air sound like p-plosives, up close, where they would have been, otherwise, aerated by the sound waves between your ears and your faraway ScanSpeaks.   Ymmv, but the client may approve based on car stereo speakers, or home audio, playsback, and then think you're no good, after all, when he puts the reference on headphones...   :'(     RCA used to have a cadre of lady listeners (who wore headphones) as a key part of their QC team.   Mastering and premastering studios should have a QC staff, but most, these days, seem to be one-man bands, such as mine...   Who's checking the checker's work?


Andrew 
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Gold on September 10, 2011, 02:26:25 PM
I have Rx but I usually choose this http://www.acondigital.com/us_StudioClean.html  Steve Berson turned me on to it. I don't think it sounds quite as clean as Rx but it works better in most cases and I don't mind the way it sounds. I don't know if it being cheap helps or hurts but I like it.
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Hermetech Mastering on September 10, 2011, 05:17:27 PM
I have Rx but I usually choose this http://www.acondigital.com/us_StudioClean.html (http://www.acondigital.com/us_StudioClean.html)  Steve Berson turned me on to it. I don't think it sounds quite as clean as Rx but it works better in most cases and I don't mind the way it sounds. I don't know if it being cheap helps or hurts but I like it.

Wow, just looking at their Acoustica 5 Premium Edition. Looks like a very full-feautured stereo wave editor, and is extremely cheap compared to the competition. Anyone have any more experience with this app/company?
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: GYMusic on September 11, 2011, 08:34:20 PM
RX and click removal in Adobe Audition and Sound Forge.  For critical music, I NEVER process a complete file.  I individually hit the clicks I hear.
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: S_firemastering on September 11, 2011, 08:59:57 PM
...sorry but where is in Wavelab 7 the "autosearch" function for the declicker?
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Ed Littman on September 12, 2011, 08:12:46 PM
I use WL's declicker here, works great for most clicks.
I use the WL waveform restorer for manual & Audio error detection for more automated use. Brad, not sure if thats what your refering to but it is a must to check out.

Ed
Title: Re: Click removal workflow?
Post by: Treelady on September 12, 2011, 09:58:28 PM
One at a time with Sequoia's onboard spectral cleaner.  Have used most of the de-clickers and I've found the manual way just gets better results.

+1

If there are too many clicks that doing it by hand taxes your patience, there is probably something wrong with the source file.   Of course, we see that from time to time.  If I need to doing a batch thing I try Sonnox or Izotope first.  If neither of those work I got to Algo or Wave Arts etc...