make the balance level similar on Audition

[erzane]

Hi,
when I record a vinyl, my balance level isn't the same left & right
is it normal and how to adjust it pls?

[pandy]

First this can be signal that something with your setup is not correct - check spectral characteristic - perhaps there is asymmetry in frequency response, second use monophonic recording - perhaps some test vinyl and try to verify correctness of your setup - small difference (imbalance) between channels can be difficult to fix and can be corrected by introducing different gain for channels (un-tick "lock left/right channel" in Amplify/fading processing) .
Automatically this can be easily fixed by selecting normalization (to -3.0103dBFS) independently for channels - you need to verify if your panorama is correct (select proper plot - phase analysis Alt+X - plot Histogram - will show imbalance between channels in nice way).

[erzane]

thanks for your reply

Can I set the balance level separately by using the ''preference'' menu >audio material, and go to my setup like this? I tryed it manualy and the result is good on visual. I sat 75 rather than 60. (pls see pic 1&2)

About Alt+X:
can you see something wrong in the histogram plot you can see in 3rd pic? (on this pic I sat the balance level to 60 & 60, that's why you see unbalance again).

About normalizing for each channels separately:
I succeeded to normalize to -3 but both channels haven't got identic peak.
Perhaps ''introducing different gain for channels (un-tick "lock left/right channel" in Amplify/fading processing)'' is the correct way?
I get this, but I get it trought the menu >effect >amplitude & compression > amplification (pls see pic#4)

[pandy]

Seem this is newer version of Audition, by Alt + X i mean "Phase Analysis" window and active "Histogram".
Balance can be achieved on many ways - if you prefer own way fine for me.

btw this is how Phase Analysis looks - first picture - Russian page - didn't found anything except this one.
http://wikisound.org/Adobe_Audition_Phase_Analysis

[netmask56]

First check with a mono recording to check your setup and balance levels - they should be the same. Stereo recordings can and are mixed with different levels between left and right but not dramatically so. I had to "remix" a source on 4 track multi-track tape original destined to mono release to "stereo" The producer wanted the piano totally on hard left and the drums hard right with the bass and acoustic guitar in the middle. The result was a big imbalance between the left and right but helped a bit by having the bass and guitar in the middle. The result was not so much stereo but more 'lateral placement' of instruments. There can be big differences so you need to calibrate your system first. Then there is correct phasing of microphone leads but that's another story

[erzane]

here is a mono recording with a stereo 12''EP and phase analysis:


here is a stereo recording with same stereo 12''EP and phase analysis:


here is a stereo recording of a mono 7''EP, and phase analysis:


And here, I sat the balance level manualy trought the windows panel to 100/41



And here, I normalized it to -3 (effects >amplitude & compression >normalize)


Did it correctly like this?

p.s. I notified that going to the ''amplification menu'' (effects >amplitude & compression >amplification) do nothing special, I prefere to only use the ''normalization'' option in my way of doing.


p.s. the last attached thumbnail with the solo peak down to -3 is a wrong picture. I just didn't succeed to take it off.

[pandy]

It looks like something is wrong with your setup - you can set balance directly on input mixer for your audio card - perhaps is wrong? If this is not source of problem for this then you need dig more - perhaps pickup, perhaps wiring, perhaps preamp... I assume for mono recording - imbalance between channels shall be not higher than 3dB.

[erzane]

I notified one channel of my wire wasn't corrected fixed. When I moved it a bit, things changed:
Here is a new stereo record of a mono 7'' EP


With this level setting: now I don't've to go until 100 for having enough sound, and don't've to put right speaker to 40 for having good balance.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And thoses are my settings in Audition, but I have other options, like:

Input:
''What I am actually hearing (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX)''
''Microphones''

Output:
''Speakers (Soundblaster Audigy 5/RX)''
''Speakers (USB Audio Codecs)''
''Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)''
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My pre-amp have a gain pot, but I can't use it with my actual pc, but when I tryed with my laptop, it worked fine.
http://www.project-audio.com/main.php?prod=phonoboxusbv

I use some wires like these, but they are hard to put well in the holes, because the holes are very tight compared to the tickness of the tip of the wire.
http://www.audioquest.com/bridges-falls/golden-gate

p.s. how to access to the input mixer of my audio card pls?

[pandy]

So seem it was connector issue, plenty if not all decent RCA connectors are very tight fit in a socket - usually it is not a problem as they are not frequently reconnected.
Seem also you already have access to Input mixer - this is called on your picture (my French is almost not existing) 'Line In Properties' this is where you can configure input level and balance between channels in (i assume) analog domain so in proper place - adjusting them in digital domain i.e. Audition is not optimal.

[erzane]

I see, thanks for your help and explanations.
so, all seems to be good now, right?

I don't now which programm to use instead of Audition (I already have Audacity, but this one seems to be lower degree than Audition)
Do you have a good programm to share?

p.s. pls could you listen this recording I made right after all correct settings?
http://www.mediafire.com/file/z3zerv77uy5o2op/Funky+Technicians.flac

[pandy]

So yes, everything seem to be OK with your setup.
I like older Audition (before known as Cool Edit) - used to it so much that i prefer it over Audacity (where usually i prefer Open Source software over closed one) - in other words - IMHO Audition is OK - and hard to replace.

After listening your sample i have impression that there is something wrong above 10kHz, like some nonlinear distortions, harmonics related to high frequency content - not sure - they sound bit like sound with "sand" - harsh, not clean, bit grainy - also spectrum looks weird (at least suspicious) above 21kHz - are you sure that pick-up is sufficient - don't know this record so it is my first impression - as this is sampled music so distortion may be intentional.

[erzane]

I recorded a track of real music to compare, perhaps less distortions.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/9oc6frd0b85td7f/Roy+Ayers+Ubiquity.flac

It's a friend of mine who gave me my actual Audition, but Cool Edit is a bit expensive to me.
Is Audacity so bad compared to my newer edition of Audition?

[pandy]

I recorded a track of real music to compare, perhaps less distortions.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/9oc6frd0b85td7f/Roy+Ayers+Ubiquity.flac

It's a friend of mine who gave me my actual Audition, but Cool Edit is a bit expensive to me.
Is Audacity so bad compared to my newer edition of Audition?

Cool Edit was name of Audition before company that made Cool Edit was bought by Adobe, after purchase Adobe changed name of the Cool Edit to Audition.
Audition is expensive (more than Cool Edit), perhaps it can be bought from some dealers as "refurbished" license (search in your country for used license dealer - they can offer software license recovered from older computers), anyway new Audition business model is based on subscription so it is even more expensive for average user and IMHO not worth asked money.

From my perspective Audacity is slower, less embedded functions, not so friendly, lower quality analysis options but hey... it is for free so no complaining from my side.
Audacity is OK when you can't have Audition - perhaps there is another software comparable to Audition and with same price as Audacity.

[erzane]

ok, I see
So, I will stay with Audition for the moment, let's see later if needed.

What do you think about the qualitiy of the track of real music to compare (perhaps less distortions) I uploaded to you?

[pandy]

Generally recording is fine however at the beginning i fell some sounds - i would call them as some pops - weird but once again - maybe it is intentional...
I see that you recording with 16 bit and 44100Hz sample rate - seem our intention is to create CD Audio from Vinyl.
Believe that as time spent on conversion is precious i would go for some better acquisition device capable higher bit depth and higher sample rate - this can be useful during signal processing you wish to perform, finally you can convert to CD Audio complaint format.

[erzane]

Certainly those pops are normal on an old vinyl from the 70's (even if this one is very clean and no so used).
But if it's the only unusual element you found on it I would say that 10/21kHz seems to be fine this time right?

I really want to buy a more powerfull pre-amp able to record in 24bit/192kHz (since my audiocard can go to that bit depth), because my actual Pro-Ject USB-V is hardly limited to 16bit. In fact, I could put the kHz higher but I heard about the usual setting ratio is 16bit/44kHz (but I don't know really why).
What do you think about it? Would it be better to record in 48kHz in my case? Or more? (since I have more other sampling rate options in my settings - I can go up to 192).

p.s. btw, when I push the record button in Audition, I can select sample rate and bit depth to, but I don't understand why is the 32bit selected as basis, because finally, when the record is done, final bit depth is only 16bit (pls see this pic, it's the windows which opens when I start a new record. I can choose 8, 16, or 24bit, but it's always the 32bit which is selected as default, and I always set to this last one when I'm recording)...

[bhershey]

I transfer audio LP for a living, and find the balance problem a huge thorn in my side. The problem, which you in part have eluded to, is the random pops and clicks in the audio will render the auto normalize features in Audition useless. The reason, of course, is that the program uses the absolute loudest value in the entire recording to set the normalize levels, and oft times the noise peaks are greater than all the other good peaks we wish to retain.

I do love using the phase analysis tool. Turn up the sample rate to max and you'll have a great visual across a wide window on balance and can then simply double-click select an entire channel (either L or R) and adjust the gain a bit up or down with the slider control.

I DID find an automated solution that you can use in batch using iZoptope Rx software (I have RX4). In the 'Channel Ops' choose the 'Azimuth' tab then from the dropdown select the 'Automatic Level Matching'. It's adaptive so it can increase gain on one section of an individual channel and then decrease another passage a minute later. Not enough, though, to mess up passages that have music heavier on one channel and light on the other. Not sure how they do it but it works for everything I've thrown at it so far.

I use this feature for my own album conversions as well, 100 down and another 400+ to go! My goodness do I get ANNOYED if the balance if off even a little bit!

Hope that helps.