Audiobook technical requirements

Slug wrote on 5/28/2021, 12:12 AM

I use Vegas Pro 13 for TV commercial production but now I'm having trouble trying to upload an Audiobook I have created. The technical requirements are very specific and I'm asking whether I can meet these requirements (see below) using Vegas Pro 13 or do I need to use external audio programs? The requirements are: 1/. Need to keep all audio between -23dB and -18dB RMS. 2/. Peak values no higher than -3dB. 3/. Noise Floor no higher than -60dB RMS. There are a lot of other requirements but these above relate tspecifically to the audio output. I'm more of a Producer than a techo so pretty dumb when it comes to this sort of stuff. Any help will be appreciated! Thanks, Slug.

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Dexcon wrote on 5/28/2021, 2:50 AM

Vegas Pro 13 does have Loudness metering and logging - you can read up on this on pages 483 to 487 of Vegas Pro 13's user manual and see if you are able to meet all the required audiobook standards by Vegas Pro 13's presets.

The Loudness metering and logging in Vegas Pro 18 is very similar but has updated standards for both the American and European markets. Although I could be wrong (I don't use Loudness processing in Vegas Pro), this is only a metering/logging option and does not seem to provide any option to nominate the precise LUFS and peaks that you want so that Loudness metering 'processes' the audio on the timeline to meet that standard that you want.

If the Loudness metering presets in Vegas Pro 13 do not meet the Audibook requirements, then you probably need to look at an external audio editor with a Loudness Control function. One of the better known Loudness plugins is Loudness Control from iZotope: https://www.izotope.com/en/products/rx-loudness-control.html . This is a very flexible program which has 10 preset standards but also easily allows for adjustment of the parameters so that you can create your own presets. It is rather expensive at $349 USD (ex tax if applicable) and it is also a plugin. The bad news is that the number of hosts it can be used in as a plugin is very limited and does not include Vegas Pro or MAGIX's Sound Forge Pro (the latter having much the same Loudness metering and logging as in Vegas Pro).

This means that to use iZotope's Loudness Control, you'd need to already own or need to get Pro Tools 10-12, Media Composer 7-8, or Premiere Pro CC, none of which is bargain priced. But iZotope include Loudness Control in their RX8 Standard and RX8 Advance products. RX8 Standard is much less expensive than RX8 Advanced and costs for a new licence $399 USD (ex tax if applicable), only $50 more that the plugin alone.

https://www.izotope.com/en/shop/rx-8-standard.html

The best way to find out for yourself is to try the 30 days free trial of RX8 Standard - unless of course the many extra features included in RX8 Advanced appeals - but with a much, much higher purchase price.

Another option is get the very basic RX Elements ($129 USD) plus the Loudness Control plugin, but that would be very economical because doing it that way would cost $79 more than just getting RX8 Standard.

Others on the forum may well have suggestions for other products that are just as effective and cost less.

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Slug wrote on 5/28/2021, 3:08 AM

Dexcon thanks heaps for your thoughts and some good options to explore. The various platforms make self-publishing sound very simple but it's anything but easy. Depending on how I go following up your suggestions I might even be able to justify a reasonable investment by offering the service to others. Thanks again and all the best!

 

rraud wrote on 5/28/2021, 12:32 PM

Sound Forge Pro-15 includes an ACX audio books export tool for Audible, iTunes, Amazon, ect.
The audio books loudness factor is -17LUFS (integrated). Even with Ozone and/or the ACX tools there can be an loudness calibration error, which would be cause for rejection by some publishers. SFP can 'render' all the dB and loudness values to the clipboard for printing and such in a few seconds or so. OTOH, most meters and LU/LK meter plug-ins only display real-time values, so obtaining the key LUFS integrated value would be time consuming (= full duration real-time playback).

rraud, Sound Forge forum moderator