Fixing crackle in audio

JaysonHolovacs wrote on 7/24/2004, 8:49 AM

Is there any tool to fix crackling sounds in audio? I thought I might be overdriving it but according to Vegas nothing's breaking 0dB. I think it actually is on the source recording(came from VHS). Is there any magic plug-in for filtering this out?

-Jayson

Comments

farss wrote on 7/24/2004, 8:58 AM

There's quite a few tools in Sound Forge you could try.
It may well be clipping even if Vegas doesn't see it as being over 0dBFS.
Other things in the chain may have been overloaded, how did you capture it?

JaysonHolovacs wrote on 7/24/2004, 9:14 AM

Captured by taping from VHS to my DV camcorder, then captuing into Vegas. How would I find clipping if it doesn't register in Vegas?

And no, I don't have sound forge. Maybe that's something I need to get, but is there anything I can use in Vegas(or freeware)?

-Jayson

johnmeyer wrote on 7/24/2004, 9:24 AM

Zoom way in and look at the tops of the audio waveforms. If they are "squared off" you have clipping.

You may also have intermodulation distortion, which cannot be removed. There are many tools in the noise reduction plug-in. In addition to the click and crackle removal (which only works on extremely short "impulse" noise), there is also a vinyl noise reduction, used for cleaning up records (LPs). Sometimes the noise reduction in that plug-in can smooth out "crackly" noises, even if it doesn't remove them.

JohnnyRoy wrote on 7/24/2004, 10:20 AM

The Sony Noise Reduction plug-in comes with a Click and Crackle Remover plug-in. It’s an extra $$$. If you don’t have Sound Forge, you can get both bundled together at a discounted price. Otherwise its quite expensive on its own.

~jr

wobblyboy wrote on 7/24/2004, 11:52 AM

If you do any work with audio you need Sound Forge with Noise Reduction software. It is the best mastering edit tool around. If you are a teacher or student you can get it very cheap at academic superstore.

JaysonHolovacs wrote on 7/24/2004, 12:06 PM

Maybe I need to bite the bullet and buy Sound Forge... how is the learning curve for Vegas users? Does it follow a similar UI?

-Jayson

BillyBoy wrote on 7/24/2004, 2:15 PM

Sound Forge is good but EXPENSIVE. There are other suitable tools that cost much less. Again DEPENDS on your needs.

I also like the following

Audio Cleaning Lab (removes cracks, pops, etc.. at most any large retail outles about $60.

DC Millenium at http://www.stgd.ch/Diamond/millennium.htm