Skip to main content

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Mpeg audio layer II peak limiting. (Read 3714 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Mpeg audio layer II peak limiting.

Audio processing and limiting is very basic thing to me. I have to limit peaks to -12dB..no problem in wav but when I encode it with video file to mpeg2 and audio layer II there cames these extra peaks from this encode process. I have studied why that happens and understood samething about it but haven't found any way to awoid it. The question is: is there one and is it only the thousands of dollars hardware or is there a software? Now I´m losing aboout -3dB rms. And yes..it must be as loud as possible..

The final mpeg2 multiplexing is done with adobe premiere and I have also sony soundforge where is that same problem. Win7.

Mpeg audio layer II peak limiting.

Reply #1
Lossy encoding will increase peak amplitude a little. It cannot be avoided, so you probably need to lower the volume more before encoding or else decrease the volume after decoding.

Mpeg audio layer II peak limiting.

Reply #2
Quote
I have to limit peaks to -12dB
Why?  Where is that requirement coming from?  I'm just wondering if it might be acceptable to keep the peaks below -12 before compression, and just live with the quirks of lossy compression.

Quote
Now I´m losing aboout -3dB rms. And yes..it must be as loud as possible..
A compressor/limiter  (which I'm sure Sound Forge has) can boost the average/RMS level (and loudness) without boosting the peaks.  You'll have to play with the settings and learn how to use it, but the usual procedure is to reduce the peaks and then boost the average with "make-up" gain.  In your case, you may want to normalize to -12dB (or -15dB) instead of tweaking the make-up gain.

P.S
Of course dynamic compression reduces the dynamics of your program.  But, a few dB of compression is usually acceptable (maybe not even noticeable), sometimes desireable, and if you want it "as loud as possible", you have to compromise...

Mpeg audio layer II peak limiting.

Reply #3
It's a TV standard to limit peaks to -12db. Any peaks over that and the file is not approved. If I process the encoded layer II file I can't just save it in sound forge. I have to save as mpeg and then these peaks come again. Like I said normal audio processing is very simple but this audio layer II encoding is the problem. Is there a better encoder? Is there a encoder that can calculate exact input gain before encoding so the peaks are "normalized" to -12db? Now I have to test it many times so I can found the optimal level that doesn't clip over -12db.

Mpeg audio layer II peak limiting.

Reply #4
If you have to do it professionally, you might ask at Institut für Rundfunktechnik in Munich for their Layer II encoder
http://www.irt.de/de/produkte-beratung/dig...rfunk/mpeg.html

there is a PDF available, but I don't know if it is free of overshoots. At least it is widely used in german broadcast