Leveler - RX 8 Help

Publish date: 2024-05-02

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Table of Contents

Overview

The Leveler module automatically rides the gain in your file to even out the variations of the signal level. The algorithm consists of a compressor with a makeup gain to achieve a smooth signal that’s aiming towards (though may not exactly hit) a desired Target RMS level. The compressor has the ability to prevent pumping on speech pauses or breathing sounds, using the Optimization mode, for either Dialogue or Music, in addition to the Ess and Breath parameters.

The level detector stage includes the K-weighting filter that helps equalize the audible loudness, not just RMS level. However, the Leveler module is designed for the smoothing of overall audio signals, rather than taking an entire signal and using a fixed gain to ensure it hits a loudness compliant LKFS level, which is the goal of the Loudness module.

This all combines to create a transparent, non-destructive Clip Gain curve, without the color or artifacts of a traditional compressor.

Unlike the Loudness module, which applies a constant gain based on Loudness compliant analysis to the whole file, Leveler applies a time-variable gain. For convenience of RX users, the time-variable gain is applied as a Clip Gain envelope, which can be viewed and edited by the user.

Please Note

If additional processing is applied from another module after running Leveler, the clip gain values assigned by Leveler will be destructively written to the file and the clip gain nodes will return to zero. However, the clip gain settings from Leveler will be saved in the Undo History list).

Controls

Numerical Readouts

Numerical Readouts provide you with the Total, Maximum and Minimum readouts for RMS. The total value is the overall RMS of your audio signal, which may inform where you choose to set the Target RMS level parameter.

Optimize For

Optimize For switches between two modes, Dialogue and Music. Each mode utilizes a slightly different handling of the noise floor.

Target Level

Target Level sets the desired average RMS level of the recording.

Responsiveness

Sets the integration time for RMS level detection and is similar to the attack/release setting on a compressor.

Preserve Dynamics

This can be thought of the maximal amount of gain applied by the Leveler. The wider the range of gain adjustments allowed, the further away from the original dynamic range the audio signal will be.

Ess Reduction

Ess Reduction is aimed at anyone using the Leveler on dialogue or vocals, and utilizes a smart algorithm, inspired by the DBX 902 De-esser, to detect when ess is present in a signal, and then attenuate it accordingly. This avoids adding any boost to esses, which may otherwise be seen as quiet sounds requiring a boost. The slider sets the amount of ess reduction, applied in dB.

Breath Control

Breath Control will automatically detect breaths in your vocal takes and attenuate them. This saves time when editing dialogue or vocal tracks, and streamlines a task that is typically done manually.

Limiter

The Leveler has a built-in Limiter in order to avoid introducing any clipping to the audio signal once the Clip Gain envelope has been applied. This cannot be adjusted, but you’ll see the Clip Gain envelope smooth off an audio signal if you’re pushing peaks close to 0 dB.

RX 8.5.0

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