LoudnessEqualizer.json for macOS

[v1gnesh]

Hello,

A thousand thanks to you for sharing this. After having used this for a while, I can say with certainty that I now prefer Linux just because the madness of loudness is properly tamed only with your preset. Loudness Equalization on Windows is increasingly gone/unavailable. SoundSource from RogueAmoeba isn't cutting it for me.

Is there a way to faithfully reproduce this in macOS with SoundSource and Apple's default Audio Units? If not, with good & cost-effective AUs, without spending too much time on the setup itself?

Thanks again!

[Digitalone1]

Hello @v1gnesh

Loudness Equalization on Windows is increasingly gone/unavailable.

Really? Why? Is this only on Win 11? I'm pretty sure it's available on 10.

Is there a way to faithfully reproduce this in macOS with SoundSource and Apple's default Audio Units? If not, with good & cost-effective AUs, without spending too much time on the setup itself?

I think it's reproducible. In the last weeks I ported the last Calf preset to LSP (because of the Gate migration in EasyEffects). Now all the plugins are provided by Linux Studio Plugins and since they support the LV2 format, it's only a matter of finding a software on Mac compatible with LV2.

I reproduced it on Carla in my Linux system (I also made a specific preset, you can download it). It is available also for Mac as it's reported in the download section.

Try it on Mac. It should install a suite with various executable, you need to start the one named carla-rack and load the plugin inside (just load the carla preset you can download from here).

[Digitalone1]

Oh, I just forgot to say that Linux Studio Plugins should be installed on Mac. I don't know if this is possible. There should be a way.

[Digitalone1]

I took a look at it and there's no LSP build for Mac unfortunately. It seems Calf is available but it misses the Upward Compressor.

Look if there are similar LV2 plugins on Mac. You could add them in Carla Rack and try to reproduce the pipeline of the current Loudness Equalizer. The parameters would not be the same, but at least you could test them.

You need a Gate, an Upward Compressor, a Downward Multiband Compressor (4 bands are enough), an Equalizer (at least 10 bands with Bell filter) and a Limiter.

If you can install Calf, it provides everything except the Upward Compressor.

[kopr12]

I'm using Carla with Calf, like you said there's no upward compressor, but after long play with this I made my own 'version' of it. Nothing wrong with LSP, I tried to make it right but in the end Calf won, I don't know if that's because I'm using 5.1 surround speakers, but the default preset wasn't quite right, for my taste and setup. Anyway, everything is basically the same but some parameters are adjusted. I didn't touch the settings for I don't know how long now, more than a month for sure, and I was really testing it thoroughly, with very low and high volume files, also it was very rare, found that only in two materials that I've tried, there were distortions in couple of places, which I was able to eliminate with Calf, I'm sure I could do that as well with LSP, but leveling the sound volume (to my liking) I wasn't able to do with LSP, I don't know. Anyhow, if needed I can upload the Carla preset.

[v1gnesh]

Really? Why? Is this only on Win 11? I'm pretty sure it's available on 10.

The sound enhancements tab doesn't show up on all Windows installs. With conference calls and all, it is tiring to not have LEq adjusting levels automatically.

https://www.thewindowsclub.com/loudness-equalization-missing-in-windows-10

Anyhow, if needed I can upload the Carla preset.

Please do, thank you!

[kopr12]

This is the one I use, it's for 5.1 speakers, so basically you have 3 instances running, they are all the same, except rear speakers, they are little louder and front-center is little quieter, I don't use 'speaker fill' so only 5.1 material is played via all speakers, and stereo is played via front left and right.

For stereo you would use this one, I just removed the other two instances and left only one (front left and right), which I use for playing stereo.

[Digitalone1]

@TheMainMMan I'm happy for you that you found the right preset with Calf, anyway I think the Gate is useless in that configuration. I added it only because the Upward Compressor could increase noise. In your preset there's nothing increasing the signal, so you could just remove it.

@v1gnesh It's unfortunate LSP is not available on Mac. I'm pretty sure there's something available on Mac having all you need, but it would be not free. It's hard to find on Google, but there are several audio suites on Mac that you can buy. From my point of view, there's no point in spending money if there's something free on Linux, but if you really need Mac, you could try a paid option if the price is reasonable.

The only free alternative containing an upward compressor seems to be Xfer Record OTT: https://xferrecords.com/freeware

But I don't know if it contains other plugins like Gate and Limiter. You could give it a try.

[kopr12]

@Digitalone1 thanks for the tip, yeah I don't see a difference with or w/o Gate, but it doesn't tax cpu or something so I just left it, plus I'm not that advanced in all of this, really started looking into it recently when I found your preset, honestly I understand just the compressor part and what it does, other stuff not so much. Maybe the GUI part of Calf suits me better, so I was able to get better results with it, it's simpler than LSP.

[v1gnesh]

There is FabFilter, but it's not hobbyist-priced at all. Do you have any experience with the plugins/extensions that come with Reaper? I could use those with SoundSource (mentioned earlier), and build out the chain.

[Digitalone1]

Do you have any experience with the plugins/extensions that come with Reaper?

No, sorry, never used it.

[v1gnesh]

Okay, another question - Say I plug the 3.5mm out from a Windows machine or a TV into another PC's line in. Can I use this same LoudnessEq plugin to process that audio, to get adjusted audio out of the linux box?

3.5mm jack of Windows workstation / HDMI out of TV --> Line In or Mic (which should I use?) of Linux workstation running EasyEffects --> Line Out from Linux PC to speakers.

[Digitalone1]

@v1gnesh This is more of a question to ask in EasyEffects issue page.

I never handled this kind of configurations and, to be honest, never played with the input pipeline (I rarely use the mic on my system).

Anyway, the question is another. Why do you need Mac? Linux is more tricky, I know, but if you pick the right distribution, there should be no big issues. If it's for Amazon Prime not being available in 1080p on Linux, there are alternatives running the browser on Wine or using a Virtual Machine with a Windows image.

[v1gnesh]

I have a mini for its portability really. Waiting for Asahi to become usable. If there was a mini PC that's somewhat as good as the mini is currently, I'd have chosen that.

[Digitalone1]

I have a mini for its portability really. Waiting for Asahi to become usable. If there was a mini PC that's somewhat as good as the mini is currently, I'd have chosen that.

If you can acquire the audio source from the Mac, you can use EasyEffects and output the result. The question is how to do it. I never did. If you want, try to make the same question here. Maybe someone could help you.

[Digitalone1]

Another idea that I had just a couple of minutes ago. Running Linux in a virtual machine on Mac so you could try to run EasyEffects there? The question is if the source in Mac is exposed inside the virtual machine to be handled by EasyEffects.