The tremendous Stand-Alone or DSP audio processor software known as StereoTools just updated from Version 9.92 to Version 10.21. Here at KDX Worldround Radio we quickly installed the latest and checked it out with a quick run-through. The audio quality is fantastic. Of course we know that the author, Hans Von Zutphen, also writes the code for some of the best hardware audio processors and even makes available his own hardware device.
I have thought about stereo tool but was never sure of how it worked. For the basic I see 35 Euros(50 dollars CAD) so if that's a one time cost great but then it says a license has to be purchased at about $500 CAD!! What's this license? For an over the air part 15 station?
Also thought it works all in your computer with your sound card not needing a separate component processor but then I see it's not that simple. It would be a nice convenience to have all processing done in one computer. But this license thing? It's just a processor. Why would I need a $$$ license just to use it?
Carl if you use this maybe you can tell me generally how this works. I think it's much simpler to just use a Sean Cuthbert or Schlockwood processor inbetween the computer and transmitter. I'm using the Sean Cuthbert one now.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/134913200212?itmmeta=01HSE8JPQ1JYZ8VYMD14DHH80D&hash=item1f69741054:g:8-sAAOSw9CZlV96A
I tried installing stereo tool on my other computer and it just went on. But didn't see how it would work just from Salamandra or Zara etc just from the computer sound card to the transmitter via out jack from computer. Is there a free version or is the download a trial?
I use VSTHost to process audio. It's basically a framework that allows you to add various plugins and chain them together (i.e., the output of one to the input of another). There are tons of free plugins available, from the simple to the complex and professional.
I use the following plugins - a Compressor, an Equalizer and a stereo to mono converter.
I prefer to use this paradigm, of having one plugin do one thing, as opposed to having a single, large and complex program handle everything. With the latter, it's sometimes difficult to determine exactly what function affects another.
I am very interested in exploring VSTHost to discover what possibilities it might bring. For one thing, I would like to find a plugin that shrinks or stretches the time-length of a currently playing audio file. Winamp had such a plugin that worked via its DSP side-chain, but Zara and Salamandra don't support that plugin.
And Mark, everything you ask about regarding StereoTools is answered at their website, but it takes some time to sort out and get a grasp of what it all amounts to. I will provide a sketchy overview of how it all works based on what I remember after years of owning the most basic version of StereoTools. I don't remember what it cost nor do I know if the price has changed, but StereoTools recognizes me as an owner and flags any additional add-ons that I might download and enable. The download of StereoTools includes all of its features but each separate part requires a registration number which is issued upon payment for that part, otherwise it is a demonstration and plays a voice every few minutes stating "This is a demonstration". Also, the basic version is only an audio processor and not part of a transmitter, as is the case with both the AM and the FM portions, which provide functions otherwise contained in a transmitter. The AM part, for example, opens the door to manipulating the modulation of an AM transmitter so that peak modulation can be driven above 100% while putting a gate on negative modulation. But using this feature limits StereoTools to being an AM transmitter audio processor only and the output becomes unsuitable for processing of audio for streaming or recording. The same thing is true for the FM processing section of StereoTools, which generates RDS and the 75uS pre-emphasis thus requiring turning off such aspects within the transmitter itself. Plus there are various costly refinements that might be of interest to those using StereoTools in a recording studio environment but of no particular use for the broadcaster. And offhand I do not know which configuration requires a recurring license fee. Later sometime I will scroll around and try to find out.
Continuing my overview of using StereoTools to turn your computer into an audio processor...
Nether Zara nor Salamandra will connect directly to StereoTools. You will need Virtual Audio Cables (VAC), well worth a small investment and useful for many audio situations.
Once VAC is installed, set the Output of Zara/Salamandra to VAC1, then set VAC1 to the Input of StereoTools. Next, connect the Output of StereoTools to VAC2 and the Output of VAC2 to the hardware audio output of your computer or sound card with a physical patch cord to your transmitter. If you are also streaming then tap VAC2 with a branch to the Input of your Stream Encoder, for example B.U.T.T. which drives the Stream Server (Icecast, for example).
@carl-blare Thanks for all the info and taking time to explain and I think I will scrap the idea. Much simpler to just do it how I have been with a hardware processor between the computer and transmitter.
The Sean Cuthbert works nice with 3 band separate compression and 3 band EQ.
The Stereo Tool was just an idea but is really complicated for simple minds like me and costly and the site just says stand alone processor get this and it works like a hardware processor but not quite so simple as you pointed out. Also what's the point of duplicating what the transmitter does? Then registration and all this license fee BS! Nope! Idea scrapped.
I've tried Stereo Tool, while it's a good processor, I still prefer the hardware processing. Can't duplicate hardware sound.
Another useful fact...
There is a VST version of StereoTools.
Overhead and Over My Head...
I just installed VSTHOST with the intention of running the VST version of StereoTools but...
It is completely foreign to my level of understanding and I cannot figure out how to make it happen.
Smart advice is needed!
What kind of problems are you having. You have to add plugins (usually found in a directory) via the File>New Plugin menu.
You specify the most important parameters (i.e., input, output, etc.) via Devices>Wave.
You chain the plugins together by right clicking on the plugin and selecting Chain After. VSTHost by default starts with an Input Engine and an Output Engine. Your other plugins go in between these two and they're pretty self explanatory.
Each plugin has options, usually accessed via a menu button to the left of the 'X' (on the upper right of the initial display for the plugin).
Hope that's enough to get you started, any specific questions please ask.
Your description will help me accomplish what I'm trying to do with VST.
The way I see it is that the output of Zara will connect by VAC1 (Virtual Cable 1) to the VST Version of StereoTools, connect next to a VST Reverb Plugin, next to a VST Time-Stretch Plugin (if available), then VAC2 to the B.U.T.T. Stream Encoder.