iZotope Loudness Control Pre-sale

[Angie]

Thought some here might be interested.

https://www.izotope.com/en/products/...dness-control/

The special price runs until the 28th.

[Ian Alexander]

I've been wondering when something simple like this would come out. I don't do video post, but I assume those who supply audio to them will be asked questions about the loudness rules.

Thanks Angie!

[Dave Labrecque]

Thanks, Angie.

Are there broadcast audio loudness standards being implemented in the U.S.? Where can I read about them? Is it an FCC-mandated thing? Voluntary industry-suggested practices? What's the skinny?

[Sean McCoy]

Dave,

Get used to (ATSC) A/85 settings for broadcast radio and TV. Most of the new plugins have them, like iZotope's Insight and Ozone and Waves WLM Metering and Nugen Audio's new Loudness plugins introduced at NAB 2015.

Here's a link to get you going:

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/loud-commercials

Note that the CALM Act mandates levels for TV broadcast, but it's still the Wild West for radio and the Internet. The loudness wars are still raging in the music industry, so I think we're a long, long way from seeing any restrictions on levels for any medium where music is the focus.

[UpTilDawn]

The difference in apparent volume levels between program content and commercials on TV is worse now than it was before the new rules were put into place. Some stations compress program content so badly it's difficult to hear plain speech clearly, yet commercials blare out of the speakers like they had some kind of hyper-penetration mode - and clear as a bell, too.
They may look the same level on a standard led meter display, but they certainly aren't according to the ears.

[bcorkery]

I think the worst offenders are the live TV broadcasts! They can't get there internal levels right and, as you said, the commercials are squashed to death! At least here in San Diego and to my ears.

[Richard Rupert]

Right! We watch over-the-air broadcast TV (antenna) and often can't make out the dialogue in the program, but never have difficulty understanding the commercials. And boy, are they ever LOUD compared with the program we're watching!