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Topic: ClippingAnalyzer (Read 4539 times) previous topic - next topic
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ClippingAnalyzer

There is a new version of ClippingAnalyzer available.

Microsoft Excel is needed to run it. I hope this is not a too severe prerequisite.

The tool shows statistics of media files in order to detect clipping and compression.
It helps to check if a track was mastered very loud and to find the problem areas.

Common audio and video formats are supported (via FFmpeg).
Clipped areas can be listened to (if VLC or WMP is installed).
CDs can be read and analyzed in a single pass (if EAC is installed).

License is GPL.

ClippingAnalyzer

Reply #1
What's the point? Do you suddenly not listen to the cd any more if you find clipped samples? Sometimes it's an intentional effect, Slayer's God Hates Us All, and Metallica's Death Magnetic come to mind. This whole 'loudness war' is so overblown it's gotten beyond ridiculous. Sure there is distortion in some modern cds but to me sometimes it gives a more live feel to the album, I'm fine with that, it's something different, and it doesn't always mean 'oh my god now EVERYTHING is gonna be recorded like this'. Slayer are a perfect example, with GHUA they did it, and then backed off for albums afterwards. It was a change in their sound they felt the need to experiment with rather than re-record Reign in Blood or Seasons in the Abyss over and over again. (looking at you ACDC)

ClippingAnalyzer

Reply #2
Do you suddenly not listen to the cd any more if you find clipped samples?

No, it was the other way round: I listened to a CD, heard distortions where it was musically senseless and wondered if my mobile CD player or earphones were broken. After I heard the same with my normal CD player and big headphones, I ripped the CD and checked the waveform. I was shocked by what I saw: hard clipped waves. It was irritating and destroyed the song (female voice). Then I googled around and found there was a loudness war going on, so it was intentional but just to push up the loudness. As it was too time consuming to check my collection manually, I developed ClippingAnalyzer. That was in spring 2006.

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Sometimes it's an intentional effect, Slayer's God Hates Us All, and Metallica's Death Magnetic

It is intentional, as noted above. But if you think that the extreme clipping of Death Magnetic is beneficial to the music, then I can't help you.

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Sure there is distortion in some modern cds but to me sometimes it gives a more live feel to the album

I don't know what kind of live performance you have experienced. Often PA is of lousy sound quality and much too loud, so if you like that you may be fine. Try to listen to live instruments and voices directly to know the difference. Only then you know how "live" should sound like. Believe me: it should be neither hard clipped nor overcompressed. And it has nothing to do with guitar amplifier distortion.

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doesn't always mean 'oh my god now EVERYTHING is gonna be recorded like this'

Well, not everything, but 99.9% of contemporary rock/pop 
In fact, before I buy a piece of music, I check it with ClippingAnalyzer. I've found the results to be quite consistent to a listening evaluation, especially looking at the distribution analysis.

ClippingAnalyzer

Reply #3
(looking at you ACDC)

You're pointing the finger at the wrong entity.  Really though, this is not the place for you to get on your soap box. If you wish to rant about how overblown the loudness war is, start a new discussion.