SEP
PA N S H O T
2014
Nugen Audio launches MasterCheck for loudness optimization of music for streaming, Plus Visualizer Audio Analysis Version 2 At the 2014 AES Convention in Los Angeles, Nugen Audio is celebrating a decade of service to the music and audio postproduction communities by introducing MasterCheck, an audio plug-in that empowers producers to create music in the new audio paradigm of loudness normalization in music streaming. In addition, NUGEN Audio is featuring version 2 of Visualizer, the latest incarnation of the company's industry-leading audio analysis and real-time comparison toolset. "Over the past 10 years, NUGEN Audio has become the recognized leader in loudness technology — and now we're pleased to introduce the world's first loudness tool specifically designed for the music producer," said Jon Schorah, founder and creative director, NUGEN Audio.
"Streaming services such as iTunes Radio, Spotify, and DAB Radio are now using loudness normalization and true-peak limiting techniques. We designed MasterCheck to empower producers to mix audio to the new criteria and understand not only how algorithms from the major streaming platforms will affect the mix, but how the music will sound on consumer playout devices for the optimal listening experience." MasterCheck is an audio plug-in for professional recording systems such as Avid Pro Tools, Steinberg Cubase, or Ableton Live. Ideal for every aspect of music production including recording, mixing, mastering, compilation, archive, and restoration, MasterCheck is also very useful for producing podcasts at optimal loudness levels for dialog clarity and the listener environment. With MasterCheck, audio engineers can apply loudness matching and dynamic content analysis, using techniques such as peak-to-loudness ratio (PLR), to compare their audio output with existing productions. The advanced side-chain loudness matching can also be used to audition signal paths without the
"improvement" of increased loudness to understand precisely how various effects such as compression can change the sound with no influence from the loudness enhancement. In this manner, MasterCheck empowers professionals to re-gain control over the playout environment by providing a precise understanding of how their tracks will sound during streaming. For the first time, producers can take full advantage of the new loudness normalization paradigm. "Incorporating many highly requested user interface features and the latest techniques for comparative audio analysis and usability, Visualizer version 2 demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the thousands of existing Visualizer users as well as the Avid community. In fact, it is our first Pro Tools | HDX plug-in," Schorah said. "Through more flexible use of display real estate and more robust diagnostic power, Visualizer is now the most powerful single analysis tool on the market. Engineers can access precisely the information they need, when they need it, and with no unnecessary clutter."