Small Request - Audio Boost

[shadowoflight]

Hey,

A small request regarding audio boost.

It would be nice if we were able to adjust in smaller increments, i.e, 1.1, 1.2, instead of just 1x, 2x, 3x

In the mean time, thanks for this awe-bloody-some piece of software

 

[ThoNohT]

Might I suggest a workaround. If you set the audio boost to a higher number, which makes the audio too loud, you always have the option to move the audio slider down in the main window. This way you should be able to achieve the exact volume you want.

 

[shadowoflight]

Might I suggest a workaround. If you set the audio boost to a higher number, which makes the audio too loud, you always have the option to move the audio slider down in the main window. This way you should be able to achieve the exact volume you want.

yeap, that's what I'm doing now, but what happens, especially for microphones, is that you introduce a lot of noise when you do a large boost.

Adjusting the volume after that does nothing to remove the noise unfortunately.

thanks for your suggestion btw

 

[ThoNohT]

Anyone may feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that will make any difference.

Increasing the volume is done digitally, which means there is no quality loss. So all noise that is there is also there with the lower volumes, you just don't hear it as well. This also means that doubling volume, or quadrupling it and then halving it with the slider should have the same effect. (Save perhaps different scales on both those controls, but I also believe both are linear)

 

[shadowoflight]

Anyone may feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe that will make any difference.

Increasing the volume is done digitally, which means there is no quality loss. So all noise that is there is also there with the lower volumes, you just don't hear it as well. This also means that doubling volume, or quadrupling it and then halving it with the slider should have the same effect. (Save perhaps different scales on both those controls, but I also believe both are linear)

think of each stage of boost as a separate device.

Let's use an extreme example:

Over-maxed mp3 player (stage 1, mic boost) -> speakers ( stage 2, volume control on main interface).

The mp3 player is already already putting out distorted lows, screechy highs, etc. Controlling the volume through the speakers at stage 2 will only increase or lower the volume of a already distorted input.

That's why when you're connecting multiple sound devices with their own amps (ipod to hi-fi via analog, for example), you don't max out the source. The source should be at 50%, or about 80% max, then you increase the volume to the desired level on the hi-fi.


I guess it'll be fine in the long run personally because I'm looking to get a mic pre-amp, but I'm pretty sure there will be people out there who are more picky than me who will surely appreciate a small touch like a mic boost with smaller increments.

 

[ThoNohT]

I don't see how this affects my story. The mic boost is digital, and the volume control is digital. Both do neither add, nor remove any distortion.

You can add or remove whatever you want before the signal enters the pc, and a mic preamp will probably work for reducing distortion, as it processes the analog signal of the mic which you can then turn down to a lower volume. But once the signal has been converted to a digital signal for OBS to process, distortion will not be affected. Unless of course you boost it so high that it starts clipping the peaks. But that's a different sound than noise entirely.

That said, like I said, I believe the scale of this boost and the volume are linear. I think it might make a difference if we turn that into a logarithmic scale, as that's the way we perceive sound to be increased. This will also give you more control over the amount of boost each step gives you.

 

[shadowoflight]

You're too focused on the process.

I'm focused on what's happening - the end result.

But I guess this is not a very big issue to many and I can't think of a simpler way at the moment to explain it than what I already have, so I guess we'll leave it as it is I guess.

 

[ThoNohT]

The process determines the end result. And what I'm telling you is that the way you describe the process and the way it is now both produce the same end result. So there is little gain in changing it.

However, I also included a possible change that makes sense and most likely will also satisfy your needs, even if that still doesn't change the end result.