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1.3.0

Features

  • Autoleveller audio processing plugin (VST3 & AU)
  • For podcasting, streaming, events, broadcasting, game, film & TV sound and audio drama
  • Live and post-production
  • Input and output stage limiters
  • Loudness measurement
  • Optional oversampling on output limiter
  • Up to 64 channels

atkAutoleveller helps to automate audio level control especially for long-format program material such as podcasts and streams, adjusting overall audio level to match a specific target level in real-time. It can even help produce standards-compliant results and ensure consistency for day-to-day operations. Input stage limiter can be used to protect auto-leveller detector from sudden loud bursts of sound. Output stage limiter allows setting (or offsetting) final output level. Autoleveller threshold controls the minimum audio level required to engage auto-levelling; hysteresis controls the minimum change in signal level required to trigger adjustment, to prevent constant small adjustments.

Parameters

Main

  • Pre-Gain: Adjusts input gain before any processing.
  • Threshold: Threshold in relation to internal reference level. Prevents ambience or background noise from triggering auto-levelling circuit.
  • Hst (Hysteresis): Dead-zone around current loudness level. When enabled, gain adjustments only occur when loudness moves outside this band, reducing constant small corrections. Set to 0 to disable.
  • Time: Time constant controlling speed of auto-leveller gain adjustment.
  • Hold: Holds auto-leveller gain at current level.
  • Reset: Gradually resets auto-leveller gain to unity. Also clears hysteresis reference.

Input Limiter

  • Threshold: Input limiter threshold level.
  • Ceiling: Input limiter output ceiling level.
  • Release: Release time with S-shaped release curve.
  • Link: Links threshold and ceiling controls together.

Output Limiter

  • Threshold: Output limiter threshold level.
  • Ceiling: Output limiter output ceiling level.
  • Release: Release time with adaptive release. Faster when limiting hard, slower when limiting light.
  • Link: Links threshold and ceiling controls together.
  • True Peak: Enables 4x oversampling for true peak limiting.
  • Fast: Enables fast attack with lower lookahead latency. When disabled, uses slower attack for more transparent limiting.

Usage

  1. Adjust source gains or Pre-Gain to get input level roughly to midpoint on input meter
  2. Enable Link on input limiter
  3. Adjust input Threshold/Ceiling to catch loudest parts (beginnings of phrases, laughter)
  4. Optionally adjust input Release time. Shorter times give more aggressive sound, longer times give smoother sound.
  5. Adjust Threshold to keep ambience/background noise below threshold
  6. Set Time to fit your material. Controls how quickly leveller responds to changes in loudness.
  7. Set output Threshold and Ceiling. Determines final output level.
  8. Optionally adjust output Release time

Notes/Tips

  • Use input limiter to protect auto-leveller circuit from sudden loud bursts of sound.
  • Internal reference level is approximately -24 LUFS.
  • Setting threshold and ceiling at same level maintains internal unity level.
  • Example: Setting output threshold to -11 dB and ceiling to -1 dB effectively increases level by 10 dB (difference between threshold and ceiling), resulting in roughly -14 LUFS output.
  • Higher hysteresis suits dynamic material like classical music. Lower hysteresis works better with speech. Set to 0 for continuous adjustment (disables hysteresis).
  • Lowering output limiter threshold can help create solid and constant level. Fast attack and short release are good for catching sporadic peaks.