Hi,

To add to John's comments, the version I have of video sound cleaning lab used to have one very powerful feature which I understand has since been removed from the product.  That feature was "spectral cleaning" Spectral cleaning allows you to have very precise control over the frequencies that you removed or reduced over the entire audio spectrum.  I have no idea why Magix removed it.  Without this feature, you might as well just download and use "Audacity" which is a free product, has lots of plug-ins and far more capabilities than most audio editors.  It is a little more complicated to use, but once you get used to it, you can achieve pretty amazing results.  I usually use audacity for any audio cleaning that needs to be done, and only go back to my old version of Video Sound Cleaning Lab if I need to use spectral cleaning.

George

@George

Hi George,

AML2014 Premium has spectral cleaning, but only the non-destructive version. Once I figured this out and used it, I stopped complaining so much about losing the destructive, but detailed, tool.

The latter allows you to hear what is going to be removed before accepting the change, however once accepted, there is no going back. It does have some very nice additional features for fine-tuning for more precision.

The non-destructive version allows you to zoom in and select the part you want to change and hear the clean version before accepting the change. Then if you don't like it, an undo takes care of it. This is probably as much as most users want or need to do to get rid of a click or other distortion.

Remember, spectral cleaning is to remove short but obvious distortions, not for anything long. 

Still, it's too bad that Magix removed the tool. I have complained; others should as well. I think that the Samplitude Pro end has both tools in its kit, but only after major complaints from users.

If a user really needs more than just the simple spectral cleaning, then one can always go to Izotope Rx or something else high end and expensive. Of course as you say, Audacity is free.

I do like the other tools and effects in AML and the possibility to add in VST plugins. I use AML for more than cleaning video sound, such as for recording, cleaning and exporting LP's and cassettes.

But definitely, one should stay away from VSCL2014.

Regards,

@John

Hi John,

Spectral cleaning can be used for longer segments, it is just very time consuming and "fussy" to get it done.  It is usually easier and faster to use the audacitiy noise removal function because you can call pretty much anything you want "noise" and it does a pretty decent but not perfect job.  So for clients with extreme background "noise or other audio" I use both to minimize it.  Never can get rid of it completely, but most clients are happy with the massive reduction of the unwanted sound.  It really is all about how much time you want to spend doing it, and in my case how much time the client want to pay for to get it done.

The iZotope RX Advanced product is excellent, but at almost $1200 a little rich for my business.  I do mostly consumer, and low to mid range corporate videos and the budgets just don't allow for some of the higher end tools.

George

Thanks you so much to all who have given answers!!!  I downloaded VSCL 1.0  instead of getting the 2014 version. Thanks for the advise.

How much is "Spectralcleaning"? Is that Spectral a program or is part of VSCL? I have the regular Samplitude 2014 but not Samplitude Pro. Does my Spectral cleaning have Spectral cleaning or a cleaning software included with it?

Regards,

Stephen

Thanks everyone. I did not buy the 2014 Cleaing Lab, I got the older one as you recommended Browj2. You save me some good bucks.

This problem question has been resolved for me. Bye.