Change in sound between Realtime Effect and Applying Effect

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
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Hi! I’ve recently noticed a large discrepancy in quality between using certain plugins as Realtime Effects versus applying the effect. For example, I recently purchased the Laboga Diamond Sound suite from Aurora DSP. When I add the plugin as a realtime effect, it sounds great. Because it uses a lot of memory, I prefer to apply the effect in order to free space for the rest of the project. Once I do that, the quality sounds much worse on the track, almost like dropping from 320k to 128k. Does this has something to do with the plugin or Audacity? Thanks!

1 Like
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In Audacity some realtime plugins use the default settings when applied, rather than the settings you have carefully crafted and can hear in the preview.
A possible workaround is to save your settings as a preset in the plugin to make them persist, (not guaranteed).

AirWindows has a range of free amp sim plugins which work in Audacity, (no eye-candy).

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Hi Trebor! Thanks for following up! My issue is that both the plugin added as a Realtime Effect and the plugin applied to the entire track have the exact same settings yet sound very different. I would be happy to send over a screenshot or audio example of the issue that I’m experiencing.

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I should also add that the discrepancy is sound also occurs when exporting the file. If I have a specific Realtime Effect added to a track and export the file, the drop in sound quality also occurs only on that track.

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Audacity is not compatible with some VST3 plugins.
If you have the option use a VST2 version of the plugin: it’s more likely to work properly.

It sounds “very different” because the plugin has reverted to the default settings when applied.

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Thanks! I dropped the same track into Reaper, applied the plugin in question, and did not notice any change in tone once rendered. Bummer, as I love using Audacity but not being able to properly use important plugins really dampens the experience. Thanks for all of your help!

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“In Audacity some realtime plugins use the default settings when applied…”

Wait, what? I thought I was losing my mind - noticing the same behaviour as the OP.
Are we talking bugs here, or is this by design?

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It’s a bug with some, (not all), VST3 plugins.

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Awreety, awrity,

Time to revisit my latest projects… Thanks!