clips meets ACX standard but I got rejected because -60db noise reduction

Hi to everyone,

I’m new in this forum, and I didn’t found the presentation area.

I hope to enjoy all the info in here.

I’m registering my first audiobook on ACX and I’m in trouble with them, even if Audacity plug in tell me all it’s fine.

I got rejected my audiobook because of: noise reduction issue, in the email the ACX team told me this:
o Requirement: a maximum -60dB noise floor

But after check with Audacity and the ACX checker I can read that the noise floor is already below -60, what I’m doing wrong guys?
Thank you so much
Help please.jpg

what I’m doing wrong guys?

It may be too good. Technical conformance is only the first test. After that, you have to make it past Human Quality Control and that’s where you die if you got there by making your voice sound funny.

This may be a Windows thing, but my ACX Check doesn’t look anything like that (the red boxes are fake).

Nobody passes noise in a home recording and nobody shoots to -85dB. That’s the flag they look for when somebody submits a test that looks like it was drawn with a ruler.

This clip passes ACX and sounds pleasant, and most importantly, sounds like me. It doesn’t look anything like yours. This one has natural volume variations as the words are spoken.


Screen Shot 2019-04-10 at 2.51.44.png

You have the original clip, right, the clip before you did anything to it? Post that on the forum or announce a new one and post that. It’s 20 seconds.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html

How did you master your work? Is there somebody’s process you followed? You can get into trouble with some mastering processes. For one, you should not correct peaks to -3dB. There is always a volume variation in the conversion between WAV and MP3, and you will be constantly fighting that -3dB specification.

Koz

This is ACX Check release 1.0.


Acx-check.ny (9.01 KB)
Don’t let the computer add .txt to the end of the filename.

Koz

Thank you Koz,

I did register at home with a Sony ICD-PX240 then I’ve edited with audacity following few step I got in a video course and then some internet research as well.
So I have to register again in a professional ambient? Or I got any chance to edit again the file raw I got and pass?

So the file should be in the -60db range like -60 to -69 ?


what I’m doing wrong guys?

It may be too good. Technical conformance is only the first test. After that, you have to make it past Human Quality Control and that’s where you die if you got there by making your voice sound funny.

This may be a Windows thing, but my > ACX Check > doesn’t look anything like that (the red boxes are fake).


Nobody passes noise in a home recording and nobody shoots to -85dB. That’s the flag they look for when somebody submits a test that looks like it was drawn with a ruler.

This clip passes ACX and sounds pleasant, and most importantly, sounds like me. It doesn’t look anything like yours. This one has natural volume variations as the words are spoken.



Screen Shot 2019-04-10 at 2.51.44.png



You have the original clip, right, the clip before you did anything to it? Post that on the forum or announce a new one and post that. It’s 20 seconds.

Record A Voice Sample

How did you master your work? Is there somebody’s process you followed? You can get into trouble with some mastering processes. For one, you should not correct peaks to -3dB. There is always a volume variation in the conversion between WAV and MP3, and you will be constantly fighting that -3dB specification.

Koz

Or I got any chance to edit again the file raw I got and pass?

Do you have the raw file from the Sony recorder? You may be able to correct it with the Audacity tools.

Can you make a new recording? Please record and stay silent for two seconds and then speak for 18 seconds. Transfer that performance to your computer and post it here on the forum. It doesn’t matter what the words are and they don’t have to be in English. Use many different words so we can hear all the sounds in your voice.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html

I will see if I can correct it to audiobook standards. We wrote an audiobook mastering process and it may be you just need to do that to get your work to pass. We can’t take effects or filters out of a show, so you have to start with the plain, raw recording.

I have a personal voice recorder and I can get close to audiobook quality, but it’s a special model that will save my voice in WAV format and I can turn all the voice processing off. Don’t use automatic volume control and don’t use noise cancellation. Most small recorders can’t do that.

Koz

I can make a voice recorder sample, I got the raw file, but unfortunately I’m unable to recorder this book again, because I’ve paid a people
to recorder for me in my voice recorder. I won’t pay again. I just want edit properly those file.

I did this because he register for me a spanish book, which Is not my native language. I’m Italian, and I will register my self Italian audiobook as well.

I will try to upload a raw file for you thank you


Or I got any chance to edit again the file raw I got and pass?

Do you have the raw file from the Sony recorder? You may be able to correct it with the Audacity tools.

Can you make a new recording? Please record and stay silent for two seconds and then speak for 18 seconds. Transfer that performance to your computer and post it here on the forum. It doesn’t matter what the words are and they don’t have to be in English. Use many different words so we can hear all the sounds in your voice.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/TestClip/Record_A_Clip.html

I will see if I can correct it to audiobook standards. We wrote an audiobook mastering process and it may be you just need to do that to get your work to pass. We can’t take effects or filters out of a show, so you have to start with the plain, raw recording.

I have a personal voice recorder and I can get close to audiobook quality, but it’s a special model that will save my voice in WAV format and I can turn all the voice processing off. Don’t use automatic volume control and don’t use noise cancellation. Most small recorders can’t do that.



Koz
[/quote]

I can add, I’m using a voice recorder because my laptop fan is noisy, and when I do register my laptop is switched off, I read from a tablet which is silet.
I got carpet and double glazing in my room, I living alone so is very quiet, also I living in a very quiet area without plenty of traffic out there.

here is the sample of my raw sony voice recorder

here is the file I’ve uploaded them that meets the acx standard in audacity, but doesn’t pass the check because of noise reduction issue

Thank you for the two sound files. I have to wait until I get home to hear them.

We can’t take effects and filters out of a performance, so we have to work with original recordings.

Koz

Thank you KOZ,

here is the email from the ACX Engineer after I’ve ask him what was wrong:

Hi Manuel,

The issue with this title is not the noise floor, but rather the quality of the audio. For example, the “Opening Credits” and “Closing Credits” files are high quality audio files with clear narration. The rest of the uploaded files appear to have been processed with noise reduction software that has significantly lowered the quality of the audio, and has made the narration difficult to understand.

I recommend analyzing the credits files, and amending the body files so that the quality is consistent throughout the title.

As an additional reference, we’ve put together a sample pack that contains samples of both well and poorly produced audio, as well as ideal examples from each stage in the production process. The included files are WAV files (not encoded as mp3) that you can load into your software to see how they look and sound, how high they peak on your meters, etc.

The issue with this title is not the noise floor, but rather the quality of the audio.

I agree with them. The “Dropshipping” sound test has way too much noise reduction. The voice sounds hollow like talking into a wine glass and the spaces between words are dead instead of sounding like normal quiet room noise.

The first sound file has its own problems. Open the file in Audacity and View > Show Clipping (on). Each of those red marks is a place where the sound is too loud and has overload distortion.


Screen Shot 2019-04-12 at 1.11.56.png

The distortion and the hard noise reduction are why you failed ACX acceptance. I said at the beginning that your blue waves looked too good. Almost like someone drew them with a ruler.

~~

I got your raw English clip to pass by applying ACX Mastering and then more gentle Noise Reduction.


Screen Shot 2019-04-12 at 1.21.17.png

Then drag-select some of the background noise > Effect > Noise Reduction > Profile.

That tells Noise Reduction what you want to reduce.

Select the whole file by clicking just to the right of the up arrow.

Effect > Noise Reduction: 8, 6, 6 > OK.

That’s how I got the file which passes without the wine glass sound. See the NoiseFloor reading is 63 and not 85?

The file still has overload (too loud) distortion. We have no way to fix that.

Koz

thank you so much KOZ, if we have no way to fix that, means I have to register again with another microphone or voice recorder?
I have to buy a better hardware? Or just improve the setup of mine?

I have any chance to edit again my raw file and get approved doing the steps you’ve suggest me above this message? :unamused:

what about this ?

I’ve did just 1 time noise reduction, and this:

A high pass filter to get rid of low frequency sounds like low rumblings, cars passing by etc. Select the entire track. Then go to Effect > High Pass Filter. Set frequency at 80 Hz and Roloff at 12 Db.
Threshold: -25 dB, Noise Floor: -40dB, Ratio 2:1, Attack Time 0.20 secs, Release time: 1 sec. Click OK.
Effect > Normalize. Check “Remove DC offset”. Then check “Normalize maximum amplitude to” and input a value of -3.0 dB.

It could be good? The plug in ACX standard tell me again I’m meet the requirements, now the noise floor is 75
new test dropshipping.jpg

I will donate 30% of my income from this book as soon I will have my first acx direct debit ! I really hope to fix and get approved as soon as possible! I apprecciate all the helps ! Thank you!

I have to register again with another microphone or voice recorder?

Or use the one you have at a lower volume. Does the recorder have a sound meter on the display? This is mine (red dots).


Recording-Volume.jpg
Adjust the volume so the indicator bounces up to about -6 dB, but doesn’t go any higher than that when you speak.

Some recorders have a Low/Medium/High switch. Select the next lower setting.

Then apply the Mastering tools from here.

Scroll down to Process. That’s the abbreviated instructions like this:


Then apply noise reduction of 8, 6, 6.

Koz

In my audacity I can’t find Low roll-off for speech

is in the equalizer?
low roll off.jpg

Your version of Audacity may be too old. The current version is 2.3.1 and it is available via the Audacity website: Audacity ® | Downloads

I got it now thank you! I’m just working on my file raw try to reply the KOZ settings.

I’ll let you know guys ! I really hope to pass this time! I feel like a student need to do an important exam in the university.

what about this? I can hear a very bad background noise, but it looks goot in the ACX requirements!