help fixing this audio quality

Hi,
I have recorded a call with 3 people for my podcast.
Here is an extract. Can someone recommend what to do on audacity in order to improve the quality of the audio?

Note that this is the file as I get it after the recording, no edits have been made yet.
Open to your recommendations

Thanks

File with a sample:
https://we.tl/t-gMR7qIlxcB

Screen Shot 2020-12-11 at 8.57.49 AM.png
Maybe post somewhere we don’t have to agree to anything.

Koz

Better?
https://file.io/bCbBiovMWTdn

LevelSpeech2.ny plugin on default settings,

then desibilator.ny plugin with threshold at -10dB, (was -20dB), all other settings default.

Thank you!
Do I have to download The 2 plugins you mentioned?

Yes. They are specifically for Audacity & are called NYquist plugins.

In the latest version of Audacity there is a feature to install them …
https ://manual.audacityteam.org/man/nyquist_plug_in_installer.html

After installation you still have to enable them in the plug-in manager before they appear in the effects menu.
https ://manual.audacityteam.org/man/manage_effects_generators_and_analyzers.html

I have enabled the nyquist but dont see it under effect

Anyway what to do with the effect?

Can’t see the other you mentioned

You have to click on the “OK” button below the “Enable” button in the plugin-manager to make changes persist …

When enabled those Nyquist plugins then should appear in the (alphabetical) effect menu as “Desibilator” & “Level Speech 2”.

“Level Speech 2” makes all the people sound equally loud.
“Desibilator” reduces sibilance which can become excessive after applying “Level Speech 2”.

Look, plugin installed

But unfortunately the 2 effects are not in the list

Plugin manager should look like this …
my_copy_of_LevelSpeech2.png
If the Nyquist installer has not worked, you can put copies of “LevelSpeech2.ny” & “Desibilator.ny” into this hidden folder

C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Roaming\audacity\Plug-Ins

Then enable them in the plug-in manager.

I can’t find the 2 plugins separate to download
I have installed and re-installed Audacity 2.4.2 run the Nyquist installed but yet I can’t see the 2 plugins under Effect :frowning:

LevelSpeech2.ny (2.55 KB)
desibilator.ny (56 KB)
If you can’t get the Nyquist installer to work, just put copies of the two “.ny” files attached (above)
into this (hidden) Windows folder, (the Audacity plug-ins folder) …

C:\Users\<YourUserName>\AppData\Roaming\audacity\Plug-Ins

Then they will appear in the plug-in manager, (you may have to restart Audacity).

Then enable them in the plug-in manager, then they will be available in the effects menu …

LevelSpeech2_in_my_effects_menu.png

thank you for your patience and kindness I was able to apply the effects now!
Would you recommend any other?
The volume maybe a bit high still?
How about the NORMALIZE effect?

RMS normalize, (yet another plugin :unamused:), as a final step before you upload the podcast.
-18dB RMS is a typical value for speech,
but the platform you’re uploading to may have their own standards for RMS loudness.
e.g. apple podcasts -15dB to -17db, others say -19dB.

RMS normalize to -18dB.gif