TBProAudio updates ABLM to 2.0 - AB Loudness Matching Plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X
by TBProAudio   11th March 2021

Thank you very much

I'm having a problem with auto-gain when plug-ins inside a chain have different latencies. I thought that the PDC switch was just there to ensure smooth playback when switching between pre and post FX.

However, there's a difference in volume(often 0.5dB or more) when the latency is not correct. This means I have to press the PDC button each time I switch in a different plug-in within the chain, e.g. if I want to test out different EQs with a 3k boost. In this case I'm not comparing pre and post so any glitching doesn't matter, but the volume should be the same.

MCompare doesn't suffer from this volume difference problem, so I know a solution is possible. It only has 16 instances though which is why I would still much prefer to use ABLM2 with its 256 link channels and other great features like pre-FX drive and snapshots. Any ideas?

(Reaper 6.29 MacOS 10.14.6)

If the PDC is not 'correct', then the volume measurement wouldn't be taken at the exact moment of Pre/ Post.

Thus expect an [incorrect] measurement.

That sounds plausible yet MCompare seems to have somehow "solved" the problem. It does glitch when switching between pre and post though when the PDC isn't correct(which ABLM2 doesn't) but the volume stays locked. So I'm hoping that TBProAudio can have look and find a fix as otherwise ABLM2's functionality is stellar!

Hmm, there is nothing wrong with ABLM in this situation. If you change the FX chain you need to watch and possible correct PDC as well. Otherwise "automatic" loudness matching will not work...

But you can "lock" the volume by setting the match mode to "manual".

Sorry but to me this is then not a proper automatic matching plug-in. Let me re-state the use case. I want to compare three EQs with the same 3k presence boost:

1. Stock EQ(no latency)
2. Channel strip EQ(1 buffer)
3. "Expensive" modelled EQ(3 buffers)

Having to press the PDC button each time I want to switch to a new plug-in totally kills the workflow and I might as well adjust the output gain manually on the EQs themselves.

The PDC button already automatically measures the latency so the missing link is to trigger that measurement each time there is a bypass/unbypass event in the chain. Or another form of self-adjustment.

I'm not a coder so I don't know how difficult this would be to implement especially across different DAWs. But I'm sure I'm not the only one who's regularly doing such shoot-outs so if it could be made to work that would be brilliant.

Until such time I'll have to use MCompare which doesn't have many of the features that I like in ABLM2 but does keep the volume rock-solid whatever the latency differences are!

Correct, there is no way to inform ABLM (or any other plugin, to our knowledge) that any plugin is inserted to or removed from the plugin chain. So the PDC update has to be triggered manually.
If PDC is not correct, you can forget the whole gain matching thing

Well it was worth asking as normally you're the king of fixes! I will then use MCompare for shoot-outs and then switch back to ABLM once I've found a winner. Clumsy, but at least it's possible!

You can also set up 3 pairs of ABLM with an EQ each between them. Once you're happy delete the other 2.

That's a good idea actually and I have a feeling that it could also be useful for something else that I haven't considered yet. Thanks!

Sometimes I shoot out ten or more EQs/compressors/saturators though so that would be a lot of ABLM instances for just one track!

If it helps .... I run a pair of ABLM's on every FX in a track ... and a 'master' ABLM at the top and bottom to A/B the entire chain.

As fx parameters settle to final settings, I then adjust each FX output to the diff the ABLM displays ... then hard bypass all ABLM's before printing or rendering that track.

I do like that 256 channels are available

That's a bit hardcore and yes just as well that you get 256 channels for this kind of workflow. This is something I pushed the dev for many years ago(to be able to have one pair of ABLMs on every channel of the mix) and like most things they made it possible!

I also adjust the gains on the FX plug-ins to make sure ABLM doesn't have too much work to do. Otherwise there'll be a big volume difference before ABLM catches up, especially with the larger window sizes you need to handle compressors.

Fixing the gain at same stage by switching to Manual or freezing/printing/rendering and bypassing is definitely a good idea.

I only really noticed the latency issue since I started using AA plug-ins but for now I'm glad I had MCompare lying around so I have a reasonably manageable workaround.

- NEW: over protection
- NEW: save start-up parameter set
- NEW: online version check
- NEW: set fixed GUI size in plugin menu
- NEW: set min GUI scale form plugin menu
- NEW: touch support
- UPDATE: all match and reset controls are controllable by Midi CC
- UPDATE: auto plugin update check
- UPDATE: improved PDC measurement
- UPDATE: improved UTF8 support
- UPDATE: plugin activation with either key file or key text
- UPDATE: small GUI and DSP fixes
- UPDATE: toggle online update check
- FIX: AAX, stable link if SR > 44/48kHz
- FIX: Ableton VST3, wrong default init GUI scale
- FIX: Cubase, crash reg procedure
- FIX: Cubase, crash save as default
- FIX: PT, AS crash
- FIX: compatibility of automation parameter to prev. versions
- FIX: crash preset recall (GUI scale)
- FIX: default preset does no longer break autolink sender/receiver autolink
- FIX: improved tooltips handling
- FIX: incorrect sub menues of id menu
- FIX: small GUI changes

more info here:ABLM | TBProAudio

Indispensable plugin. Will test out this latest version.

Thanks TBPro !

- auto gain min/max limits: limits the range of gain values
- auto gain tolerance: gain is not activated if the gain difference is within the tolerance

I'm having issue with this new 2.2 update.
[Reaper, Win-10, VST-3]

The 'paired' plugins would not pass audio.

Had to revert back to previous version.

Hmm, any default preset active?

EDIT: just tested Win11, Reaper, VST3, project created with V2.1.21, updated to V2.2.0, project load => no issues

I don't recall if I changed the 'default' ... but I'll reinstall and check.

I'm sure, before you release, that everything was working ... but we're talking Computers .... so ...

I'm on Win-10 Pro, Reaper 6.82

v2.20 wasn't passing audio through my current project.

Maybe a backward compate issue ??? idk. ?

We have done extensive testing to ensure backward compatibility...
Maybe you can send a screenshot of the settings to our support mail adress? Thank you.

FIX: broken auto match mode, if PDC enabled

It dosen't work well as a lock function.
I'v test everything.

You do Auto, double check with another level meter - measurments are correct and same.
You hit Manual (in all instances) - gain still there. Good.
Than you freeze\unfreeze (Offline FX in Reaper will reset those correct gains!!!) and your levels are going stupid.

Please make a proper gain lock.
And maybe threshold for plugin not react on signal belove it (it can be helpfull against volume jumps!)
I hate when ABLM2 raise my analog hiss from console and than i press play - my ears are blow out someday like this.

Peace!

TBP - ABLM

I never PRINT/Render with it active.

In fact ... I'm not absolutely certain of how 'clean' the GAIN is ... might be placebo [?]. When I hard bypass ABLM out of the chain ... the sound changes ...

I use ABLM to keep it in the proper A/B ballpark ... then ...

I adjust whatever plugin[s] are within the bookends, and change their OUTPUT so that ABLM shows no more than +/- 0.1dB.
Then ABLM is hard Bypassed out of the FX chain.

When I need finer GAIN adjustment, whether per plugin, or chain, I use AirWindows PureGAIN for that purpose.

note: PureGAIN is indeed extremely 'clean'.

I've stacked dozens of Gain plugins [various brands], and A/B'd the chains ... AirWindows PureGain always wins out.

Null test them. Nothing changes. TBProaudio gain plugins are bit transparent.