SPECWEB (Now 2.2)

[zeerround]

Another user mentioned this earlier, but I just wanted to emphasize 'cause I experienced it and it sounds BAD when it happens... If you have an album that has a quiet intro as the first track, which then leads into a much louder song as the second track, it's best to process them both as a single track (join the flac/wav files together before running the single track through SpecWeb); if you don't, the intro will be overly loud and boomy and the transition from the intro to the follow-up track will be jarring.

Yeah that's another difference between the "full" version of Spec that needs Plogue Bidule and SpecWeb, in that in the full version Zag does three things:

1) Channel to Channel balance per your Zag inputs
2) Track to Track balance so your track to track volume matches that of the original album
3) Track normalization so the loudest part of your ALBUM = the output setting in Zag

It can do all that because the workflow in the full version is album at a time and it depends on prepping the album by making one long file with all the tracks in it, and making a cue file with all the track transition times in it, so Spec knows where the song transitions are.

SpecWeb's workflow is one song at a time, so it does #1, and #3 (#3 for the track, not the album)

So, SpecWeb could have that album at a time mode in it, but it would require the same prep and part of the idea of SpecWeb was to simplify things.

I guess maybe a lot of that could be automated via the magical helper app, however ;0)

 

[RobJam]

Get the latest version of Helper (I updated it today):

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Web-Helper-App&p=278811&viewfull=1#post278811

Did a fresh install of both SpecWeb and Helper today. Synced them up, Helper is chugging away.... Difference is, SpecWeb window doesn't open now...where before a window used to pop up to show me that SpecWeb was working. I don't really care as long as Helper is converting, but just curious if this is normal?

 

[RobJam]

Did a fresh install of both SpecWeb and Helper today. Synced them up, Helper is chugging away.... Difference is, SpecWeb window doesn't open now...where before a window used to pop up to show me that SpecWeb was working. I don't really care as long as Helper is converting, but just curious if this is normal?

OK, now there's an issue. Helper won't open a folder, gives me an error message. I've tried opening different folders as well as loading tracks...I also rebooted. Ideas? Specweb appears to work fine if a drag and drop, but of course I want to use Helper.

Thanks

 

[HomerJAU]

Garry, if I install the latest version of helper will it automatically overwright the current version, or do I need to uninstall that first? BTW I think the feature works really well, takes longer to convert but that's no biggie. Thanks for all your work on the helper.

You should ask Helper questions in the new Helper thread.

Answer: Just following instructions on the Helper thread, download and unzip into same folder which will overwrite all Helper files

 

[HomerJAU]

OK, now there's an issue. Helper won't open a folder, gives me an error message. I've tried opening different folders as well as loading tracks...I also rebooted. Ideas? Specweb appears to work fine if a drag and drop, but of course I want to use Helper.

Thanks

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Web-Helper-App&p=278941&viewfull=1#post278941

 

[HomerJAU]

Did a fresh install of both SpecWeb and Helper today. Synced them up, Helper is chugging away.... Difference is, SpecWeb window doesn't open now...where before a window used to pop up to show me that SpecWeb was working. I don't really care as long as Helper is converting, but just curious if this is normal?

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...Web-Helper-App&p=278944&viewfull=1#post278944

 

[HomerJAU]

....

I guess maybe a lot of that could be automated via the magical helper app, however ;0)

I'm up for it Glenn. I'll add it to my Helper to do list and email you later to discuss. Shouldn't be to difficult...

 

[GOS]

I'm up for it Glenn. I'll add it to my Helper to do list and email you later to discuss. Shouldn't be to difficult...

Awesome!!!!

 

[GOS]

What's the best way to donate, to ensure the money is going to the proper place?

 

[HomerJAU]

First post on this thread. Donate goes to Glenn (zeerround).

I'm happy just to help the QQ community, time to give back. Lots of technical expertise and industry knowledge circulating on QQ. All I have is a pair of ears and I can program. So I'm donating to our community

 

[zeerround]

What's the best way to donate, to ensure the money is going to the proper place?

If you drop a stereo file on the SpecWeb play album, the web UI opens up, with a "donate now" paypal button, a link to the surroundbyus.com web site, and a link to the SpecWeb manual.

Also a donate now button here: http://www.surroundbyus.com/sbu/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=913

 

[GOS]

If you drop a stereo file on the SpecWeb play album, the web UI opens up, with a "donate now" paypal button, a link to the surroundbyus.com web site, and a link to the SpecWeb manual.

Also a donate now button here: http://www.surroundbyus.com/sbu/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=913

Got it - donation made.

 

[GOS]

So, here's an odd one. I have a 2 disc CD of Johnny Mathis Complete Thom Bell Sessions. It is simply one of the very best sounding CD's I've heard in a while. The soundstage is very wide with certain instruments seemingly defying my 2 speakers. I was absolutely certain that SpecWeb could do wonders with this one.

STrange - but I'm disappointed in this particular conversion. The conversion buries many of the instruments compared to the stereo version...which really surprised me. Do you guys have any comments about how that can occasionally happen? Or is it really just a matter of.....you never know?

I want this to be a learning experience...that's all. I am happy to provide a FLAC of the untouched files to Garry or Glen if you want to give it a shot. Not that I expect you to...just curious. IF a PM is better - just give me a shout.

EDIT - further listening....certain songs better than others. Life Is A Song Worth Singing seems to sound pretty damn good in the converted version.

Thanks...Gene

 

[skherbeck]

Suggestion for Radiohead fans: If you have "The King of Limbs Live from the Basement" DVD or BD, you were probably disappointed with the surround mix (as was I)... rip the stereo layer from your disc and run it through SpecWeb... it has great separation and surround field (as do most Radiohead albums processed though SpecWeb). This is definitely going to be my go to version of this album (I prefer the "From the Basement" versions to the studio LP).

 

[zeerround]

So, here's an odd one. I have a 2 disc CD of Johnny Mathis Complete Thom Bell Sessions. It is simply one of the very best sounding CD's I've heard in a while. The soundstage is very wide with certain instruments seemingly defying my 2 speakers. I was absolutely certain that SpecWeb could do wonders with this one.

STrange - but I'm disappointed in this particular conversion. The conversion buries many of the instruments compared to the stereo version...which really surprised me. Do you guys have any comments about how that can occasionally happen? Or is it really just a matter of.....you never know?

I want this to be a learning experience...that's all. I am happy to provide a FLAC of the untouched files to Garry or Glen if you want to give it a shot. Not that I expect you to...just curious. IF a PM is better - just give me a shout.

EDIT - further listening....certain songs better than others. Life Is A Song Worth Singing seems to sound pretty damn good in the converted version.

Thanks...Gene

If you have 5.1 on your PC, or your PC in connected to your 5.1 system, you can use the SpecWeb Play icon to listen to the conversion live and make (almost) (real time adjustments via either the web interface or the command interface (with key strokes).

If the mix is over wide, adjusting the total width in ArcTan might help, and or the center and front widths, to get a nice spread.

Also, there's a reason that two totally different stereo to surround methods are included. You have ArcTan (the default) but there is also "slice" or ArcTan with Slice blended rears. Slice may be better for certain types of music (usually electronic, but sometimes others as well).

So check it out and experiment. Read the "How to win with ArcTan" section of the manual, by DKA, (if not the whole manual).

If your PC isn't smack dab in your listening position, you can control SpecWeb remotely from a smartphone, tablet, or other computer, etc., with the SpecWeb Play Remote icon.

 

[GOS]

If you have 5.1 on your PC, or your PC in connected to your 5.1 system, you can use the SpecWeb Play icon to listen to the conversion live and make (almost) (real time adjustments via either the web interface or the command interface (with key strokes).

If the mix is over wide, adjusting the total width in ArcTan might help, and or the center and front widths, to get a nice spread.

Also, there's a reason that two totally different stereo to surround methods are included. You have ArcTan (the default) but there is also "slice" or ArcTan with Slice blended rears. Slice may be better for certain types of music (usually electronic, but sometimes others as well).

So check it out and experiment. Read the "How to win with ArcTan" section of the manual, by DKA, (if not the whole manual).

If your PC isn't smack dab in your listening position, you can control SpecWeb remotely from a smartphone, tablet, or other computer, etc., with the SpecWeb Play Remote icon.

So, in the case of SpecWeb Play, I assume a person would use this instead of the helper app from Garry....

 

[HomerJAU]

Hi zeerround. Am I right with this:

When using 'SpecWeb Play' (after drag drop of a file), the SpecWeb settings we see in 'Play' are the ones in the current ini file and the 'Save' button in 'Play' would save any changed settings to that current ini file?

The current ini file is whichever one found in this search order:
One in same folder as the music file, named same as the music file
One in the same folder as the music file, named: SpecWeb.ini
The SpecWeb.ini file in the SpecWeb program's bin folder

 

[zeerround]

So, in the case of SpecWeb Play, I assume a person would use this instead of the helper app from Garry....

Yeah at least to figure out settings for an album. You could then save your settings as an ini and process the album with the helper.

 

[zeerround]

Hi zeerround. Am I right with this:

When using 'SpecWeb Play' (after drag drop of a file), the SpecWeb settings we see in 'Play' are the ones in the current ini file and the 'Save' button in 'Play' would save any changed settings to that current ini file?

The current ini file is whichever one found in this search order:
One in same folder as the music file, named same as the music file
One in the same folder as the music file, named: SpecWeb.ini
The SpecWeb.ini file in the SpecWeb program's bin folder

The initial settings shown in the web should be the result of both ini and command line args, with the command line args having the highest priority.

Your ini precedence is almost right, but you list it in reverse of the order I usually do. I'll try to list it the way you do, top priority to lowest priority.

Top priority: Command line Args (instance only)
Then ini in same folder as the music file, named same as the music file (song only)
Then One in the same folder as the music file, named: SpecWeb.ini (album wide)
Then One in the current working directory (every instance that used the that working directory)
Then (lowest priority ini) the SpecWeb.ini file in the SpecWeb program's bin folder (global)
If no command line args or ini files found, hardcoded defaults in program

 

[GOS]

Could you guys please speak a language I understand? Hee...kidding...I"m kidding. LOL. Whatever language it takes to make things better is all good by me.