The Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec is currently not 64-bit compatible. It may be used with Windows 7 (64-bit), but only where the compatible host DAW application is run in 32-bit mode. Mac DAW's, eg. The Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec Plug-In is designed for the real-time auditioning. Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec v 3.0 Dec 14, 2014 MacOS X Intel.
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The Sonnox Fraunhofer Codec Toolbox is a streamlined version of the Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec Version 2 plug-in for auditioning and encoding mono, stereo and surround audio mixes using Fraunhofer codecs. Codecs included are: MP3, AAC-LC, HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2, MPEG Surround and, on Macs only, Apple’s latest version of the iTunes+ AAC-LC codec as used in the current iTunes Catalog.
The Codec Toolbox Plug-in is for real-time auditioning in your DAW of popular codecs in both Constant Bit Rate and Variable Bit Rates. Codec-induced noise and codec overload are detected before encoding. Adjustments to your mix can then be made that will improve the quality of encoding before rendering your master 16-bit stereo file ready for encoding in the ToolBox Manager.
The Sonnox Fraunhofer Codec Toolbox is a streamlined version of the Sonnox Fraunhofer Pro-Codec Version 2 plug-in for auditioning and encoding mono, stereo and surround audio mixes using Fraunhofer codecs. Codecs included are: MP3, AAC-LC, HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2, MPEG Surround and, on Macs only, Apple’s latest version of the iTunes+ AAC-LC codec as used in the current iTunes Catalog.
Toolbox enables mixing and mastering engineers to optimize and produce compensated (if need be) mixes and recordings so that the best possible audio fidelity is maintained despite the constraints of data compression codecs and lower-bit-rate streams. Small audio file size and reduced bit rate streams are required for efficient Internet download services, digital radio, streaming music to mobile, and game audio.
Compatible with AAX Native, VST, RTAS and AU hosts on both Macs and PCs, Toolbox comprises two pieces of software. For real-time auditioning, the encode/decode or “round trip” Toolbox Codec plug-in is inserted into your DAW’s Master monitoring path. For offline encoding, batch processing, adding/editing metadata and decoding data compressed files, there is the stand-alone Codec ToolBox Manager application.
There are significant differences between the Toolbox and the Pro-Codec Version 2 plug-in. Toolbox encodes audio only from masters recorded at 32, 44.1 or 48kHz sample rates and 16-bit (more later on Toolbox’s automatic dithering), whereas Pro-Codec will directly encode from master recordings made in 24-bit and up to 192 kHz directly within your DAW. Pro-Codec also offers a choice of five different simultaneously running codecs for blind ABX comparison. However, Toolbox adds both metadata editing and batch processing—features not found in the Pro-Codec.
Codec Toolbox Plug-In
I obtained identical performance testing Codec Toolbox on both Pro Tools 10 (RTAS 32-bit) and Pro Tools 11 (AAX 64-bit) on my Mac Pro 8-core running OS 10.6.8 and 10.8.5, respectively. In Pro Tools, which passes channel configuration to plug-ins, if you mix to a 5.1 master fader, the Fraunhofer MPEG surround codec will become available in the plug-in’s dropdown menu. For stereo, the default codec is AAC-LC (Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity), CBR (Constant Bit Rate) and 256 kbps.
Knowing the project’s deliverable requirements, I’d select the designated codec, bit rate and either CBR or VBR (variable bit rate) mode. When changing from CBR to VBR the list of available bit rates will relist with the closest match to the previous CBR selected. Not all codecs allow all rates in either VBR or CBR modes. I’d then start playing my mix and A/B using the Input/Codec switch to toggle back and forth between monitoring a delay-compensated, dithered-down 16-bit uncompressed original and a real-time encode/decode.
Both the Toolbox plug-in and Manager will automatically dither to 16-bit using flat Triangular Probability Density Function dither. If you prefer to do your own shaped dither beforehand, know that if your dithering process adds 16-bit dither noise but does not actually truncate to 16 bits, Codec Toolbox will detect activity below the 16th bit and dither again. So with that caveat, mastering engineers still have the freedom to do their own style of dithering.
Controls and Meters
The plug-in’s input signal sample peak metering measures after 16-bit dithering and indicates any hard clipping, which should be avoided. For scrutiny, I liked that the meter’s -12 to 0dBFS range has an expanded scale.
Next, the Bit Stream Over indicator with adjustable hold time shows the potential for audible artifacts when the signal is decoded at the end user’s DAC; this indicator should remain green at all times. If I had occasional reds, I would have to decrease the overall stereo bus level of my mix in Pro Tools. I found with lower bit rates below 128 kbps, there could be many bit-stream overs and peak levels should be reduced. Bit stream overs also occurred on overly bright or filtered mixes at any bit rate.
The NMR, or Noise-To-Mask Ratio, meter shows the frequency areas—LF, MF and HF—where differences between the codec output and the original audio might be audible. It is an estimate because not all NMR “hits” are hearable. Data compression is always a tradeoff between better audio fidelity/bigger file-size versus audible encoding artifacts/smaller file size.
In a general sense, when encoding MP3s and trying lower bit rates—say below 192 kbps—you may get more NMR hits. But I also found this is dependent upon the program material, the spectral tilt of the mix and your own expectations of the resultant>