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melbendi
Inspiring
Aug 11, 2018 9:28 PM UTC
Answered

How destructive is Automatic Click Remover?

I've digitized a number of old LPs, which have audible clicks throughout many of the songs.  How much reservation one should use when using the Auto Click Remover tool?  Is it a bad idea to select the each entire track and apply the Auto Click Remover, or does the Auto Click Remover often have to sacrifice a bit of sound quality, effecting parts of the track that are not clicks?  I know, if I can't tell it doesn't matter, but I'm just wondering, technically, if this is how it works?  Thank you for your help!

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    SteveG_AudioMasters_
    SteveG_AudioMasters_Correct answer
    Community Expert
    Aug 11, 2018 10:48 PM UTC

    Clicks have (fortunately, or it wouldn't work at all) a sonic signature that's quite distinctive, and this is relatively easy to detect. They  are also pretty unlike any form of musical sound, either in their shape or duration. This means that within reason, you won't have a problem with what's extracted. You might though have a problem with what isn't, though, as anything larger than yer average 'click' won't get fixed.

    Personally I wouldn't use the Automatic Click Remover. I'd far rather use the Click/Pop Eliminator - the process-based one. You get far more control, and generally much better results. Also if you're de-clicking records, you'll find that not all clicks are equal, and there's one trick that can often help a lot. Convert your stereo to a Mid/Side (there's a preset in the Channel Mixer), and you'll find generally that there are far more clicks in the Side channel than the Mid. So you can treat them separately, to some advantage. When you're done, convert back to normal stereo, and you should get a result that's technically better, and may even sound better!

    4 replies

    SteveG_AudioMasters_
    Community Expert
    SteveG_AudioMasters_Community ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Aug 11, 2018 10:48 PM UTC

    Clicks have (fortunately, or it wouldn't work at all) a sonic signature that's quite distinctive, and this is relatively easy to detect. They  are also pretty unlike any form of musical sound, either in their shape or duration. This means that within reason, you won't have a problem with what's extracted. You might though have a problem with what isn't, though, as anything larger than yer average 'click' won't get fixed.

    Personally I wouldn't use the Automatic Click Remover. I'd far rather use the Click/Pop Eliminator - the process-based one. You get far more control, and generally much better results. Also if you're de-clicking records, you'll find that not all clicks are equal, and there's one trick that can often help a lot. Convert your stereo to a Mid/Side (there's a preset in the Channel Mixer), and you'll find generally that there are far more clicks in the Side channel than the Mid. So you can treat them separately, to some advantage. When you're done, convert back to normal stereo, and you should get a result that's technically better, and may even sound better!

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    melbendi
    melbendiAuthor
    Inspiring
    Aug 11, 2018 11:55 PM UTC

    Wow, thanks, Steve!  Thank you for sharing all this info.  I really appreciate your help and your technical expertise!   I'll try that process.

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