Linear PCM audio issue

[kevinb711]

Recorded linear PCM audio through Sony camera with lave mic.  Audio fluctuates with volume and sibilance hissing.

Any way to repair/correct in Audition?

Thanks

Kevin

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

Not good news, I'm afraid - it's really difficult, verging on impossible, to undo the effect of volume pumping. Your only real bet is to try to find a compression setting that will reduce the loud parts so that they are at a similar level to the quiet bits (this won't increase the pumping sounds in the background), but even then it won't sound good, as you'll lose all of the dynamics. A large part of the problem with treating anything like this is that you have no idea what the characteristics of whatever limiting is in the camera are - and even if you did, you'd have a lot of difficulty in mirroring that in reverse, anyway.

[kevinb711]

Thanks SteveG, will have to live with it..may try to put a music bed underneath to see if that softens the blow...

I've worked in Linear PCM with other Sony cameras and never had this issue, but I also used better lavs in those cases.

KB

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

Linear PCM is fine - actually as good as you can get - but you have to leave sufficient headroom. You need the highest peaks when you record to be at about -12dB. That way the limiter is far less likely to be interrupting your audio, and whatever processing you need to do can happen afterwards in post. You don't need to worry about noise by running it nowhere near as hot - you've got way more dynamic range available than you can ever use anyway.