Izotope RX - is it worth it?

[counterparty]

Hi,

I've started using a handheld recorder for field recordings, and I think they would benefit from something to remove traffic rumble, wind noise etc.

There's currently a sale on izotope RX7 - is it worth it? The upgrades from previous versions look almost as expensive as buying from scratch and it seems like they only support a given release for a year. Would I be hopping onto a train of endless yearly $200 'upgrades' just to keep the basic functionality of the software working with the current MacOS?

[noiseboyuk]

First - is it worth it? Yes, emphatically so for the purposes you describe (and many others of course). It's just magnificent, and each year seems to bring new previously impossible things. Not everything works perfectly in all cases, but with experience you tend to know which tool will work best, and how to best apply it. At its best - which it often is - it's pure witchcraft.

Prices - first off, I don't know of any big compatibility issues between OS and older versions, so I shouldn't worry too much about that. I'd anticipate RX7 being a terrific tool for many years to come. Most of the best deals for existing users tend to come in promotional bundles which appear from time to time, where an upgrade to a bundle is often surprisingly cheap (for me this year it was RX6 Advanced to the RX6 Post Production Pack with free upgrade to RX7 PPP on release). I guess at some point those upgrades run out as you hit the top of their respective trees, and I fear I'm near that point now.

[Winstontaneous]

I use RX Elements and I think it does a good job. I already have de-noising tools in Adobe Audition (my main audio editor/"mastering" tool) but RX has fewer artifacts. I like the fact that there's both a standalone editor and plugins, but some of the RX plugs have such high latency that DAWs (at least Logic) just can't compensate correctly.

Acon Digital has a number of comparable de-noising plugins, and its Acoustica Premium has a fair amount of overlap with RX (particularly spectral editing) if you are looking for an alternative to Izotope's venture capital-driven endless paid-upgrade-a-thon.

[Aloysius]

Get the advanced version.

[MogwaiBoy]

I suggest going for the Elements version then - should meet your needs.

[woggle]

I've started using a handheld recorder for field recordings, and I think they would benefit from something to remove traffic rumble, wind noise etc.

RX7 is great for removing artefacts but it does seem like you need to improve your recording technique if you are getting wind noise. You can get a windshield cover for most field recorders that will reduce wind noise completely except in the most extreme conditions. eg https://rycote.com/microphone-windshiel ... -recorder/

but Rode make some as well - I use both

good field recordings don't need a lot of correction in RX, if at all. If you are doing post production for film then it is essential, but for music and so on it is not that necessary, and for nature recording a lot of purists would say never use it.

[counterparty]

Thanks for your input!

[noiseboyuk]

Very true about wind noise - Rycote are the ones to go for, not cheap but they do the business. However, with traffic noise, you're definitely in the RX realm.

Counterparty - what sort of field recordings do you do? How do you want to use them?

[counterparty]

Very true about wind noise - Rycote are the ones to go for, not cheap but they do the business. However, with traffic noise, you're definitely in the RX realm.

Counterparty - what sort of field recordings do you do? How do you want to use them?

Sorry for taking a while to reply. I am mostly recording interesting sounds, both indoors and outside. I'd like to use them for a range of things - heavily processing some to get interesting sounds to layer, using them as percussion layers or unprocessed as atmospheres, etc. I have a Zoom H4n Pro.

The main issue is that I live in central London, on the flight path to Heathrow - I am rarely more than 50m from a traffic jam. You just tune the background noise out in day-to-day life, but the recorder does not.

I will get a wind-shield - thanks for the suggestions.

[woggle]

Very true about wind noise - Rycote are the ones to go for, not cheap but they do the business. However, with traffic noise, you're definitely in the RX realm.

Counterparty - what sort of field recordings do you do? How do you want to use them?

Sorry for taking a while to reply. I am mostly recording interesting sounds, both indoors and outside. I'd like to use them for a range of things - heavily processing some to get interesting sounds to layer, using them as percussion layers or unprocessed as atmospheres, etc. I have a Zoom H4n Pro.

The main issue is that I live in central London, on the flight path to Heathrow - I am rarely more than 50m from a traffic jam. You just tune the background noise out in day-to-day life, but the recorder does not.

I will get a wind-shield - thanks for the suggestions.

Another thing to think about is to change your listening to trying to find great sound in the stuff you are filtering out. For example a wet day recording of traffic noise - position yourself in the middle of the road on a pedestrian island - is a great resource. Aircraft is another matter tho - and difficult to remove even with RX. In that case it can sometimes be better to try and isolate what you want in spectral view and delete everything else rather than select the aircraft and delete it. Playing around is the go - eg using the natural acoustic of tight lanes and alleys to filter sounds into interesting ambiences, shoving mics into bins etc
Best cheap mics for extending what you have at a reasonable price
https://jezrileyfrench.co.uk/jrf-audio-supplies.php for contacts and hydrophones
https://micbooster.com/primo-microphone ... phone.html

[MogwaiBoy]

Due to the doppler effect, planes and car noise will be shifting frequencies and pretty tricky to eliminate completely - but it seriously amazes me what you can achieve in RX.

[woggle]

Due to the doppler effect, planes and car noise will be shifting frequencies and pretty tricky to eliminate completely - but it seriously amazes me what you can achieve in RX.

spectralayers pro is maybe better for this type of nonstationary noise (i have used it for this) - but I have not used RX Advanced, only Standard

[noiseboyuk]

Due to the doppler effect, planes and car noise will be shifting frequencies and pretty tricky to eliminate completely - but it seriously amazes me what you can achieve in RX.

Yes, this. Definitely not easy... biplanes worse than jets. With the latter, once the plane as passed it ends up as a more constant roar which is easier to deal with. Counterparty - avoid passing planes if you can! That said, the Heathrow flight path is about as bad as it gets, I realise and with time, patience and practice miracles are definitely possible in RX.

If you're getting sounds from here there and everywhere and need to clean them up, there's no question you will need some serious noise reduction from somewhere, even with the best mic and wind gags.

As well as music I do TV sound. Today I had to make something of Go Pro footage with huge wind noise and compression artefacts, while the presenter was whispering. RX recovered more than could be reasonably believed.

[counterparty]

Thanks everybody! I'm going to give RX a serious demo and try to report back.

[samsam]

If you actually make music as well, you need at least Standard version, as feature that can extract A capella versions and reduce the level of other content (forgot the name of the feature) is a game changer and a tonne fun.