In Summary

Along with music production and audio post for picture, podcast audio production is the ever-growing third facet of what engineers do. We get Acoustica on podcast duties to see if its quality processing in a simple package can deliver.

Going Deeper

The Podcast Explosion

For some, it might be hard to believe that the podcast revolution has been gathering momentum for nearly a quarter of a century. Ignited by the first generation of pocket audio players the demand for content was on, and not just in the shape of tunes on the move. With an ever growing number of listeners around the globe listening on mobile or domestic devices, content can be musical, but equally the entertainment is speech-orientated with audiobooks and podcasts making up huge sectors in their own right.

Acon Digital Acoustica For Podcast Production

Known for a number of audio restoration tools, as well as a whole raft of more creative audio plugins for post or music production, Acon Digital even have an entire DAW on their roster. With an emphasis on restoration, audio post, and mastering duties, Paul Maunder recently took the latest incarnation of Acoustica for a spin to check out its features for Post. Acoustica’s dialogue-focussed feature set also makes it a suitable choice for podcast production, where the seemingly bottomless functionality of another DAW might be unnecessary. Without the MIDI or virtual instrumentation that other platforms come with, Acoustica tips the balance in the other direction with its advanced tools for dialogue-centric media.

In the video, we show how its clean lines and tools from the Premium edition can be used to knock remote participants’ audio into shape to sit nicely at the table with other guests in the same programme. Using Acon Digital’s Equalize 2 for spectral shaping, we also show how even noisy recordings that are far from clean can be revived using Extract:Dialogue along with other tools from Acon Digital’s Restoration Suite.

For dialogue editors and mixers working on scripted or unscripted audio production, Acoustica represents an efficient way to get the story out there. Coupled with its Premium edition’s Restoration Suite, even hastily recorded files from the talent can be made to sit with studio quality audio. These audio tools also land in AAX, VST, and AU formats, meaning you can take them with you whenever you’re working across in another DAW.

Acoustica Premium Edition Includes:

• Mastering Suite - transparent mastering tools consisting of Equalize 2, Dynamics, Multiband Dynamics, Limit and Dither.

• Restoration Suite - four plug-ins for audio restoration: DeNoise 2, DeHum 2, DeClick 2 and DeClip 2.

• Extract:Dialogue - Acon digital’s acclaimed tool for dialogue noise reduction that reduces background noise based on deep learning.

• Equalize - Parametric equalizer plug-in that combines unique features with excellent workflow and an intuitive user interface.

• Verberate 2 - Natural sounding reverb plug-in.