Airwindows Dark: Mac/Windows/Linux AU/VST

Some weeks are MY kind of fun…

This won't make big changes in your audio. In fact if you think you can reliably hear this on its HD setting, I think you're mistaken. And yet, this might be the funnest thing I've done all year.

Why? Because I'm back to the dithers again. I figured out a way (or two) to go EVEN FARTHER in the direction I'd chosen. And it worked: it worked super well, and you can have it. Introducing Airwindows Dark.

How does it work? It's very simple, really. Much like Not Just Another Dither (NJAD, my previous best) it analyzes the results of the audio, depending on whether the dither rounds up or down. With correct TPDF dither, it's a factor of randomness, a noise that breaks up patterns in the output. With NJAD, it runs a Benford Realness calculation and uses that (for a more natural-sounding audio output). But Dark?

It simply works out the average trajectory of where the audio's going. It's following the lower frequencies, suppressing the highs. And then it makes its choice based solely on whatever is going to further this trajectory… and keep the output as smooth as possible. It is 'dithering' with intent, doing whatever it has to in order to get a darker, softer output. All done by truncation alone.

The result is delightful, if you are into analog sonics and the absence of bright digital artifacts and hisses. It is NOT obvious, unless 16 bit artifacts are already obvious to you, and at HD (24 bit) it is purely a matter of thoroughness and making correct choices and you shouldn't be hearing a difference. You damn sure won't be able to blind test a difference (that requires much more obvious stuff happening).

But, but, but! If your experience with audio (and probably loud listening levels, and REALLY good monitoring, and amazing source files) involves sinking into a lush bed of analog-rich sonics, where you quickly notice subtle shifts in sonic attitude and then take much longer to get used to them and form your judgements… there's nothing at all like this.

http://www.airwindows.com/dark/
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