Question for Wavelab users

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Teacher

Teacher

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when do u find it most beneficial when using the eliminate dc offset feature? right when u import the mix to 'master' it? when ur done processing the file? or when u reduce it to CD quality
(I record @ 24/44.1)
 
Fair question, teacher. I eliminate DC offset as the first step when I bring the stereo wave file into Wavelab. I guess I've been assuming that nothing I do in Wavelab would introduce further offset, since I think the DC bias results from inconsistencies in your hardware.

However, I wouldn't mind having this confirmed (or refuted) by someone with more knowledge than me.
 
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I've never realized any benefit of using the offset, and actually don't even understand what it does. I'd like to see this covered in some detail by anyone who might know...
 
Sometimes in the recording and digitizing process a wave will have it's zero crossing point offset - meaning there will be more of the wave to one side of the zero crossing point than the other. This will limit your ability attain maximum volume from the wave, since one side of the wave would reach 0db sooner than the other.

The "eliminate dc offset function" simply resets the zero crossing point by calculating the amount of offset present and then adding (or subtracting) that amount to the entire waveform.

Most of the files that I have worked with have very small offsets, but I tend to use this function as a matter of habit for all my work. I figure it can't hurt, and there may come an occasion when it will help alot.

The question teacher has raised, though, is whether additional dsp can introduce more offset - or is the offset pretty much established at the time the signal is digitized by the A/D converters?
 
Well, in thinking this through a little more and re-reading the article I referenced, I have come to the conclusion that it is best to remove dc offset as the first step in the mastering process.

This is because the main benefit of the offset removal is to maximize your effects processing (e.g., limiting or compressing). As the article states, it gets you back some potentially lost headroom - which only has an advantage if you intend to do further processing of the file.

It makes no sense at all to save this for the last step before burning to CD - since removing the offset at that time has no tangible benefit (you're already done processing the file).
 
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