How To Fix Loud Noise Floor, RMS, and Peak Values in Audacity to Meet ACX Standards

[@MisterPotter]

This is by FAR the best video I have seen on using audacity to meet Acx standards. Thank you!

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you!

[@joshstatly9220]

This is perhaps the best video ive ever seen on this topic - amazing

[@LearnAudacity]

@@joshstatly9220 Thank you so much!

[@TheDottiep]

You are a lifesaver. I was hearing my hair out over this file and finally something worked! THANK YOU!!

[@LearnAudacity]

@@TheDottiep glad to help.

[@HonniCaramel]

I'm also part of your fan club. Those reviews are super right. I want to hug you and squeeze you and call you George. Thank you for the clear and fast fix.

[@linlin52]

Thank you! Just finishing a thirteen-chapter audiobook and one chapter failed on noise floor and you helped me fix it! I had spent all morning trying to fix it until I found your lesson.

[@LearnAudacity]

You're welcome

[@MichaelMiller-ln3kn]

This video was HUGE for me. I saw the use of ACX check and set out to get the same ability. Make my project do-able. Thank you so much!

[@ajver6221]

Oh my goodness you're a savior!!! This has been killing me to get the right requirements and other videos don't show how to get all 3 to a correct level and never touch the subject of noise floor. You rock!!

[@LearnAudacity]

Thanks. Glad to help!

[@joanagarcia3083]

Oh my goodness, I have been searching and searching for this fix. You have just made my year. Thank you.

[@sandracullum]

Brilliant help thank you. I watched both videos, low noise floor and a too noisy noise floor and both fixed my issues. Thank you so much.

[@LearnAudacity]

@@sandracullum You’re very welcome!

[@taranestleroad4990]

THANK YOU!!! I've been watching videos and tweaking settings for hours and couldn't get both peak levels and RMS to pass. Just followed your steps exactly and passed! Amazing video. Bless you.

[@LearnAudacity]

You're welcome!

[@future_ghost49]

Thank you so much! You're the first person to explain this in a way that made sense, and now I am having SO MUCH less frustration in post-recording editing. I appreciate you immensely.

[@gabriellegiselle]

Thank you so much!! I passed all 3 and don’t have to redo the audio 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽😭

[@earthoverthunder]

Wonderful video! Clear and concise. Much appreciated.

[@annasorkos]

Wow. I watched three videos and couldn't get any help in the 3 main ACX pass/fail and I watched this video and in 3 minutes, you gave me the exact methods to resolve what several people took 20 minutes to get to after they talked about themselves. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH MIKE ADAMS!

[@TheBinaryWolf]

Thanks for an excellent, no rambling, tutorial.

[@LearnAudacity]

You're welcome

[@ToddDolce]

This was brilliant! Thank you for explaining this in such great detail and in a way that is easily understood WITHOUT feeling intimidated or stupid. Great stuff!

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you!

[@ChristianityandAmericanCulture]

Your video is reality helpful. I love your method of fixing the noise floor! And the limiter… Thank you!

[@richardjosephson]

Very clear, economy of words, well-illustrated, simple steps to accomplish what otherwise might be confusing.

[@CaroleeWhite-n1w]

absolutely an amazing tutorial, clear, concise, lots of images and just all around wonderful and calming voice !

[@Krazy_Shorts]

I love these videos!

[@justinyoungblood5894]

This is hands down one of your best videos Mike.

[@maureenlefay]

Thank you! The noise floor issue about had me on the floor trying to fix it. This made it easy.

[@inagoodway]

This was amazing! Thank you! I spent half the day trying to figure out this RMS thing. Thank you.

[@gaelicpros]

LOL, I wondered if I had to keep wasting mouse clicks on that noise reduction for ACX levels! I've typically gotten the annoying "your noise level is too quiet. Dead silence is unnatural' You're SUCH a time saver ♥🐾🐾✨✨

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you. Always glad to help!

[@wernaldoproductions1215]

Great video! Thank you! I have the problem that the noisefloor is too low is there a fix for that as well? Thanks again

[@paddyvennerlifecoaching]

Thank you so much - you spoke plain English and solved a major headache for me. Great job

[@PollyannaDarling]

Excellent and clear explanation, thank you. Your help fixed my peak noise. However, my noise floor is too low. What can I do about this?

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you. One way to correct low noise floor is to add a second track to your project of just room tone and then include both tracks in your export. I have a 30-minute file of room tone I can make available to you if that would help. If you like, email me at [e-mail] and I can get it to you. I think a video on this would be good too. Thanks for the idea. :)

[@andreadavis1116]

Thank you!!! This is the most helpful video for audio recording! 👏🏽👏🏽

[@szattwellauthor]

Thank you! This has been an immensely helpful video - very very much appreciated!

[@jorgesindonivielma994]

This guy is the number ONE. Thanks a lot buddy.

[@ianfosterUSA]

Absolutely fantastic thanks from the UK

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you

[@ChubbyAmadeusFan]

Thank you so much. You explained everything clearly. Much appreciated!

[@stephenwells1559]

Thank you 🙏🏻 It’s taken me an age to find this!!

[@LearnAudacity]

You're welcome.

[@_ivy5821]

EXTREMELY helpful, thank you!

[@Erikasway_]

thank GOD for you i was almost in tears trying to figure this out!

[@LearnAudacity]

You’re welcome. Glad I could help.

[@gingerhysell9505]

Hi Mike, I just purchased and learned from your fabulous class on "ACX Audiobook Production using Audacity." Awesome! It was exactly what I needed! The only thing missing in the class was in THIS video. If I needed to adjust noise floor levels like this, would I do it after applying the macros and during the final editing stage while dealing with any breath sounds, or would it become part of the macro chain itself? Thanks for all the help you're sending out to us newbies! Loved the class!

[@LearnAudacity]

Thank you. I'll include it when I update the class content later this summer. I would be hesitant to put it in a macro, but that's just me.

[@malbeaty]

OMG!!! Thank you so much!!! The video just saved me so much valuable time!!!

[@StefinMiami]

Thank you for this video! It helped me relax, and got all parts of my audio accompany to pass ACX check and the ACXlab. My audio accompany is only 10 minutes if read straight through. Would it be better to record the whole thing, get it passed then break it up? I'm only asking for the next project.

[@LearnAudacity]

Apologies for the slow response. I like to record all at once as it makes it more uniform. If you record in pieces, make sure your recording environment is consistent and your mic technique is always the same.

[@69Storm1]

You're The MAN!!! Thank You For The Great Info!!!

[@aureliewhatthecut6689]

this video is amazing and has taught me a lot about audacity. I do have one small problem, when I adjust the RMS level, amazing, but when I then do the limiter, it screws the RMS again, and it never is entirely good. A little thing that is different from your video, is that my limiter is called normalise (for the RMS it's called normalise the amplitude). Do I need to install a new plugin or am I just using the wrong option? Thank you to anyone who will help me! 🤗

[@thing1145]

Very helpful. Liked & subscribed!

[@SurvivorDK]

I laughed at the "Click It" joke :) excellent video!

[@skiphupp6387]

Thank you. Question: I don’t see the Limiter in the Effects column or anywhere on the interface.

[@LearnAudacity]

Glad you found it.

[@Mombierella]

can you repeat the process if it still has too high a noise floor?

[@77shoemanable]

Nice examples. Thanks

[@blackapinay08]

The limiter settings are different on my audacity program. It pops up different than the one on your screen. Instead it shows presets & settings on the left side. and I have to choose different presets of a limiter. Which one do I use? How do I make adjustments?

[@LearnAudacity]

Check out my video on the Legacy Limiter and Compressor.

[@AffinityInspiration]

Really useful, thank you. Do you know how difficult it is to track this stuff down? The Noise Floor is a real pain to lower. I'm trying both Dynamic Mic and Condenser mics. I'm on a M2 Mac Mini and I mostly use a condenser mic. It's pretty good quality - but perhaps not the best. So thank you for this great tutorial, I've learnt a LOT.

[@slipthetrap]

I took your udemy course and went on to narrate (voice over) a book I wrote and it has been for sale on Audible (ACX) ... everything worked as you taught. My question is will the macro's from that udemy course still work correctly with the upgrade to Audacity 3.2.5 ? Or am I missing updated information for that udemy course ? The de-clicker portion seems to run a really long time in the new Audacity, I don't remember that from before. I am more of a typical author, who can not afford voice over talent (maybe A.I. will fix that soon) and only does a book about once a year, so I tend to forget all of this audio+ACX+Audacity stuff. But having access to your KZbin videos is a good refresher, but some other non-free tools (like iZotope) is way outside my means, but thanks again for your videos!

[@LearnAudacity]

Thanks for taking my course! Yes, the macros will still work in the new versions of Audacity. That de-clicker takes a long time for me too. It's a resource-hungry plugin for sure. But it works great! Happy narrating!

[@kritikabiswa6833]

Hi Mike! M new here. Trying to record audiobooks and learn audacity. I don't see the option ACX check. Please tell me what do i need to do. Thank you

[@LearnAudacity]

You’ll find it under the Analyze drop-down menu. You might be interested in my course since you’re new to audiobooks and Audacity. Check it out. www.audacitybootcamp.com/p/acx-audiobook-production-using-audacity

[@leaveyoumarkvincecortese2020]

what is peak level setting? when I change the noise reduction it changes pass or fail quality can't get it to adjust to quality to pass

[@BlankCanvasIndieFilms]

Thanks so much for the help! I have been stuck on this for a while

[@LearnAudacity]

You're welcome

[@dianaromeo8851]

I like this video a lot, it is clear and simple, however I followed your steps and they did not work for me. I rarely have trouble with the noise floor but when I adjust the RMS and it passes, often ( not always) it messes up the peak and vice versa. I get so frustrated with these videos because what if what you did, didn't work? what do I try next?

[@esignsmedia]

Excellent Video

[@Smart-Transcriptions-tn3qg]

Thanks for the video. What do I do when I have it the opposite way around? I get this message : Noise floor: 92.93 dB Warning (too low - Dead silence sounds unnatural.)

[@UnboxerofWorlds]

You, sir, are a legend.

[@LearnAudacity]

That's a lot of pressure. :) But thank you!

[@Mr_Perses]

So helpful! Thank! 😊😊

[@jasonjellie9342]

Question on the noisefloor. If your not killing your noise floor how do u make sure your floor is low enough that it’s not bringing in mic noise, especially in gaps where your not speaking? When ever I record my mic is constantly bouncing at just below 54 even when I’m silent, which I guess is not too bad but obviously there’s noise there. Granted my rooms untreated, which brings me to my next question. If I’m going to treat my room to get rid of ambience which could potentially stop my mic bouncing when I’m not speaking, how do you treat the ambience in a way your not killing your noise floor? Coz surely it’s the room ambience that’s preventing your floor from not being dead even if ur in a naturally echoey room no? Coz obviously if the noisefloor is too low it says “sounds unnatural”

[@Nkreddible]

Thank you! This helped tremendously!

[@LearnAudacity]

Excellent. Thanks!

[@tomz58]

Please tell me how I can fix the noise floor too low warning from ACX check (it says "Unnatural")

[@Artist_Levi]

I find that when I apply loudness normalization at -20db, I get multiple red clipping lines. I'm able to run it after applying a limiter, but then I end up applying limiter twice, to also get below -3db after the loudness normalization. Is running limiter twice going to create excessive compression? Other ideas? Thank you!

[@ChesmaMcCoy]

Thank you for the tutorial!

[@ASD-AmidsttheChaos]

My audacity doesn't have an "ACX check." I assume it's an add-on. When you use something that isn't standard, could you tell us how to get it? Or how to do the same thing with what we have?

[@eri7-11]

Thank you, you saved me!

[@LearnAudacity]

Glad I could help!

[@CarlaBimbiBooks]

could I do that on multiple tracks at the same time? it will work?

[@RekhaKaula]

Thanks a million!

[@LearnAudacity]

You’re welcome.

[@GutierrezBeauty]

How did you get an acx check option via analyze option?

[@LearnAudacity]

Try here. plugins.audacityteam.org/analyzers/analysis-plugins

[@rebekahreyes7609]

I absolutley cannot get the noise floor to pass acx check despite trying your methods here. Keeps saying its too loud, the room that I am in physically is quiet with no background noise an i set up all the settings like you did in the video here so the only other thing i can think of that would be the problem is the noise from the laptop? which i have no idea how to fix...or any ideas???

[@LearnAudacity]

@@rebekahreyes7609 How loud is it? What does the meter bar say in the quiet parts?

[@MichaelDubbs-r1e]

Thank you! You are a lifesaver!

[@StarrGaither]

There was VERY helpful! Thank you!!

[@inagoodway]

I can't find where to download ACX check. I couldn't find it in the Plug-ins. Can anyone tell me where to find it?

[@andresbarcelo]

When I edit this noise reduction it ruins the peak and rms levels when I follow this method. I don't know how to fix it without effecting the other items.

[@LearnAudacity]

Try doing it first, before setting peak and RMS.

[@andresbarcelo]

@@LearnAudacity That helped thanks. Wish it wouldn't distort my voice so much.

[@tomhaire5027]

It seems so much louder than expected. Is this a normal production that will be different on Audible?

[@LearnAudacity]

As long as your peak and RMS levels are within specs, you should be good to go. If you over-compress it can make it sound a little too loud as compressing can raise the quieter parts. Keep compression to a minimum.

[@garyclement2888]

I just started recording my first Audio Book with ACX.I'm using version 3.4.2- My original recording is with a RodeCaster 2, then edit the audio in Logic ProX, and I was able to export and all my numbers pass ACX Audio test with one fail- RMS is -23.7. I'm having issues, but I will try your method. (Can you do this with my version 3.4.2 so I can understand better how to fix this?)

[@debbiesoelter9313]

Question….please help me understand why all of my levels pass before exporting but when I import again or export, my peak levels are at or around 2.8ish…why and thank you!!

[@BreakingTheCycleAuthor]

I don't have the soft limiter option. How can I get this?

[@Mombierella]

Yes fixed but so annoyed with this. Because the peaks go too high and it's like a seesaw. Noise floor too high peaks pass. Peaks pass noise floor too high ☹️

[@NickPaulMagic]

Thank you! This was very helpful!

[@LearnAudacity]

You're welcome.

[@louisemc3680]

Brilliant! Thank you so much! :)

[@LearnAudacity]

Thanks! You're welcome.

[@Bubble_Boba_]

Any idea why mine doesn't have an ACX check?

[@Canon1DMkII]

Thanks for the tutorial. I learned a lot.

[@Honglee_books]

Thank you so much!

[@orangyorangefromspace]

Thank you very, very much!😊

[@shevoncruz-carrion3204]

I followed all the steps and still do not meet the requirements and have no idea what I am doing wrong but I will look into your Using Audacity class. Thank you.

[@ExposedByJools]

Hi there I am 58 and have fibrofog so need an idiots guide to this. I did 3 books for ACX that were fine now I am back audacity has changed and it says I pass at 65.0 but ACX want me under 60.0 and I can't fathom what to do. The minus thing messes with my head and I can't make it all make sense. Any help would be great thanks. :0)

[@ClarkClydeNight]

Thank you!!

[@LearnAudacity]

You’re welcome!

[@SophiePeterActing]

Excellent! thank you...

[@ekon01cz]

Grandpa on fire. Thanks for help man.

[@Farfalla17]

Thank you!!!! You're amazing.

[@thompson_productions]

Thank you

[@SoComposed]

thank you thank you thaaaaank you!!!

[@Adventureruler]

Thanks a bunch!

[@JzR0911]

why does my audacity dont have a limiter option

[@JoborPathok]

thank you soo much

[@kerrylynch2800]

After selecting all, and then Apply, the entire file is reduced, making the file too low

[@skiphupp6387]

I found the Limiter.

[@LearnAudacity]

Yay!!

[@thekarmafarmer608]

Absolutely fantastic. Like and subscribe, er ye 😇

[@leaveyoumarkvincecortese2020]

I am in Audacity 3.7.1

[@PolinGuira]

YOU ONLY NEED NOISE REDUCTION, AND CLEAN ALL BACKGROUND NOISE

[@ahfimiwonawun]

I don’t know why I’ve been thinking that acx didn’t want any unnatural means of lowering the noise floor. Ok, so I don’t need that 700 dollar booth then!

[@AffinityInspiration]

After a number of hours, lower one, the other one goes up. Lower it, the other one goes up. This is like herding cats...

[@MichelleHill82]

Hello, did you get that worked out? I am experiencing the same thing it was very moment.