Spin Doctor And Protools

[big band]

Has anyone figured out how to use Toast 11's version of SpinDoctor in conjunction with ProTools and its associated mBox 2 (as I used to do so effortlessly with an earlier version of Toast/SpinDoctor)? I create a radio program using ProTools. Some tracks are from noisy LPs, and I want to be able to reduce clicks, pops and surface noise. Before, I would simply say I want to work with a recently created file, locate it, import it and process it. Now I can't figure out how to import a file. I've tried off and on for two months, ever since I was forced to upgrade Toast when I bought a newer version of Mac Mini. But I'm no closer today than when I started.

 

The old Spin Doctor was the best piece of software I could find. Today I can't find any competitive product that matches the old version. Looks like I'm stuck with the new one except that I've yet to figure out how to use it. Help!!!

[tsantee]

The new version of Spin Doctor is essentially unusable. However, I can open existing audio files with it by using the Open command in the File menu. I don't know why that doesn't work for you.

[big band]

Well, I tried the File menu and, sure enough, was able to bring in the file. I then scrolled across it and clicked on Filters, then Noise Reducer. When I hit save it gave me the option as to what format to use (I used .wav). Is that all I can do? It never gives me the opportunity to say how sensitive I want it to be in detecting and eliminating clicks and pops. I must be missing something.

[tsantee]

After you choose Noise reducer as a filter, double click on where it says Manual and a window pops up with sliders for De-click, de-crackle and de-hiss. Since that is a separate window you can audition the playback while moving the sliders.

 

The challenge, then, is to export a version with the filters applied. The iTunes button doesn't seem to work. I suggest choosing the Toast button to apply the filters and send to Toast. It will be sent to the Audio CD setting. If you don't want an audio CD you need to choose Save as Disc Image in Toast. That results in a .sd2f file. If you also marked separate tracks this file merges all the tracks unless you add it to the Toast Convert window with Audio Files as the format from which you can export the tracks as individual files.

 

Hopefully it will do all that. It really is a shameful piece of software as it currently exists.

[big band]

Beautiful! I haven't tried it yet but it certainly gets me past the impasse I had encountered before. I'll print out your instructions and follow them to the letter. Thanks so much!

[big band]

OK, I've made the adjustments, clicked on Toast to apply the filters and send to Toast. Then I opened Toast, expecting to find the modified file sitting there when I clicked on Audio CD. There's a category on the right that says Imports from Spin Doctor, but that's empty. where did the file go? I searched the file name ("Temp") but only found the original file. I can't take that next step, Save as Disc Image, because there's nothing to save.

[tsantee]

You need to create a track in order for any audio to be sent to toast. Drag across the entire waveform to mark the start and end point of the track. Now it can be sent to Toast. If you create multiple tracks you'll discover one of the many bugs in that the tracks won't appear as marked in Toast. Don't be surprised is Spin Doctor crashes after you send the audio to Toast. You can play the transferred track in Toast to find out if the filters were actually applied.

[big band]

I'm afraid I'll have to give up and, instead of using certain LPs for my broadcasts, buy tracks from amazon.com. I did as you said, got the revised track into Toast, imported it into ProTools, but the result was no better than I started with, despite the fact that it sounded much better when I applied the filters within the SpinDoctor environment.

 

Let's see if I did it right. I marked the track (turning it green). I made the adjustments in the manual mode, listening to confirm that the sound was improved. I then clicked on Toast and said yes, I wanted to apply the filters. Sure enough, when I opened Toast the file was waiting for me. I sent it to my desktop. I imported it into proTools, which required that the file be converted to .wav first --- no problem. Then I put the edited file next to the original, played them alternatively and discerned no difference.

 

And yes, the program crashed several times while I was working with it.

[tsantee]

Sigh. If you still have your license for Toast 10 you can download the latest Toast 10 update from Roxio's software updates page and it includes the previous version of CD SpinDoctor. It, too, has some bugs but it mostly works pretty good.

[big band]

I still have the license for Toast 7, which was the version I had been usind before "upgrading" (Roxio's term, not mine) to Toast 11. As I understand it, it's not possible to up grade from 7 to 10. Maybe buy an unused version of 10 on the Internet?

[big band]

OK, I popped for Toast 10 and loaded SpinDoctor. I upgraded to the latest version of Toast 10. Now I load SpinDoctor and get a screen that says I can (1) Start a new recording, (2) Open an existing audio file or (3) Start auto music capture. Of course I want #2, which I've used for years -- literally years. I click on that, expecting to get a screen that asks which file I want to load. But no, I get a message that says simply "Other ..." Where do I go from here? Please help.

[tsantee]

Forget that screen. Choose Open File from the File menu. There may be a preference so that first screen doesn't appear so that you always start in the "Advanced" window.

[big band]

Here’s what I’ve done: Loaded Toast 10 from the CD. Downloaded Version 10.0.9 which, I noted on the Roxio website, included SpinDoctor 6.1.2, which was supposed to make cosmetic changes as well as alter the manner of capturing audio.

 

Now when I click on SpinDoctor I get the screen that I alluded to before. But you’ve indicated that, instead, I should go to File/Open audio file. Unfortunately all the options are grayed out --- I can’t open any files.

 

Here’s a possible clue: In loading SpinDoctor I get a warning: “System extension cannot be used.” It goes on to say the CDSDAudioCaptureSupport.kext was installed improperly. It suggests I re-install SpinDoctor or contact software provider (HAH!). Re-installation has no effect. There’s an option labeled “Install Audio Capture Support” listed under the first column. I installed it --- successfully, according to the notation. But it didn’t seem to make any difference.

 

Thinking the edition of Toast 11 that I had installed previously might be confusing things, I did a complete uninstall of that and reinstall of Toast 10 and SpinDoctor. Same problem.

 

Does anything I’ve written here trigger a solution in your mind? I hate to give up. I’m planning a program on Great Tunes from Broadway and my original cast vinyl albums are too flawed to play without some SpinDoctor scrubbing.

[tsantee]

I was mistaken about the "advanced" option. That applies to new recordings rather than opening audio files. What you need to do is choose Other... in the popup when it asks you to open an audio file. A window will then appear where you can select what you want to open. After selecting that you'll get the main window with the waveform and tools.

 

The plugin is unnecessary. It only is used for capturing audio streaming to your Mac. The version installed with CD SpinDoctor cannot be installed when you already installed the version used by SpinDoctor X. They are incompatible. If this is important to you then the latter needs to be removed from one of your libraries. I don't know offhand what it's called or where it is located. The one to be installed by CD Spin Doctor is a real pain to get working. Sometimes it needs to be installed repeatedly and sometimes that doesn't work, either.

[big band]

I don't know what happened to my previous note, so I'll repeat what I said:

 

Bless you! The problem is solved. It's a weird way to design a piece of software, but when I followed your instructions it did as it's supposed to do. Thank you so much. And my listeners will thank you, too.