Audio Quality Fix

[XenoBrain]

Edit:: Since Moguri Mod is out and incorporates the fix, you should use that

Here's the patched SdLib.dll that resolves an issue in the audio engine's output that was degrading sound below the quality of the game's actual assets.


It goes in steamapps\common\FINAL FANTASY IX\x64\FF9_Data\Plugins

Please note it's for the 64-bit version. If you're running a 32-bit OS it won't use the patched plugin.

[Lynvy]

So instead of upsampling the sound to 48kHz then downsampling back to 44.1 kHz, with your fix it stays to 44.1 kHz without any resampling (and so any quality loss) ?

[XenoBrain]

I had certainly thought so given some of the code I've seen, but it turns out they hardcoded the MasteringVoice to 32Khz (insert favorite facepalm picture). So bumping that to 44Khz solved the problem and 48Khz reintroduced the error.

[Moogy]

What is the audio issue exactly ?
I've only noticed it while playing the card game..

[Zunnoab #931]

Whoa, I don't have time to test this any time soon but thank you!

Originally posted by Moogy:

What is the audio issue exactly ?
I've only noticed it while playing the card game..

It objectively sounds different than the original despite the source files sounding the same. I didn't notice it personally but many others have, and side by side it's obvious.

[Daeoc]

Anyone try this?

[Serafie1999AD]

I tried the mod, and some sounds, such as the cursor pointer blip, are clearly better, and the card games seemed to sound better too. I'm not an audiophile, though, so I can't say if anything about the music has been changed.

[Spleen]

Originally posted by XenoBrain:

Here's the patched SdLib.dll that resolves the audio quality issues, for those affected.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9FQxdOpUF0_S3RGQXlCSUdMdUk

It goes in steamapps\common\FINAL FANTASY IX\x64\FF9_Data\Plugins

Couple notes--
*It's for the 64-bit version. If you're running a 32-bit OS it won't use the patched plugin.

*The PSX source material itself does have a little clipping and tinniness here and there. It's particularly noticable in the intro/menu. I verified it's presence with my actual PSX copy and through .psf audio rips.

Thanks for your effort! Gonna try it now.

[Spleen]

It works, no more dirty noise in Hilda Garde candle scene! So, resampling is compoletely solved, as i understand it, no need to fix anything else in sound chain?

[XenoBrain]

Here's my spectrogram using audio of the intro (menu) captured from the game before the patch, after, and played back from the vorbis file extracted from the assets archive:

http://imgur.com/a/NaAIi

There may be a tiny bit of processing still occurring post-patch (I see a touch more high-frequency noise which indicates it's may be resampling to 48khz, and possibly some gain?) but it looks (and sounds) good to my ears, now.

[Spleen]

Originally posted by XenoBrain:

Here's my spectrogram using audio of the intro (menu) captured from the game before the patch, after, and played back from the vorbis file extracted from the assets archive:

http://imgur.com/a/NaAIi

There may be a tiny bit of processing still occurring post-patch (I see a touch more high-frequency noise which indicates it's may be resampling to 48khz, and possibly some gain?) but it looks (and sounds) good to my ears, now.

Cool. You really should post your fix to pcgamingwiki.

[Spleen]

Originally posted by XenoBrain:

it's may be resampling to 48khz, and possibly some gain?) but it looks (and sounds) good to my ears, now.

Are you gonna investigate, or you're satisfied?

[Moogy]

I wonder if this mod workd with Alternate Fantasy mod

[Luk]

The sound has drastically improved! Thank you for that!

[XenoBrain]

Originally posted by Spleen:

Are you gonna investigate, or you're satisfied?

Satisfied enough.

I can just tell the difference to a statistically significant degree in a double-blind listening test (known as ABX'ing) of Vivi's theme.

It manifests as a slight "grit" in the high end most noticable in the pizzicato strings, but it's quite subtle and at that point the deficiencies in the source material (original PlayStation music, not just the recordings therof) contribute far more to any remaining quality issues.

Originally posted by Moogy:

I wonder if this mod workd with Alternate Fantasy mod

I don't see any reason it would conflict with any other mods at all, even potential future audio mods so long as they don't modify SdLib.dll.

[Moogy]

Originally posted by XenoBrain:

Originally posted by Spleen:

Are you gonna investigate, or you're satisfied?

Satisfied enough.

I can just tell the difference to a statistically significant degree in a double-blind listening test (known as ABX'ing) of Vivi's theme.

It manifests as a slight "grit" in the high end most noticable in the pizzicato strings, but it's quite subtle and at that point the deficiencies in the source material (original PlayStation music, not just the recordings therof) contribute far more to any remaining quality issues.

Originally posted by Moogy:

I wonder if this mod workd with Alternate Fantasy mod

I don't see any reason it would conflict with any other mods at all, even potential future audio mods so long as they don't modify SdLib.dll.

Ah ok cool, thanks will try that then