Noise Removal "Sensitivity" Recommendation

[Phuein]

I noticed that in many recordings, even contemporary recordings, the Noise Cleaning is too weak.

The noise cleaning guide, when it comes to Audacity...
http://wiki.librivox.org/index.php/Noise_Cleaning

...Says to "leave Sensitivity at 0." This is just wrong. Using a senstivity level of between 1 to 5 can really help remove the noise, without damaging the audio severely. It is better to have a tiny bit of damage, than to listen to lots of noise, every time the narrator speaks.

Not using Sensitivity in a noisy environment, is like only using a Noise Gate. >< Makes the noise even more noticeable.

What do you think?

[RuthieG]

Older versions of Audacity had no sensitivity setting, and I suspect a lot of people don't even know what it does. I do use it, but I rarely recommend more than Sensitivity=1.

The best setting for the noise filter is one in which most of the noise is filtered with minimum hurt to the audio, that means with reduction and sensitivity sliders as close to 0 dB as possible. If there is still noise, try increasing the value of the sensitivity or reduction slider. Generally, increasing the value of one of these sliders filters more noise, allowing the other one to be decreased. Try that to get both to the minimum possible value.

Noise removal settings are very much a matter of trial and error. It is better, in my opinion, to leave some ambience than to remove too much of the finer qualities of the voice.

Ruth