Monark Filter Block - Noise Floor Issue

srs

Does anyone have a fix for removing the noise floor produced by the Monark Filter block? Or is it just part of the analog modelling filter design? The screenshots below are from a session with just this block and nothing else (ie. no audio sent into the Reaktor ensemble)

It's normally not an issue but with plugin chains that involve further gain and distortion, it can be a problem. Adding a high pass doesn't really work as there is still a lot of hiss beneath the low end component of the noise floor (eg in the 2nd screenshot with extra gain added)

This must be intentional and part of the 'warm analog' charm of this block, but it does seems like a lot of noise even in this context

colB

You can't 'fix' the Monark filter because the macro is locked.

I would imagine part of the reason for the noise is so that the self oscillation works in a relatively authentic way. If there was no noise, self oscillation would behave differently, it might probably be more notchy and digital sounding, or at least have a less even response, so onset of self oscillation would be much more dependent on the cutoff fine tuning.

I guess at least part of it might also be noise added to the cutoff, resonance and various other parameters. So while that would result in a higher noise floor (like the real thing), it would also change the behaviour in subtle ways maybe making it feel/sound/respond less digital(ly).

dunno for sure coz it's locked ;)

srs

Thanks colB. It's at least good to know its not some weird anomaly of my setup.

Surprised its not a topic of discussion as its the loudest noise floor I've ever encountered in a digital filter

srs

If anyone else encounters this and is looking for an alternative solution, the Auto Mute Self-Osc feature of FabFilter's Volcano gets rid of this noise. Not a fix for all situations but for that analog style filter sound with zero self oscillation noise, Volcano does that job.

Big Gnome

It's an inextricable part of the model, and as colB points out, the macro is locked, so it kind of is what it is. I submit that if you're cranking the output by +25dB and the hiss is still topping out below -80db @ around 10kHz, that's pretty much shaped dither territory and is wholly a non-issue. As for the much louder sub audio ripple, eh, same deal really--if you run into a practical problem with that, HPF and/or noise gates are your friends. Embrace noise for what it is...digital black is a poison chalice. 😀