Real Time Comparison of Audio Restoration Methods Based on Short Time Spectral Attenuation

This paper presents the results of an experiment aimed to evaluate the quality of different audio restoration algorithms based on different Short Time Spectral Attenuation methods. To single out the best computational methodologies for audio restoration an experiment was made, implementing a software (in DirectX plug-in form) which uses different algorithms. The software, working in real time, permits to compare the different algorithms in a objective way: in fact, it is possible to use the same software environment to operate the restorations with different algorithms. In this way, is feasible to compare different methods. In the paper we will first shortly overview the most used audio restoration methods and, in particular, the algorithms implemented in our software. Then we will present a timefrequency analysis of the restored stimuli to show the main advantages and drawbacks of the different algorithms used.