Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

[^Shyone379]

I am Having Problems Standardizing Masterfile Volume to 0db for burning etc.
In older version of Converter we had the ability to select a number of files and reduce any with a volume level above 100% or 0db peak.

Now it is a fixed rate (and doesn't seem to work)

Volume Normalize( Simple) How can I select this to raise any files to peak 0db peak??

Short of re-recording each file individually(which would take weeks) I am trying to do the following;

Convert to 24 Bit
Volume Quieten (any file above) down to 0db peak.
Graphic Equalizer
Volume Normalize (Simple) (any file below) up to 0db peak.
Convert to 16 Bit Dither

I hope you can advise on easiest way to do this , and save hours and hours of work

[LtData]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

Get the latest dMC beta, it includes some bugfixes.
And why are you converting up to 24-bit then back down to 16-bit?

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

I'm convertin up to 24 bit, using equalizer etc and converting down again for better quality as suggested in your Help Files

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

I have updated versions etc... the more I read , the more confusing it becomes 68% of what,, 86% of what ...... does anyone just have any simple explanations or optiimal settings for Quieten (currently it shows at 60% to get an effect) and Normalize isn't it 100% where it should be (so why the Clipping???) how about making it simple to set your Original file to 0db level using converter.... from reading many other posts, it seems I'm not on my own trying to work this one out

[adaywayne]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

I have updated versions etc... the more I read , the more confusing it becomes 68% of what,, 86% of what ...... does anyone just have any simple explanations or optiimal settings for Quieten (currently it shows at 60% to get an effect) and Normalize isn't it 100% where it should be (so why the Clipping???) how about making it simple to set your Original file to 0db level using converter.... from reading many other posts, it seems I'm not on my own trying to work this one out

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There must be some misunderstanding. There is no such thing as a digital audio file whose peak exceeds the 0dB level. If you are starting with a file that has audio clipping (flattened peaks at 0dB) there is little you can do about it. There are some expensive programs which claim to correct clipping but they introduce artifacts that are almost as bad. It sounds like you recorded some of the files at too high a volume level in the first place. If so, you need to re-record those.

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

The mis-understanding continues, the original audio file was not over recorded or clipped,,, this happened during Conversion whilst trying to use Volume Normalize at desired vol Percentage 100%, there seems little, concise explanations about the use of Vol Quieten and Vol Normalize and/or recommended settings .... Help files are not updated to suit new versions

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

Sorry guys,,, i think you are doing a fantastic Job, and I will continue to recommend db Poweramp,,, But this is frustrating.... I've received answers to just about everything else except my original question, (which i thort was concise enough) maybe re-reading it will help you grasp our problem with Quieten/Normaize

[xoas]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

Volume Normalize( Simple) How can I select this to raise any files to peak 0db peak??

While dMC applies a mild fixed normalization to everything, the Power Pack includes the various DSPs you mention. Volume Normalization (simple) can be set for 100% (0 db). I don't see where this would introduce clipping unless you have utilized overy aggressive EQ settings or unless your burning software seeks to add extra volume normalization. Where files are already at peak, I don't think they will be effected by Volume Normalize (Simple). If your experience is different, please let us know.
If Simple Volume Normalization set to 100% is insufficient (which it may be if a track has a few unusually loud passages along with mostly quiet passages), you will probably want to use Adaptive Volume Normalization (click the option where you set the DSP settings for Volume Normalization). Here the audio track is broken into smaller segments for Volume Normalization to be applied. The window size (in milliseconds) is there for you to adjust the size of these segments.

Short of re-recording each file individually(which would take weeks) I am trying to do the following;

Convert to 24 Bit
Volume Quieten (any file above) down to 0db peak.
Graphic Equalizer
Volume Normalize (Simple) (any file below) up to 0db peak.
Convert to 16 Bit Dither

I hope you can advise on easiest way to do this , and save hours and hours of work

I am not sure that Volume Quieten serves any real purpose in this sequence, which was Wayne's point. But if you think it might, try 20% (which seems to be the default, I might be wrong). (I did find after first posting that Volume Quieten will prevent distortion from too much adaptive volume normalization-I assume I could have achieved the same effect by lowering my adaptive volume normalization settings).
But anyway, I assume you have figured out how to set the DSP sequence for your conversion with the Power Pack. Make sure the box to clear DSP effects after conversion is UNchecked. As long as that box is unchecked, these DSPs will be applied to every conversion you do unless you clear them. Now try a variety of single or small batch conversions trying to focus on the files you know or think are going to be most demanding to make sure that your settings are going to work out. The very heavy probability is that if your settings will handle the tough files (most prone to clipping or too little signal strength) they will handle the easier tracks no sweat. Once you are satisfied with those settings then you can either use Music Converter to select a variety of files for conversion or you can use dMC File Selector for this purpose. File selector is best for very large conversions. If you have files of different formats (say Ogg, Flac and wma) you may run into problems trying to convert all of them in one batch.

Anyway, you may know all of this already, but this DOES appear to represent your initial question(s).
My personal experience has been that I used to add Volume Normalization to my conversions and I stopped doing so some time ago. DSP's add to conversion time. I have created a few problems using certain DSP settings which interfered with playback. And dB Audio Player offers an automatic volume adjustment feature which frees me from having to worry about this for tracks I play on my computer. I believe few of us would note any significant difference between the converted file with the DSP sequence you have outlined and the same file converted with no DSP added. (I do use ssimple volume normalization when preparing a standard audio or mp3 cd using dBpowerAmp CD Writer, without running into any problems).
If your ears and your experience is that these DSP's make a real difference for you, then do make use of them and help by sharing with us what works and what doesn't for you. It might help to know about a few of the tracks that are causing you problems, whether you are converting/burning to cd/wav, to mp3 or to some other format, the burner you are using, and whether the distortion problems you have encountered can found on the tracks you have converted if you listen to them before burning or ifthey don't appear until after burning.

Anyway, I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[adaywayne]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

The mis-understanding continues, the original audio file was not over recorded or clipped,,, this happened during Conversion whilst trying to use Volume Normalize at desired vol Percentage 100%, there seems little, concise explanations about the use of Vol Quieten and Vol Normalize and/or recommended settings .... Help files are not updated to suit new versions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sorry I misunderstood. I will read the. thread again.

[LtData]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

As it is mentioned in the Beta thread, the beta version is ready for release EXCEPT for updated help files.

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

Many thanx for your explanations,,,,

I have found that using normalize (on First Conversion) at 100% in the vast majority of cases produces heavy clipping. All other auto normalize/ playback Equalizer disabled.

as a basic setting for standardizing large batch files, I have found the following to work well on 95% of tracks.

Convert To 24 Bit
Quieten to 40% (less than that appears to have very little effect)
Equalizer (re-set to 0)
Normalize to 65% ( much over 75 on normal files produces clipping)
Convert to 16 bit dither

these settings appear to work well on mp3

Now that the original source files have been standardized, i have found no need to use playback normalize, or to apply Normalize during burning.

your information assisted me in which areas to look for remedies, many thanks

[Spoon]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

>Normalize to 65% ( much over 75 on normal files produces clipping)

As long as you are not doing the fix multiplication, it shouldn't clip even for 99%...

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

>Normalize to 65% ( much over 75 on normal files produces clipping)

As long as you are not doing the fix multiplication, it shouldn't clip even for 99%...

It does on mine, with equAlizer and auto normalize disabled, Converting with over 75% produces graduated clipping up to 100% which has heavy clipping/distortion... everythings seems Ok at settings I posted

[Spoon]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

Are you able to send two small example files? (before and after?)

[^Shyone379]

Re: Volume Quieten/ Normalize Help

I will try to get this done for you soon Spoon...