PLEX Media Server & Normalization

[dpbeatley]

Hi all!
I've been using the dBpoweramp suite for years now and just bumped into a scenario that I just can't get to work.

I currently use PLEX MEDIA SERVER to stream my music to my iPhone and to my Amazon Echo devices. Now, it's a real PITA to keep juggling the volume controls since the loudness levels are all over the place. One track plays at a decent volume then the next blows the walls down.

Now, I used the replaygain (default options btw) in the batch converter to write the proper tags into the files. PLEX also has a normalize option to enable the reading of these replaygain tags to normalize the tracks. BUT, it just doesn't seem to work.

My question to the fine folks here - does anyone know if PLEX supports normalization and if so what do I need to do in order to encode my media tracks to a "normal" loudness level?

Background info: my original media library is in FLAC format - I've tried converting with the replaygain DSP enabled to Apple LossLess as well as MP4a and the tracks still don't normalize in PLEX.

Any suggestions or procedure to enable PLEX to normalize my tracks? Now I run the "free" version of PLEX media server but if you convert to their Season Pass you can use their PLEXAMP app that has all the loudness controls + many other features.

Any help is greatly appreciated!
Cheers - dennis

[Dat Ei]

Re: PLEX Media Server & Normalization

Hey Dennis,

you can use the DSP "ReplayGain (Apply)", which will work on any plattform with any player, because it will change the audio data. So I recommend to convert your original files with this dsp into a second copy, so you still have the original files with the original audio data.


Dat Ei

[dpbeatley]

Re: PLEX Media Server & Normalization

Hi Dat!
I'm going to try your suggestion. BTW, I never touch my original CD RIP files! So I'm going to convert my original FLAC to another FLAC library as well as mp4 format with ReplayGain (apply) - why wp4? Seems PLEX doesn't "see" all of the metadata for some reason. Speaking of "album/artist" genre tags.

Thanks for the tip - dennis

[dpbeatley]

Re: PLEX Media Server & Normalization

Hi
Was just reading the batch converter DSP help sections regarding replaygain (apply) and it states that if the source media DOES NOT have replaygain tags already embedded, to use NORMALIZE DSP instead. So, in my case, my original FLAC files were CD RIPPED back in 2003. Time flies right? So I don't recall if I applied any sort of "volume normalization" at that time. So, should I just use replaygain (apply) or use the Normalize Vol DSP as suggested in the help files?

All I freakin' want to do is get my media library to have a relative constant "volume" and not be so quiet you can't hear it or be the equivalent of a front row seat Metallica concert! PLEX media server is driving me nuts trying to stream to my echos!

cheers

[garym]

Re: PLEX Media Server & Normalization

Hi
Was just reading the batch converter DSP help sections regarding replaygain (apply) and it states that if the source media DOES NOT have replaygain tags already embedded, to use NORMALIZE DSP instead. So, in my case, my original FLAC files were CD RIPPED back in 2003. Time flies right? So I don't recall if I applied any sort of "volume normalization" at that time. So, should I just use replaygain (apply) or use the Normalize Vol DSP as suggested in the help files?

All I freakin' want to do is get my media library to have a relative constant "volume" and not be so quiet you can't hear it or be the equivalent of a front row seat Metallica concert! PLEX media server is driving me nuts trying to stream to my echos!

cheers

look at the tags on your older FLAC files and you'll see ReplayGain tags if you added these at the time of ripping.