Normalize Audio EBU R 128 vs Replay Gain (Apply)

[Fadetoblack73]

I am a very new user to dbPowerAmp. In now way am I a pro or expert at any aspect about the program.

I have a vehicle in which there is no CD player. I have started ripping my 3000+ CDs to FLAC (on USB drives) for use in the car. One benefit that I do enjoy is the ability to randomize the tracks like listening to a radio station that only plays my favorite music.

The problem, naturally, is the wildly different recording levels between different albums.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not being lazy. I have read untold number of posts describing Replay Gain (Apply), Normalize Audio, etc, etc. The problem is that most of the posts go far above my head in technical aspects.

My question and point of this post is:

Can someone explain the "end user" difference in experience between Replay Gain (Apply) and Normalize Audio EBU R 128?

Which is going to give me the better experience while listening in the car?

Am I going to be able to hear a difference between the 2 functions?

What are the pros and cons of each application (in simple layman's terms)?

As a post thought, I used Normalize Audio EBU R 128 on a batch of files. I was impressed that the level was very close in each track. However, I thought I heard a couple of anomalies in which the volume of a track would change right after the track started. I cannot be certain if this was a psycho-acoustical effect of me criticality listening for a difference, or something that I actually heard.

[Spoon]

'Replay Gain (Apply)' will not work unless there are already Replaygain tags and ripping would not have those.

That said you would want to rip to FLAC without changing the volume. Then create a 2nd set of files just for the car which does change the volume, TuneFusion might help you there, it was made for that purpose.

[garym]

'Replay Gain (Apply)' will not work unless there are already Replaygain tags and ripping would not have those.

That said you would want to rip to FLAC without changing the volume. Then create a 2nd set of files just for the car which does change the volume, TuneFusion might help you there, it was made for that purpose.

agree. If you normalize volume for play in your car (where I assume you don't have a ReplayGain capable player), I'd rip to FLAC with only the ReplayGain DSP (that is, adding ReplayGain tags only). This way you have a bitperfect copy of the CDs. Then, for playback in your car, create a separate set of files with volume normalize. I use TuneFusion for this as noted by Spoon . This way I don't bother creating a second copy of my library. I simply use TuneFusion to create a small subset of files that I put on my iPhone, for use in car/airplane, etc. You can have TuneFusion add random songs, complete albums, etc. I personally have TuneFusion create mp3 versions, as in a car or on an airplane, I don't need lossless audio. mp3 lame -V2 is more than enough quality. And since these are 'throwaway' files rather than an archive, it doesn't matter.