Volume Normalization

[DarthMoon]

Hi All,

I've just downloaded the trial and I'm trying to normalize the volume of some CDs I ripped to flac using EAC.

Last year I ripped my entire CD collection using EAC and normalized the volume using a friends version of Platinum Notes, the only feature of the software we used was the volume output to set my entire collection to -11.5dB. Platinum Notes is $100USD which to me is a little pricey for one feature. Reading through many forums I found dBpoweramp, it seems to have a lot of features and is reasonably priced are very easy to use.

I've tried using dBPoweramp to normalize the volume with the Volume Normalize DSP filter to re-encode my newly ripped flacs using desired volume of -11.5dB but the resulting files are noticeably quieter than the rest of my collection and if I look at them with a wav editor I can see to wave height is about half compared to my older flac files.

What am I doing wrong?

Note, I do not want to use replay gain as my audio software and hardware doesn't support it, that's why I re-encoded my entire collect to a copy with normalized volume. I could re-encode the whole library again but that will probably take days :(

Thank you for any help.

[Spoon]

Re: Volume Normalization

Perhaps the other software had the scale wrong... -6 db is half original, so -11.5db is 1/4 original, you can verify this with an editor, or you can even apply -11.5db with the editor.

However it makes little sense to set every track to -11.5, the idea of normalization is that loud and quiet tracks are matched, you should use the replay gain option of the 'volume normalize' dsp effect to do this (some tracks are reduced in volume, some are increased).

[DarthMoon]

Re: Volume Normalization

Hi Spoon, Thank you for the response.

I'm quite confused now. If I set the Normalize Volume DSP to Replay Gain and adjust no other setting I get a an even smaller wave amplitude than setting it to -11.5dB.

The previous software I used adjusted all files so they had equal volume and suggested -12.5dB was the optimal setting to maintain the dynamics of the song. I assume it adjusted the wave so all files had a similar volume when played at say -10dB on my equipment. If I take a random selection of my library and load the files in a wave editor the do all seem to have a similar wave height.

I'm not sure what scale the Platinum Notes used but it looks like most songs peak around -2 to -1dB the closest I can get is using Fixed Amplification and setting -1dB.

I've probably confused myself, I don't no anything about sounds engineering. I would just like to use dBpoweramp to match the normalized volume of the software I used previously.

If I did re-encode my entire library would R128 Track Gain be the best option?

Thank you.

[garym]

Re: Volume Normalization

If I did re-encode my entire library would R128 Track Gain be the best option?

Yes. (assuming you don't want to maintain intra-album differences in volume across an album's tracks). And I do suggest that you take your original FLAC files (that have not been normalized), then run RG R128 with dbpa, adding both Album and Track gain tag values. Then create a volume normalized copy of your archive using a dbpa DSP and choosing either track or album values to use in normalization.

[DarthMoon]

Re: Volume Normalization

Thank you for your suggestion, and you're correct that I don't care about maintaining intra-album volume levels I just want all my files to be a similar volume level.

I've decided to create another normalized copy of my archive using your suggestion. That way I know everything has been mastered with dbpoweramp and I can always reapply my settings to new tracks.

This is what I plan doing, please let me know if there's a better way or if I'm doing something stupid

1. Re-encode my archive flacs using Flac Lossless Level (5) with DSP filter ReplayGain set to Track & Album advanced options EBU R 128 LUFS -18 with clip prevention enabled.
2. Make a copy of my archive using Flac Lossless Level (5) with DSP filter Volume Normalize set to us R 128 ReplayGain

Or is it best to use ReplayGain (Apply) is the second step?

[garym]

Re: Volume Normalization

Thank you for your suggestion, and you're correct that I don't care about maintaining intra-album volume levels I just want all my files to be a similar volume level.

I've decided to create another normalized copy of my archive using your suggestion. That way I know everything has been mastered with dbpoweramp and I can always reapply my settings to new tracks.

This is what I plan doing, please let me know if there's a better way or if I'm doing something stupid

1. Re-encode my archive flacs using Flac Lossless Level (5) with DSP filter ReplayGain set to Track & Album advanced options EBU R 128 LUFS -18 with clip prevention enabled.
2. Make a copy of my archive using Flac Lossless Level (5) with DSP filter Volume Normalize set to us R 128 ReplayGain

Or is it best to use ReplayGain (Apply) is the second step?

Step 1, why do you need to re-encode your FLAC files? If you just want to create Track & Album tags with EBU R 128, you can simply use dbpa batch converter, and select all your files and "Convert to" and then select the RG DSP with the settings you desire as the target (rather than convert to FLAC with dsp added in options).

regarding step 2 and replaygain (apply) vs volume normalize, you can use either and get the same result. Volume Normalize does more things other than just apply RG values, but it also does just that too (and can create the RG tags if they are not in the files). I think RG (Apply) requires the tags to be there first.

I'd want the RG tags in my main archive (as you may one day use a player that uses RG tags). So I'd do step 1 (batch conversion to RG DSP). Then create a second copy of my archive and run RG (Apply) on it.

[schmidj]

Re: Volume Normalization

Watch out, unless it has been updated recently (it has been in the R16 beta) the default R128 loudness setting in Volume Normalize is -23, in Replay gain it is the updated more reasonble for home use -18. If you want to get the same results, applied, with Volume Normalize. select R128, set the level to +5. (The dropdown or whatever only has negative numbers, but you can type positive numbers in the box.

I discovered this a month ago when processing some MP3 files made for a client.

[DarthMoon]

Re: Volume Normalization

Step 1, why do you need to re-encode your FLAC files? If you just want to create Track & Album tags with EBU R 128, you can simply use dbpa batch converter, and select all your files and "Convert to" and then select the RG DSP with the settings you desire as the target (rather than convert to FLAC with dsp added in options).

Yes, this is what I did once I downloaded the RG plugin. Definitely preferred to re-encoding my archive.

It's all completed now and seems to have worked flawlessly. In fact the waves look a lot healthier than those I had passed through Platinum Notes, which looked like it had chopped the top off them.

Thanks for your comments and help.

[garym]

Re: Volume Normalization

Yes, this is what I did once I downloaded the RG plugin. Definitely preferred to re-encoding my archive.

It's all completed now and seems to have worked flawlessly. In fact the waves look a lot healthier than those I had passed through Platinum Notes, which looked like it had chopped the top off them.

Thanks for your comments and help.

Excellent.

[maroonboy]

Re: Volume Normalization

I am aware that this thread is 17 months old, but as my question is about similar I thought to ask here rather than start a new thread, if you think I should have started a new one then please let me know.

My question is I have 20 music files, some are .wav and mp3, some tracks are much quieter than others, what I would like to do is use my dbpoweramp version release 15 to convert the files so that they all have a similar volume level, and I would dearly like to know the best method to do this under the DSP settings?

If you can give me any advice on this would be very much appreciated.

[garym]

Re: Volume Normalization

I am aware that this thread is 17 months old, but as my question is about similar I thought to ask here rather than start a new thread, if you think I should have started a new one then please let me know.

My question is I have 20 music files, some are .wav and mp3, some tracks are much quieter than others, what I would like to do is use my dbpoweramp version release 15 to convert the files so that they all have a similar volume level, and I would dearly like to know the best method to do this under the DSP settings?

If you can give me any advice on this would be very much appreciated.

Do you have a player that can use ReplayGain tags? Or do you want to permanently change the volume in the files that would work on any player?

[maroonboy]

Re: Volume Normalization

Do you have a player that can use ReplayGain tags? Or do you want to permanently change the volume in the files that would work on any player?

I use foobar2000 and MPC-HC, unsure if they use ReplayGain tags or not?

Can you please give me a step by step instruction for both instances for playing with tags and a permanent change please? as there will be times when I would prefer the audio change to be permanent.

Also of the 20 files I have some are .wav and mp3, should I convert them firstly to all be of the same file extension before I change the audio?

[mville]

Re: Volume Normalization

I use foobar2000 and MPC-HC, unsure if they use ReplayGain tags or not?

Can you please give me a step by step instruction for both instances for playing with tags and a permanent change please? as there will be times when I would prefer the audio change to be permanent.

Also of the 20 files I have some are .wav and mp3, should I convert them firstly to all be of the same file extension before I change the audio?

I suggest you familiarize yourself with ReplayGain before proceeding to edit anything. There is a ton of info on these forums regarding the ReplayGain dsp, the ReplayGain (Apply) dsp and the ReplayGain utility codec.

FYI, foobar2000 supports ReplayGain tags.

[garym]

Re: Volume Normalization

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReplayGain

(most implementions of RG now use EBU R128 in case you see that mentioned, including both dbpa and foobar2000. Both use default values of "-18".

For playback in foobar2000:

File > Preferences > Playback
Set ReplayGain mode to either album, track, or "by playback order". By playback order will automatically use album RG values when playing songs from same album or track RG values when playing tracks from different albums (e.g., random play).

To add RG tags to your files:

0. You may need to install the ReplayGain utility DSP. Latest version is R5. Do this from here:

https://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm

1. at time of CD ripping: add the ReplayGain DSP in the DSP section, I write both ALBUM and TRACK gain values as the selected RG option.

2. post ripping:
use dbpa batch converter, select all files, "convert to" the utility DSP "ReplayGain" (note, NOT ReplayGain(apply)). Select write TRACK and ALBUM gain. In advanced options select "albums identified by album ID tag".

Permanently modifying audio:

I don't use this approach so I can't really give you step by step instructions. I think essentially once you have RG tags, you can simply run batch converter and use utility dsp/codec of "ReplayGain(Apply)". There is also a "volume normalization" DSP which I believe makes permanent audio changes. As mville notes, there is lots of discussion on these forums related to these options, so you should review this. Here's a start:

https://forum.dbpoweramp.com/search.php?searchid=2216132

[Jailhouse]

Re: Volume Normalization

Audio Normalizer can actually be found <edited competitors link>