Adding files & the Volume Boost function

[JahSun]

During the process of tweaking my DMC, (another post) I had to uninstall and then reinstall my dbpowerAMP stuff. I noticed that since then, my automatic volume boost thingie had turned off. (not so observant, it took me a week to notice) I searched all over to find out how to turn it back on, but then remembered that you can only activate this when adding new files. (of course I ticked the box now, and all new files are working as per before) However, I was wondering if it is possible to activate this function on files that were added without the box checked. Do I have to remove all those files and add them again?

If so, I suggest modifying this routine so that you can right click on a file (or a group of files) and immediately set the boost. Or if you must play the file all the way through, at least let us tick the green A manually for each file. I suppose that this falls at least partially under "Wishlist."
:rolleyes:

[xoas]

Re: Adding files & the Volume Boost function

If you are talking about the automatic volume boost within MMC, you can select a batch of files from within MMC, right click and select Automatic Volume boost for each file. My understanding, however, is that the boost level won't be set until the first time the song is played. You could manually set the boost an arbitrary amount for any group of songs by the same process. I may be wrong but I don't think that manual volume boost requires the song to be played before adding the boost. The downside would be knowing the amount of boost you would want to add.
I would think that if you have ripped your tracks using Volume normalization you might achieve a similar result without having to wait for the tracks to play through. Assuming you have done this for most of your music files may explain why you did not notice the absence of the automatic volume boost with MMC.
Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

btw-
You can tell if the Volume boost has never been adjusted, if a track is awaiting Volume Normalize, or if a track has had Volume Boost adjustment (whether manually or through Volume Normalize by opening MMC finding the track or tracks you are interested in, and then finding the the column off on the right (it will initially be off-screen).
If a track has never had a volume boost adjustment and it is not awaiting volume normalization - you will see a red bow-tie display with a white circle in the middle and the green box with an A in it will be unlit;
If a track is awaiting auto volume boost adjustment and the track has never had a volume boost adjustment - you will see the same red bow-tie display with a white circle in the middle but the green box with an A in it will be lit;
and if the track has had volume boost adjustment then there will be a narrow rectangular slider bar located somewhere along the red bow-tie display, the green box with an A in it will be unlit.
(This is just a factoid for someone not sure about whether their tracks have ever had volume boost adjustment).

[elgato]

Re: Adding files & the Volume Boost function

I was having the same problem as JahSun, i.e. I would like to turn on volume boost for all my files, but it took me a while to figure out how. Finally, I found that the batch-auto volume boost setting functionality that Bill suggests is actually in the "Edit Tag" dialog.

Back to JahSun's problem, I too tried removing all files from MMC and then checking the "Auto Volume Normalize" in New Track Preferences and then adding everything back to MMC. After all that, all the files' Auto Volume Boost buttons "the green A"s are all still off, even after playing some of them a few times. This feature doesn't seem to be working.

Thanks

[xoas]

Re: Adding files & the Volume Boost function

"...Finally, I found that the batch-auto volume boost setting functionality that Bill suggests is actually in the "Edit Tag" dialog."

Sorry for not being more precise about that.

"..all the files' Auto Volume Boost buttons "the green A"s are all still off, even after playing some of them a few times. This feature doesn't seem to be working. "

Please see my footnote. If you set a track for Auto Volume Boost the light will remain on until the track is played. At that time, the Volume will be automatically adjusted and the green light will go OFF. You will know if the Auto boost worked if you find the rectangular slider on the Volume boost for the track in MMC (which will be off screen until you scroll the MMC screen right for a while). The Auto Volume Boost will not adjust until the track is fully played.

Hope this clarifies things.
Best wishes,
Bill MIkkelsen

[JahSun]

Re: Adding files & the Volume Boost function

Actually, the Auto Volume Normalize function under New Track Prefrences works the same as it always had for me. With the box ticked all tracks added have the Green A lit, and then once the song is played all the way through the boost (or lack thereof) is set. I think that the term Normalize in this case is a bit misleading as the file remains unaltered, and this simply tells the DAP to play that track louder (or extremely rarely, softer). In the MMC itself, the column is called Volume Boost so people may not associate the this auto Normalize with the boost. And, it took me a loooong time of using DAP to realize that the graphic showing the Boost info under the Edit Tag function was actually interactive and not simply informative. I guess the first few times I clicked at it, I was clicking just outside the range of its sensetivity.

For the vast majority of files, the boost simply sets itself to 0, as mentioned above by XOAS. If you normalize while ripping, or rip from relatively recent CD's... no problemo. It is when ripping from 80's CD's, or playing files ripped from bootlegs, LP's, Tapes, or whatever that you tend to get files that aren't as loud. Unfortunately, standard normalization and MMC's Volume Boost both tend not to fix this completely. They do boost the volume, but not up to the standards of a recent hip-hop or ragga cd. This is because these newer files were heavily compressed and finalized before being mastered. Thus, all the peaks were shaved off, and the overall track volume could be boosted to the max. This is easier with electronic music that has a consistent sound level than with live or acoustic tracks which can have dramatic swells in volume. (I mentioned this on another thread)... (maybe even two other threads As such, my solution remains the same. The output of your player should go through a plugin compressor/ finalizer/ normalizer. Only then will all of your music collection play at the same volume level, without having to alter any (or all) of your files.

I believe that something of this nature has been on Spoon's to-do list for quite some time, so... who knows? The guy is a very busy cat.

The real issue with the current volume boost, is that a) you have to play every song in your MMC all the way through before you can switch on Random play and relax to relatively level tunes. & b) if, like me, you were unlucky enough to have done all that playing of music and then have to re-install your collection... you have to play all those tracks over again. This doesn't matter if you have a hundred songs or whatever, but when you have 20gigs or more of audio this can be quite a pain in the wazoo. (I'd rather curse, but I'll just get censored anyways)

So, like I said... a direct X plugin finalizer is the only real "pain-free" solution.