playback auto level control

[nlcarter]

Greetings:

New to the forum, not new to dAP.

I've got several different formats in my music collection, alas. I'm looking for a way to have dAP automatically adjust sound level for different files so one song isn't just right and the next be practically unheard and the next blow you out of your chair.

Is this something it already can do and I just don't know how to do? Is this something that dMC could handle somehow?

Thanks!

[LtData]

Re: playback auto level control

It sounds like you want something similar to ReplayGain, which dMC will support in the upcoming release 12 which is currently still in development.

[Deano]

Re: playback auto level control

There are two ways, Normalisation (which I do not recommend in the slightest), or Replaygain.

I would suggest using Foobar2000 to apply Replaygain to all of your files. Go to the following address to learn more:

http://replaygain.hydrogenaudio.org/

(This of course is a workaround until dBpowerAMP supports such things in R12).

[xoas]

Re: playback auto level control

While there is much to be said about ReplayGain and also about Volume Normalization (whether through dBpowerAMP Music Converter or through Mp3Gain), I would like to suggest that you try the Auto Volume Normalize feature that dAP provides. This will boost the volume of soft tracks to a standard level. This effect will not affect the audio file, only the loudness with which it is played back in dAP.

Be aware that this feature will not correct the loudness at which the track is played in dAP until the track has been played fully through one time. It will not affect the loudness of the track itself or the loudness at which it is played in any other player. I have read that Auto Volume Normalize will not reduce the loudness of a track that is overly loud. I am not sure this is true. Assuming it is true, you can manually reduce the loudness of a track within dAP (and you can manually increase the loudness of a track in dAP also).

Since I prefer not to apply to normalization to tracks unless I really need to, and since I prefer to use dAP for my player on my computer, I use this feature all the time. There is an option in MMC to automatically request Auto Volume Normalize for any new tracks you add to MMC (each will still need to be played through one time however).

You will find more information about this feature in your dAP Help files.

Best wishes,
Bill

(BTW: I believe this should be in the dAP Wishlist section of the forum since the original [post asks specifically about dAP)

[nlcarter]

Re: playback auto level control

Thanks guys!

All excellent information. I figured, Bill, there was something already available in dAP, but I hadn't found it. I'm rebuilding my music collections now using that feature, time will tell.

I also eagerly await the R12 general release and ReplayGain!

Thanks, again!

[xoas]

Re: playback auto level control

You're very welcome.

You may be aware of this, but just in case the casual reader is not, you can apply Auto Volume Normalization to tracks that are already in MMC. Simply select any number of tracks within MMC, right click and seelct Edit Tag. From there you can choose to apply auto volume boost to all the tracks you have selected. Again, the track(s) will each have to be played through one time (you can actually en-queue your files for playing and select the mute button to allow your computer to play your tracks through while you sleep or do something else).

If a track has been select for volume normalization but it has not been played through yet, the little green box with the letter A by the normalization display in MMC will be lit up. After the track has been played through, the box will dim and a rectangular slider will appear in the normalization display for that track (in addition to the circle in the middle of the display). That is how you can identify which tracks have been through the auto volume normalization process, which are awaiting playback normalization, and which have not been selected (the green box with the letter A will be dim and there will be no rectangular slider in the normalization display).

Best wishes,
Bill