ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
When putting together a playlist I've noticed that there can be quite a variation in volume between different tracks. This seems to apply equally to downloads from iTunes, Linn, or ripped CDs. There can also be a tremendous volume difference between internet radio and stored music.
This applies equally to music played from iTunes on an iPad and BS8, or from the hard disk on my Olive. Is there supposed to be a volume standard for CDs and downloads? I have a vague recollection that volumes might be scaled from the peak volume of a particular recording. Is that the case?
Graham
No!
this is what 'Replay Gain' is for.
For a start have a look here:
http://eolindel.free.fr/foobar2000/Replaygain.php
But it is not an easy task, if you have different sources for your playlist.
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Millemissen: No! this is what 'Replay Gain' is for. For a start have a look here: http://eolindel.free.fr/foobar2000/Replaygain.php But it is not an easy task, if you have different sources for your playlist. MM
Thanks MM. So unless this is built-in to your player and / or is done automatically when something is ripped or downloaded it's really too much trouble!
I guess that most people must either tolerate varying volumes or they sit making manual adjustments as they listen!
Hi Vikinger,
Have you tried switching on the 'Sound Check' setting in your iPhone, iPad & MacBook? This works relatively accurately most of the time for making a constant volume level.
I've really been disappointed with the performance of Sound Check on iTunes, too many songs still have wide differences in volume level even with it on, which is frustrating. On some playlists that have this I've had to go into the metadata for particular songs and adjust volume level manually to get closer to a smooth mix.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Thanks Paul and Jeff. I will experiment.
Looks like this is another area where B&O could sort out something superior to the competition.
vikinger: I guess that most people must either tolerate varying volumes or they sit making manual adjustments as they listen!
We use Plex clients (see Note 1) throughout the house streaming our media from an Amahi/Plex server. I ripped our CDs on a Mac with dBpoweramp software and copied the files to the server. In the ripping process a setting in dBpoweramp will add information to the metadata to essentially equalise the volume levels of your collection.
Obviously, then, I neither tolerate the volume variations nor do I make manual adjustments as I listen. I do have to tolerate one exasperating thing (see Note 2).
Also, obviously, this DIY solution isn't for everyone.
Note 1: the Plex clients we use include 3 Windows 10 desktops, a Windows 10 laptop, 2 Macs, 2 iPads, 2 iPhones, an XBox 360, and a Sony bluray. I've set up a Roku stick for my father-in-law, and client software for other platforms is also available.
Note 2: Plex doesn't seem to support gapless playback of album tracks. Listening to Pink Floyd with Plex can make for a jarring experience. Why these developers can't figure out gapless music playback is beyond me.
Rich: vikinger: I guess that most people must either tolerate varying volumes or they sit making manual adjustments as they listen! We use Plex clients (see Note 1) throughout the house streaming our media from an Amahi/Plex server. I ripped our CDs on a Mac with dBpoweramp software and copied the files to the server. In the ripping process a setting in dBpoweramp will add information to the metadata to essentially equalise the volume levels of your collection. Obviously, then, I neither tolerate the volume variations nor do I make manual adjustments as I listen. I do have to tolerate one exasperating thing (see Note 2). Also, obviously, this DIY solution isn't for everyone. Note 1: the Plex clients we use include 3 Windows 10 desktops, a Windows 10 laptop, 2 Macs, 2 iPads, 2 iPhones, an XBox 360, and a Sony bluray. I've set up a Roku stick for my father-in-law, and client software for other platforms is also available. Note 2: Plex doesn't seem to support gapless playback of album tracks. Listening to Pink Floyd with Plex can make for a jarring experience. Why these developers can't figure out gapless music playback is beyond me.
As technology advances, so some things become more inconvenient and complex. Most of the time I actually find it easier to listen to a net radio station where there is no advertising and the music suits my taste. Maybe this is also an argument for subscribing to a streaming service.
That is exactly the point,
Years ago, when still 'ripping' cd's, I decided not to use Reaplaygain. When I listen to my own collection, I am an album listener. Replaygain does not add any value to the listening experience in that case.
And it was too complicated - you have to get the files scanned and tagged with the gain information and you have to use a player (hard- or software-), that can read these tags.
After switching to (mainly) listening to music through a streaming service it became obsolete - they already have done the job for you (so to speak). Again - if mostly listening to albums, it doesn't matter much anyway. For an album you (probably) want to preserve the volume level differences, as they are - after all these were the choices of the artists/mastering engineers.
When listening to a good netradiostation (like Radio Paradise), I haven't experienced any problems.
This said - if someone is heavily into making playlist from his own collecttion, it might be worth experimenting with Replaygain (or Sound Check).
To me too much experimenting with 'this and that' kept me away from listening to music. That is - by the way - one of the reasons, why I am so fond of music streaming services.
I should have noted the primary use of the Plex server was for rips of the movie collection, a repository of our home videos and photographs, and of least importance, the music collection.
The only time I don't listen to an entire album is when I'm playing along to a few tracks on the bass guitar.