volume normalizer (again)

[robrdufour]

I have read a thread about volume normalizer in one of the forums and most of the replies agree to recommend a plug-in called "MP3 Gain". Does this work also for other file formats than MP3 (WMA) ? Could a feature like this be integrated in Quintessential as a playback option (instead of altering the file tag) ? I think iTunes has afeature like that.

Thanks,

RD

[Toe]

Hehehehe, feel like doing some reading? We hit this topic a few days ago in the 'replace the default MP3 decoder (http://www.quinnware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2507&page=6&pp=20)' thread. I posted quite a bit of info there on ReplayGain vs. MP3Gain. Your questions will probably be answered in there, if you can filter out the bickering in your mind. :)

Long story short, ReplayGain can be applied to pretty much any format, but MP3Gain is essentially an MP3-only implementation of ReplayGain. My vote is for universal ReplayGain support to be built into QCD. :)

[robrdufour]

Hehehehe, feel like doing some reading? We hit this topic a few days ago in the 'replace the default MP3 decoder (http://www.quinnware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2507&page=6&pp=20)' thread. I posted quite a bit of info there on ReplayGain vs. MP3Gain. Your questions will probably be answered in there, if you can filter out the bickering in your mind. :)

Long story short, ReplayGain can be applied to pretty much any format, but MP3Gain is essentially an MP3-only implementation of ReplayGain. My vote is for universal ReplayGain support to be built into QCD. :)

Thanks Toe,

This was an interresting read, but all this did not guide me to a usable tool to level the playback of my WMA files (and I feel I'm the only guy who cares for WMA). I'd be happy to find a ReplayGain plug-in for QCD or even better, as you say, universal built-in support.

Robert

[krazyd]

Thanks Toe,

This was an interresting read, but all this did not guide me to a usable tool to level the playback of my WMA files (and I feel I'm the only guy who cares for WMA). I'd be happy to find a ReplayGain plug-in for QCD or even better, as you say, universal built-in support.

Robert
The only player I know of which supports this is foobar2000 (http://www.foobar2000.org) .

[matty28carter]

You could use a DSP audio normalizer. AudioStocker is a good choice. Remember QCD can use winamps DSP (and input with a special plug-in). :cool:

[Toe]

(and I feel I'm the only guy who cares for WMA)
You're probably right. I for one can't fucking stand it. :P

[carcm]

I like both Replaygain and MP3Gain, but I just use one now and that's MP3Gain. Replaygain, I liked it because it works with every format but it has to be supported by the player, otherwise all the volumes R not Normalized. Same goes for when I burn an MP3 or Audio CD All the volumes go back to the original dB's unless it is supported by the player of course. And I don't know of any portable players that support it, and only a few windows players support it as well. Whereas MP3Gain works on every player and even when U burn an Audio CD or MP3 CD. So thats Y all my files R MP3. That way I'm sure that all files will work on every player on every system and have consistant volume. I only wish that Replaygain and MP3Gain methods where combined such that it would work on every format with all players even when burning and such. I'm sure it can be done, but whenever new formats come out, it would have to be rewritten to supprot the new format. Maybe some type of plugin system can be used. hint...hint

If I could program, I would do it. ;)

[GaBMaTrIx]

In short, I recommend

Tomass Limiter (http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=95214)

for this purpose. It's a 2 band limiter who equalize everything in realtime. Very light on CPU, easy, clean... It lets me hear a lot of details in my songs.

[carbonize]

(and I feel I'm the only guy who cares for WMA).
Nope I just converted any of my MP3's that were over 192k to 128k WMA to save on disk space. I was originally going to use OGG but I went for WMA as a good balance between quality and support. MP3 has the best support in both software and hardware, WMA has better quality than MP3 but not as much support (although it's gaining), OGG has the best quality (apparently but my speakers aint that good) but has very limited support and almost no hardware support. The main reason I chose WMA is that Sonic Stage supports it and I need Sonic Stage to record music on my minidisc.

[Toe]

WMA has better quality than MP3
Unless you're talking about bitrates down around 32-64k that's... debatable (http://www.rjamorim.com/test/multiformat128/results.html), to say the least.

I just converted any of my MP3's that were over 192k to 128k WMA to save on disk space.
You might as well have converted them to 128k MP3s.

OGG has... almost no hardware support.
iRiver and Rio both support it, and there's been a few new players popping up recently that support it too. Enough for me!

[carcm]

I Have Files encoded in just about all formats and I have good speakers on my computer and my home stereo. But I can tell you that WMA sound no where near as good as LAME. As a matter of fact I rank the top formats in the following order quality wise: MPC (Musepack), LAME & OGG, AAC, WMA. Difference in file size is very small. The above rankings are based on a compression about as equivalant as that of LAMES alt preset standard. I used MPC's standard, AAC standard VBR, OGG at quality 5 to 6, and WMA at 75% quality VBR. I haven't been able to find an encoder that will allow me to encode WMA VBR's at 75, 80, or 85% quality. And 90% quality the WMA's are much larger than all the other formats. You can get WMA's that will blow all those out of the watter (i.e. WMA PRO and LOSSLESS) but they will be much larger in size. I choose LAME though as the diffrence in quality between MPC and LAME is not worth giving up all the software and hardware compatibility that LAME has. LAME is my choice and it's free just like MPC and OGG. AAC and WMA arn't, BOO!

[carbonize]

Try DBpoweramp (http://www.dbpoweramp.com) for your encoding.

I would like to point out that you are talking about files encoded in VBR while I am refering to files encoded using CBR at 128k. I don't use VBR as it produces larger files normally. If file size isn't a problem whynot use FLAC or Monkey?

And could you stop refering to LAME as a format. Lame is just an MP3 encoder.

[carbonize]

OK just been reading the forums and came across this link - http://www.rjamorim.com/test/multiformat128/results.html

Makes for interesting reading. I may reconsider my opinions but as this page shows, LAME encoded MP3's are only slightly better than WMA's.

[Todd The Kiwi]

And could you stop refering to LAME as a format. Lame is just an MP3 encoder.
really ?
http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?p=dict&String=exact&Acronym=LAME
i don't know who mike cheng is, but it sounds right... :rolleyes:

[carbonize]

Yup I know what LAME stands for. Bit of a weid choice of names but then you also get things like LAG (Lag Aint Gaim). I think it's meant to be funny to some circles.

[madjo]

GNU Not Unix... I don't really like those recursive acronyms :)

[carbonize]

Wonder why Todd went to AcronymFinder for that info rather than just go to the official LAME website?

[Todd The Kiwi]

Wonder why Todd went to AcronymFinder for that info rather than just go to the official LAME website?
i typed "lame" into google and it was the first link i clicked on.

[carbonize]

Weird becuase if I type LAME into google the first link is for the official lame site.

LAME Ain't an MP3 Encoder (http://lame.sourceforge.net/)
The LAME Project. LAME is an LGPL MP3 encoder. The Open source development ... the art
commercial encoders. Latest LAME release : v3.96.1 July 2004. ...

[Qaz]

Wonder why Todd went to AcronymFinder for that info rather than just go to the official LAME website?
Does it really make a difference?

[carbonize]

Nope just curious, curiosity makes us what we are.