Boosting the volume of an MP3 file
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Category: Other music related lounges
Forum Name: Tech Talk
Forum Description: Discuss musical instruments, equipment, hi-fi, speakers, vinyl, gadgets,etc.
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35397
Printed Date: November 22 2024 at 17:12
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Topic: Boosting the volume of an MP3 file
Posted By: Bob Greece
Subject: Boosting the volume of an MP3 file
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 06:42
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I like to rip my CDs in to MP3 and listen to them in random order either on my MP3 player or using Windows Media Player.
One problem I have is that some CDs have a lower volume than others. So for one particular CD, I have to turn up the volume, when a track from that CD comes on, and turn down the volume when it finishes.
Does anyone know of a way of boosting the signal volume inside an MP3 file so that I won't have to keep adjusting the volume for those tracks? ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: toolis
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 06:54
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i think nobody's posting replies cause you can't do anything... at least i can't think of anything... i hope someone who does, see it and reply... ------------- -music is like pornography... sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more... -sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue... |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 06:57
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Use Winamp instead of the WMP ... then calculate Replay Gain for the mp3s (media library -> right-click album -> send to -> Calculate Replay Gain, when done choose "save as album"). Then all you have to do is to configure Winamp to use replace gain (preferences -> General -> Playback), and all the files will have a constant volume. The other option is to re-rip the files using a ripping software (like CDex) which allows to normalize the audio during extraction. But this can mean a loss of quality ... I prefer the approach of Replay Gain, which essentially just determines the peak level of the files and then stores that info in the file, so that the volume can be adjusted automatically during playback. Of course Replay Gain doesn't have an effect on playback on a portable player (at least I don't know any which support it) ... but my Creative Zen has volume normalization, maybe your player also has such a feature. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to: 
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:03
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The player I use for audio files, foobar2000, has a very interesting option called "replay-gain". It allows you to scan your whole database of audio files (of any kind) and then it brings the volume of all the tracks to the same level. Or, you can pick a selection of audio files and to the operation. However I don't often use it because it doesn't work by boosting the volume for the low-volume files (I wouldn't want that anyway), but by bringing down the volume for the louder audio files. That affects my listening experience in a bad way because my speakers and earphones are weak and don't allow me to avoid feeling the volume has decreased. ------------- "PA's own GI Joe!" 
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:05
A good thing to know is that applying Replay-Gain is reversible, in case some might be reluctant to using it because of the fear of losing quality. ------------- "PA's own GI Joe!"
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MikeEnRegalia wrote:Posted By: toolis
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:06
 ------------- -music is like pornography... sometimes amateurs turn us on, even more... -sometimes you are the pigeon and sometimes you are the statue... |
Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:11
You beat me to it. Ive been recommending Foobar 2000 on these pages recently. I've had Foobar 2000 for a while now. Excellent playback etc. Also good for file transfer/transcoding e.g. Flac --> mp3 ------------- 
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:13
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^^^^
That's why I love this part of the forum - somebody always knows how!
..usually MikeEnR.. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:18
^  of course, I'm the digital audio geek!
Yes it is ... it doesn't change the audio at all, just adds two headers. BTW: The only thing to keep in mind when using Replay Gain is to not calculate it for single tracks ... always select the entire album. Otherwise you might boost silent tracks too much in relation to the other tracks of the album.  ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:20
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Another method is to adjust volume in a Wave editor. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:24
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^ the problem is that there is no way to change volume (or alter the signal in any other way) without decompressing it first ... and after the change it needs to be compressed again, resulting in a dramatic loss of quality.
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:29
Does it? Why so?
If you convert 192 to wav and back again to 192 you lose quality?
------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: andu
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:33
Nice, are you one of the initiated?  Myself I'm not a geek, I have an IT guru who teaches me everything. He posts on HydrogenAudio. He taught me to use foobar, which is a great programme: it's free, it takes very little of the computer's resources (memory and cpu usage), it's extremely customisable and it's development is boosted by fans who desing extremely usefull tools. It has a nice, minimalistic skin; it supports by default a lot of the unsual formats like FLAC, APE, AAC, MP4, OGG, etc.; it rips audio cds, it converts from any format to any format (given the proper encoders), it has Replaygain, it manages tags - you can edit tags, get tags for full cds from freedb.com, change tag types (idv3, idv2, ape), it has album art display, it has Cover Search, an engine that looks for album covers on the web, it has timer options (I can leave it playing when I go to bed and after the tracklist is finished, he shuts down the computer), etc., etc... I'm a fan! ------------- "PA's own GI Joe!"
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:43
Absolutely ... even if you convert 320 -> wav -> 320 there is a significant quality loss. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 07:47
But no why?
 Anyway, i have not noticed a "dramatic loss of quality" or even any loss. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 08:09
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The reason is simple: mp3 compression is lossy, much like jpg compression for images, or mpeg compression for video. Each time you compress something, little errors are introduced ... and the errors multiply. If you don't hear a quality loss ... simply repeat the procedure ... at some point you will hear a difference. And if you play the file on a big stereo, one decompress/compress cycle should do at 192kbps.
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 08:52
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Thanks everyone. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10">
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Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 09:14
What you can do is to rip the CD in lossless format, then edit it and finally compress it to 192kb/s or whatever compression rate you like. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10">
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Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 09:30
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I had a look on http://www.download.com - www.download.com and found a couple of good free software programs for MP3 editing: Media Monkey and Audacity. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10">
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 09:57
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I use Winamp for tag editing also ... and I never touch the audio content of the ripped files. IMO it either sounds good as it is, or it doesn't ...
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 20:24
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Just use mp3Gain. Simply put all of your mp3s into a folder and run this tool and taa-daa all normalized.
http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/ - http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/ http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/download.php -
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Posted By: goose
Date Posted: March 12 2007 at 20:54
Probably not of that much use to anyone reading, but I'm pretty sure Rockbox suports Replaygain and it can run on iAudio, iPod, iRiver and Archos players. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 13 2007 at 03:10
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@dwill123: mp3gain simply applies Replay Gain to the files ... with that in mind I wouldn't recommend to use it on all your files at once. Replay Gain distinguishes Album Gain and Track Gain, and in order for that to work you must apply the algorithm to one album at a time (in Winamp right click an album in the media library and choose "Send To -> Calculate Replay Gain", when it's done choose "Save as *Album*"). If you just apply it to all the tracks you'll over-boost tracks that are intentionally more quiet than other tracks - like interludes or intros. @goose: Nice, I didn't know about Rockbox. It's not for me though ... because a) I have a Creative player and b) I need the digital rights management for Napster. ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: March 13 2007 at 08:47
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Audacity can really change the amplitude of MP3 files - not just the replay gain. I rip the files in losless format, change the amplitude and then compress them with to MP3. Another great thing about Audacity is that it has enables me to rip cassette tapes to MP3 format.
It's free too! ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10">
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Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 13 2007 at 08:54
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CDex can do it all at once ... Get the proper tags, rip the tracks to WAV, normalize the volume (amplitude) and convert them to mp3 (or any other format, including FLAC) and delete the WAV.
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Big Ears
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 09:01
| While we're on the subject of digital music files, how do you play them from a laptop through an amplifier. This would overcome the variable volume/power problem. My laptop only has a 3.5mm jack plug socket for headphones (ie. no line out phono sockets) - or am I mistaken? Are computer sound outputs disguised? |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 09:05
The headphone socket *is* the line out! It's true ... doesn't sound too bad actually, but if you're looking for quality sound you should get an USB sound card. If you also happen to be a guitarist, then the Line6 GuitarPort is just what you need! ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Big Ears
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 09:08
| I know, but it's inferior quality. |
Posted By: Man Erg
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 09:08
Obviously your amp hasn't got a USB socket so; Try buying a jack adaptor.A specialist hi-fi hardware shop should be able to supply you with the correct connecter/adaptor or advise you professionally. I used to sample music into my sampler from my portable cd player by this method. I have a lead that had a 1/4 inch jack at one end and a 1/2 inch jack at the other. -------------
Do 'The Stanley' otherwise I'll thrash you with some rhubarb. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 19 2007 at 09:31
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^ are you two guys sure you know what you're talking about? Many high end studio sound interfaces use USB ... it's the de facto standard for external PC sound cards. BTW: Of course the amp is still connected with 1/4 or 1/" inch jacks to the audio interface ... and the audio interface is connected to the PC via USB. Here's an example: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/AudiophileUSB-main.html - http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/AudiophileUSB-main.html  ------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Big Ears
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 13:04
| Are you saying that you can connect a laptop to an amplifier via a USB (on the computer) to a jack or phono (on the amplifier)? I would welcome confirmation of this. |
Posted By: MikeEnRegalia
Date Posted: March 20 2007 at 13:23
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^ yes, see the link to M-Audio. The only problem is that these sound cards are a bit pricey ... but the audio quality is really good. If you rip the CDs using lossless formats then it easily compares to using a real CD player.
------------- https://awesomeprog.com/users/Mike" rel="nofollow">Recently listened to:
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Posted By: Bob Greece
Date Posted: March 21 2007 at 03:41
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I have just started using WinAmp. It seems a lot better than Windows Media Player. Thanks for the tip-off Mike.  ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/BobGreece/?chartstyle=basicrt10">
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