Environment Normalization

[kakomu]

On the computer I'm using right now, I have a Soundblaster Audigy with EAX. The EAX control dialogue has lots of special effects that I can use. Currently, I have the default "Music - Normalization" setting used and it works rather well.

However, on my media PC, I am using the on board audio and it has no EAX mixer of the like. I am currently using the Asus A8NX mobo and I have the NVMixer software installed. I can also install the Asus software, but it seems that neither having any sort of dynamic or environmental normalization.

I'm basically looking for some sort of software that will keep my audio at a specific volume, but limits the gain used (so that a fade out doesn't get nullified). Does anything like that exist?

[Mug Funky]

try foobar2000's replaygain feature.

also, in_mp123 for winamp has replaygain support for mp3 files, IIRC. foobar supports it for everything though, so it's a little more convenient (interfact isn't for everyone - it's streamlined so much that all the eye-candy has been removed).

failing that, you could meddle with directshow audio plugins, such as compressors and limiters.

you'll want to get a decent sound device for your media PC though - on-board audio sucks for everything but the most basic no-dynamics pop crap. you'll want something that can handle a -20dB = 0 VU source, like a properly mastered DVD without machine noise or motorboating. just because they have a 24-bit DAC, does not mean they have a 144dB dynamic range... usually it's much, much less than that...

[kakomu]

you'll want to get a decent sound device for your media PC though - on-board audio sucks for everything but the most basic no-dynamics pop crap. you'll want something that can handle a -20dB = 0 VU source, like a properly mastered DVD without machine noise or motorboating. just because they have a 24-bit DAC, does not mean they have a 144dB dynamic range... usually it's much, much less than that...

Can you explain this a little more in depth? I'm not sure what most of these terms mean and what their application is.