Setting volume to specified db-level

[tominator]

Hi
What tools can be used to make sure all my ac3-files have the same volume?

Can I boost them all to the same db-level? What level should that be? -1db perhaps?

Thanks.

[ursamtl]

I strongly support using Replaygain or similar (Adobe Audition's Group Waveform Normalize function with "equal loudness" [I think that's what it's called]). This uses proven scientific algorithms to get all files sounding roughly the same volume. A lot of audio programs do something called "normalizing" but all this does is find the loudest points of the file and adjust the whole file so that the loudest part hits the target. This won't help if, for example, you have a file with a few really loud peaks. The peaks will be adjusted to the target you set but the rest will remain very low. With properly implemented Replaygain, everything will be adjusted and if the peaks would go over clipping, they are limited to avoid distortion. I find it works well for me.

As for level, definitely no more than -1dB. A lot of programs and people will tell you anything under 0dB is fine, but this depends on a lot of factors. If you go to close to 0dB, some programs will actually calculate "overshoots" that go beyond 0dB. I recently read some writing by Bob Katz in which he mentions that some electronic equipment actually starts distorting or clipping before the signal reaches 0dB. A safer level would be -3dB. This might seem low compared to a lot of modern commercial recordings, but believe me, once you start using Replaygain and targeting a more reasonable level like this, you get used to using the volume control, and the sound quality seems better.

[raquete]

tominator,
i agree in points and in numbers with Steve(ursamtl).
as you don't tell if you have one big file or one group of files i have one more hint: take care with replaygain or with audition(my preference) Group Waveform Normalize in files where the volume of some tracks are very differents from others,this can mess your general volume.is hard to explain but easy to do test.if this is your case,see the resulting waveforms and hear the files...if they are ok for you,go ahead.if don't create one big file summing all little files and apply replaygain or audition,the curve of the levels will be more "natural" without bigs "down and up" between tracks.
regards

[tominator]

tominator,
i agree in points and in numbers with Steve(ursamtl).
as you don't tell if you have one big file or one group of files i have one more hint: take care with replaygain or with audition(my preference) Group Waveform Normalize in files where the volume of some tracks are very differents from others,this can mess your general volume.is hard to explain but easy to do test.if this is your case,see the resulting waveforms and hear the files...if they are ok for you,go ahead.if don't create one big file summing all little files and apply replaygain or audition,the curve of the levels will be more "natural" without bigs "down and up" between tracks.
regards

I have one big ac3-file for each movie.

[raquete]

What tools can be used to make sure all my ac3-files have the same volume?I have one big ac3-file for each movie....now i have doubts:
means that you want to adjust the same volume but the movies are separated to be used in differents medias or all together in the same media?(is hard to imagine what you really have)
if the answer is "yes" or "no",read Steve's and my posts again...the answer is there.
(i'm not closing for more answers if i can help you.)
regards

[tominator]

...now i have doubts:
means that you want to adjust the same volume but the movies are separated to be used in differents medias or all together in the same media?(is hard to imagine what you really have)
if the answer is "yes" or "no",read Steve's and my posts again...the answer is there.
(i'm not closing for more answers if i can help you.)
regards

Yes it's different movies and one sound file for each of them.

My problem today is that the volume varies from too low to too loud and Im looking for a solution to make all my movies the same volume.

[raquete]

sorry to "say" but your answer is obviousYes it's different movies and one sound file for each of them.
i want to know if the movies will stay together in the same place(media?) or in separateds places! :confused:
together,we adjust the general volume(level) but if separated each will have his own level and later we will find the dialnorm(together or separated)...My problem today is that the volume varies from too low to too loud and Im looking for a solution to make all my movies the same volume.this is the target and we have some options,you know what i mean now? :)

[tominator]

sorry to "say" but your answer is obvious
i want to know if the movies will stay together in the same place(media?) or in separateds places! :confused:
together,we adjust the general volume(level) but if separated each will have his own level and later we will find the dialnorm(together or separated)...this is the target and we have some options,you know what i mean now? :)

All the movies will be available from a streamingserver for a VOD-service. So we adjust the general volume level, right? :)

[ursamtl]

Again for this I'd recommend Replaygain processing. If you research it a bit, you'll discover that it was designed with some scientific studies of what's generally considered to be a "comfortable" listening level. If you do all of these to the same level, then you'll have a consistent level for all your VOD offerings. By the way, if you find the replaygain too soft or loud, it's possible to adjust the target value. They just have a starting point in Foobar of 89dB.

[tominator]

Again for this I'd recommend Replaygain processing. If you research it a bit, you'll discover that it was designed with some scientific studies of what's generally considered to be a "comfortable" listening level. If you do all of these to the same level, then you'll have a consistent level for all your VOD offerings. By the way, if you find the replaygain too soft or loud, it's possible to adjust the target value. They just have a starting point in Foobar of 89dB.

Is ReplayGain a program or something? Only seems to me as a standard when I Google it. Care to guive examples of good programs to use?

[DSP8000]

Google for it, as you did before.
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReplayGain) should lead you to the right answers.
HINT: waveGain & GUI

[raquete]

@ tominator
just one example:
wavegain with gui album Camel - Mirage result: -5.57dB(52.66%)
if you use any wave editor and adjust the peak to -5.57dB the result is just the same from wavewizard, nothing is different.
if you want your rock albums sounding like classicals...go ahead with wavewizard... hear the drums like violins or cellos and open the volume(too much)...in my opinion the sound is more than "confortable"(as they call) is really too low! of course i don't like the loudness war but -5.57 is too much low,don't you think? and this is the peak,the rms(statistics) now is max -21.12dB,minimum -61.25dB :scared: ,average -21.63...seems low?

wikipedia will tell you what "they" wrote there(blahs and explanations) but no one result...
better is do your own tests...taste is taste!
;)

[ursamtl]

Of course this all a matter of one's taste, which is why the Replaygain settings in Foobar provide an adjustment for the target level (by default -89dB). Yes, some material will come across with a peak of -5.57dB, but then again I've seen other very dynamic material with peaks of -1dB. If you try to adjust this simply with peak normalizing, it will sound a lot less loud than the same material procssed with replaygain. This is because RG analyses the perceived loudness not the peaks. If you compare the levels between this and 80's CDs (generally considered to be better sounding by a lot of audiophiles and collectors) or all classical CDs, you'll find they are all about the same. The loudness war has inched up the levels over the years to the point where our perceptions are becoming tainted. Since I started running everything through RG, I find I enjoy music a lot more.

As for peaks, you might consider, as I've written before, that some electronic gear will start to distort a signal before it reaches the clipping point. I was reading some material by Bob Katz where he recommends no peaks louder than about -3dB just to be safe.

In the end, you have to use what works best for you. I will say that in my experience, the only tool I've found yet that will match the perceived loudness of two files to the same level is replaygain or Cool Edit Pro/Adobe Audition's Group Waveform Normalize.

Now in the case of tominator's movies, if he only normalizes the peaks and has one movie with a realitively low volume but a few loud peaks and another with a loud volume, they will not sound the same. With RG they will sound much closer.

Regards,
Steve.




@ tominator
just one example:
wavegain with gui album Camel - Mirage result: -5.57dB(52.66%)
if you use any wave editor and adjust the peak to -5.57dB the result is just the same from wavewizard, nothing is different.
if you want your rock albums sounding like classicals...go ahead with wavewizard... hear the drums like violins or cellos and open the volume(too much)...in my opinion the sound is more than "confortable"(as they call) is really too low! of course i don't like the loudness war but -5.57 is too much low,don't you think? and this is the peak,the rms(statistics) now is max -21.12dB,minimum -61.25dB :scared: ,average -21.63...seems low?

wikipedia will tell you what "they" wrote there(blahs and explanations) but no one result...
better is do your own tests...taste is taste!
;)

[raquete]

but then again I've seen other very dynamic material with peaks of -1dB.i never got this level with wavegaingui,always less(much less).
If you try to adjust this simply with peak normalizing, it will sound a lot less loud than the same material procssed with replaygain.ok Steve,let me ask what i don't know because i don't use foobar/RG:
with this tools you adjust the AC3 level like tominator need/search?
because i read that he want to use wavegaingui and with wavegaingui i never got differences in dynamics only in levels,if the peak decrease -4,the remainders decrease the same -4.it happens always in all albums tested.
tell me if foobar/RG and wavegaingui works different!

about audition: audition GWN don't go so low like wavegain in all albums that i tested(i can count hundreds)
as in your opinion classics are good for test,please choose one,maybe i have in the middle of 300.

...as I've written before...I was reading some material by Bob Katz where he recommends no peaks louder than about -3dB just to be safe.i agree with you again(second time about this same level(-3dB) this week ;) )

if he only normalizes the peaks and has one movie with a realitively low volume but a few loud peaks and another with a loud volumeof course,this is why i did some questions to tominator because wavegaingui don't will give him what he want!!is just a question of use the test and post the log...open in one wave editor and compare levels/dialogues and in the end will see that the value from wavegaingui if used "normalize to" or "amplify/fade to" in the source will give the same result as the log and the files from wavegaingui!

best regards Steve!

[ursamtl]

To be honest, I've never really used wavegain. I tried it but then I realized how much easier it is to use Foobar. The only problem is that wave files don't work with RG in Foobar 0.9x. I usually keep 16/44 files in flac and 24/96 files in wavepack, and both these work perfectly with RG in Foobar.