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Volume of MP3s

I just bought the Technics SL-DZ1200's to compliment my M3Ds. One thing I have experienced with buying MP3s is the enormous difference between volume levels. I have used MP3Gain to correct the problem, but it seems to clip the audio levels and make everything sound like shit. What programs have yall used that normalizes the volume of all the MP3s without sacrificing high points in the vocals and other crucial points?

Re: Volume of MP3s

quote:

Originally posted by Dirk W. I just bought the Technics SL-DZ1200's to compliment my M3Ds. One thing I have experienced with buying MP3s is the enormous difference between volume levels. I have used MP3Gain to correct the problem, but it seems to clip the audio levels and make everything sound like shit. What programs have yall used that normalizes the volume of all the MP3s without sacrificing high points in the vocals and other crucial points?

1) get cool edit pro 2
2) don't normalise, use a limiter

Re: Re: Volume of MP3s

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Originally posted by tu_face 1) get cool edit pro 2 2) don't normalise, use a limiter

Okay. I will try this. I know its probably a bitch to explain, but can you give me the quick step by step on this one? I have wasted 6 CDs burning them with POS normalized MP3 files. The best audio parts sound muted and I can't stand it.

basically a limiter doesn't just chop off the top of a wave like you are experiencing when you normalise it. here is a nutshell guide to how a limiter will work (not too precise but i think you should get the hang of it):

find a loud part of the track and zoom in quite a lot on it (so you can see 1 beat very close up, approx 200ms in view) and have a look at how spikey the mofo is, make sure the scale on the right hand side is in dB. the lines going accross the wave will show you what level things go to in relation to the scale on the right, you will notice the wave swinging either side of -?�dB. you need to make sure you don't limit too much at a time so always limit the 'top' of the spikes off. for example, i have a spike in a loud part of the track which peaks at -1dB, and the 'main' part of the waveform runs between -3dB, through -?�dB and down to -3db on the other side. so if i limit the wave to -3dB (make sure you select the entire track before actually limiting it) then it will have a very similar (if not exact) physical volume as before the limit, minus the spikes.

if you are aiming to reduce the amplitude (gain) of the track then just limit it to a value which doesn't cut out the middle of the wave, so if you have a track peaking at 0dB just limit it to -1dB or -2dB, all the important non spikey guts of the tune will be within those boundaries.

to use the limiter in cool edit, select your entire waveform, go to effects>amplitude>hard limiting and your limiter will pop up. when i limit stuff, i generally use the following settings:

limit max amplitude to: whatever level you limiting to
boost input by: 0 (you can use this to master tracks, to give them loudness)
look ahead time: 7ms
release time: 100ms

you're right, it is a bitch to explain!

and remember, if you can't be arsed with the limiter, just use the 'amplify' tool with a negative percentage. it does a similar job and is much less comlicated

quote:

-?�

and that started out as the symbol for infinty

LOL, thanks for the explanation. To be honest, I think I am way over my head. I have no clue what to do, but I will try to follow your directions and see what I come out with. I don't understand the whole concept of clipping really (compression even while we are on the topic). I have used vinyl since day one and even though some of them are drastically different in sound volumes I can use the gain to make up for it.

Since I started purchasing MP3s on Beatport I have noticed that there are certain songs where the gain is no hope in the battle for a constant level of sound volume. It is very frustrating to me that I have to go through all this, but at the same time, if I can get everything in the same general volume levels then I will be willing to do whatever it takes. I just hate wasting a MP3 CD that I burn only to find out that the best part of the song is inaudible due to this "clipping" phenomenon.

well as i said if you can't be arsed with limiting, you can always use the amplitude tool. it won't cut out anything it will just reduce the entire amplitude. same thing pretty much but simpler, limiting has many more parameters/uses

Is there any possiblity to "Limit" a hole bunch of MP3 tracks before burning them to an audio-CD (Wav)?
Thx in advance!"

if there was it wouldn't work, as there aren't really any universal parameters for the best results. its all about the waveform and how its shaped etc, so it may be slightly different for every track.

Re: Re: Re: Volume of MP3s

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Originally posted by Dirk W. Okay. I will try this. I know its probably a bitch to explain, but can you give me the quick step by step on this one? I have wasted 6 CDs burning them with POS normalized MP3 files. The best audio parts sound muted and I can't stand it.

Not trying to be an ass, but thats what happens with MP3's, and why there not the best for DJ'ing, or playing out anywhere except your headphones.

Vinyl are mastered at different gain levels as well. Those MP3s are created right from the source and are probably better quality then the vinyl copies.
Eventhough I love and use vinyl, I think that what people say about vinyl having better sound quality then CDs or finely mastered digital midea is complete BS!

BTW. What about compressing those MP3s using SoundForge?

quote:

Originally posted by abnorm Vinyl are mastered at different gain levels as well. Those MP3s are created right from the source and are probably better quality then the vinyl copies. Eventhough I love and use vinyl, I think that what people say about vinyl having better sound quality then CDs or finely mastered digital midea is complete BS! BTW. What about compressing those MP3s using SoundForge?

vinyl has a wider frequency range, which means there can be sounds there that a CD cannot support. the reason they cut cd's frequency range is because these sounds are not audible to the naked ear (and thus they can fit more on a CD at 44.4khZ) but however these sounds affect the way the audible sounds sound, you get more of a full spectrum of bass and highs. this is why vinyl always has a 'warmer' feel to it, and given the right equipment it WILL sound better than any CD.

there are things coming through on DVD technology which will rival the warm vinyl sound, but as yet plain CDs just don't sound as good.

with regards to mp3's, they have the same frequency range as a CD (for the same reasons). mp3 will never be close to the sound quality of a vinyl, compression always makes things sound not as good, no matter how well you do it. this is why when you burn a wav file to a CD it will sound better than if you burn the same track in 320k mp3 format (compressed from the same wav, using high quality codecs).

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