Replaygain target level? Options

[Mirage2k]

I've been disappointed by iTunes' Sound Check feature (does everything track-by-track and doesn't have an "albumgain" type feature), so in the past I had just been manually changing the "volume adjustment" slider for each album. But I've recently discovered a program called iVolume that uses replaygain (I'm on a Mac, so I don't have a lot of user-friendly options for this), so I'm switching to that. The only question I have is that in its preferences it has a slider for a target db level. I don't have it right in front of me, but I think it goes from 88 to 92. Is there a "standard" for replaygain that I should use for a fairly diverse music collection?

Thanks in advance.

This post has been edited by Mirage2k: Mar 2 2006, 03:55

[Shade[ST]]

89. But I use 92.

[Mirage2k]

89.  But I use 92.

Thanks. Do you use 92 because you play it through a specific speaker set up? Right now I mostly listen on my laptop though headphones, and on my iPod, but I will pobably be listening more on a stereo or bookshelf system in the near future.

[Shade[ST]]

Do you use 92 because you play it through a specific speaker set up?

I listen both through a stereo and in my headphones.

Also, I find it allows an easier setting of the volume on my stereo, without amplifying the hiss I get from EM, too much.

[kjoonlee]

I recommend 89 dB, because that's what most other programs use.

89 dB is also a nice compromise, in my opinion. If you set the target too low, the music might not sound as good. If you set the target too high, clipping might occur, distorting your output.