How does ReplayGain affects Flac files? Options

[hermes_vb]

Let me explain what I mean. First of all I'm new to Flac. I did some reading and decided to backup my entire CD Collection to a lossless format to avoid loosing more CD's due to scratches, laser burns, etc. After several rips, I decided to play some of the albums, and it seemed to me that the obtained audio, although crystal clear, was kind of low when compared to the original source. To eliminate possible playback variables, I burned a CD from Flac files (using Nero) and compared the new CD to the original one by playing them both in my Bose system (with the same audio settings). Again, it seemed to me that some songs sounded a little lower than the original CD although not all like the Flac vs CD test. Is it just me or ReplayGain causes some kind of permanent alteration?

PS I Ripped with CDex v1.51, playback with Foobar v0.8.3 and encoded with Flac Frontend v1.12 using parameter string:

-8 -V -T artist="%a" -T album="%b" -T title="%t" -T date="%y" -T tracknumber="%tn" -T genre="%g" --replay-gain -o "%2" "%1"

[Eli]

replaygain is nothing but a tag. It does tell the player how to adjust the audio on playback when used but since it is only a tag it does not effect the audio and is a lossless process.

[hermes_vb]

replaygain is nothing but a tag. It does tell the player how to adjust the audio on playback

So when I convert them to Wave again or burn them to CD the tag no longers affects playback, right?

[smz]

replaygain is nothing but a tag. It does tell the player how to adjust the audio on playback

So when I convert them to Wave again or burn them to CD the tag no longers affects playback, right?

It very much depends on how you burn them back to a CD. Usually you have the option to burn (or convert back to WAV) with or without applying replaygain. If you do apply replaygain, then the conversion is not lossless anymore, the new WAV (or burned CD) will have its volume adjusted according to the replaygain information contained in the tags (track or album gain, at your choice).

[hermes_vb]

What I usually do is drag the files into Nero. I installed Cole2K Nero plugins, which includes a Flac Codec. I don't really know how the plugin handles Flac to Wav conversion. Does anyone know? Or just tell me the way to uncompress to Wav without ReplayGain getting in the way.

This post has been edited by hermes_vb: Nov 12 2005, 00:15

[clintb]

What I usually do is drag the files into Nero. I installed Cole2K Nero plugins, which includes a Flac Codec. I don't really know how the plugin handles Flac to Wav conversion. Does anyone know? Or just tell me the way to uncompress to Wav without ReplayGain getting in the way.

Load up your flac files in Foobar and convert with the Diskwriter module, but leave "Use ReplayGain" unchecked.

[smz]

What I usually do is drag the files into Nero. I installed Cole2K Nero plugins, which includes a Flac Codec. I don't really know how the plugin handles Flac to Wav conversion. Does anyone know? Or just tell me the way to uncompress to Wav without ReplayGain getting in the way.

Load up your flac files in Foobar and convert with the Diskwriter module, but leave "Use ReplayGain" unchecked.

Or, even easier for your task, use Burrrn! 1.14 beta2 (a very stable beta, available here). With it you can select wether burn with "album gain", "track gain" or none.

[kl33per]

You can burn using staright from foobar using the Nero engine, with or without ReplayGain. The component is called foo_burninate.