Replay Gain for iPod Options

[Snash]

I am trying to determine if there is a way to apply Replay Gain to MP3s that will be played back on my iPod. I don't care if it is reversable.

From what I read in the wiki, it seems that the iPod will not read metadata, so I am hoping that there is a way to run replay gain that will simply modify the music instead. Then the iPod won't have to do anything except play it back.

For reasons of portability, I am not using AAC, therefore soundcheck is not an option.

Thanks.

[greynol]

Both mp3gain and foobar2000 will be able to modify the data without having to re-encode.

With mp3tag you will be able to convert replaygain data to soundcheck data which works with mp3 as well as with aac.
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....g+%2Bsoundcheck

As another alternative, you can scale your music prior to encoding, which is what I've been doing as of late.

This post has been edited by greynol: Dec 21 2008, 17:09

[tosse]

For reasons of portability, I am not using AAC, therefore soundcheck is not an option.

Soundcheck works with MP3. If you would like albumgain, mp3tag and most likely others can convert replaygain tags to soundcheck tags.

[Agent69]

As another alternative, you can scale your music prior to encoding, which is what I've been doing as of late.

So you use Wavegain on the original .wav files and then encode with Lame? If so, that's an interesting idea. I've been wanting to normalize my MP3s in a way that would be compatable with any MP3 player, so that I can move to a non-iPod player if I ever needed to.

[greynol]

So you use Wavegain on the original .wav files and then encode with Lame?

No.
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....st&p=601287

I've been wanting to normalize my MP3s in a way that would be compatable with any MP3 player, so that I can move to a non-iPod player if I ever needed to.

Don't forget: changes made to the global gain field using mp3gain/foobar2000 are compatible with any mp3 player as well.

PS: There's this as well...
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=51093

This post has been edited by greynol: Dec 21 2008, 18:24

[Agent69]

Thanks Greynol.

[greynol]

You're welcome.

I forgot, foobar2k can apply RG to PCM data prior to encoding also.

[senab]

I personally just use MP3Gain on a album setting it to album gain and no clipping. This is the batch file I use:

CODE

cd /d %1
"C:\Program Files\Encoding\mp3gain.exe" /a /k *.mp3

Just drag and drop a folder on it.

This post has been edited by senab: Dec 23 2008, 20:04

[greynol]

I personally just use MP3Gain on a album setting it to album gain and no clipping.

The obsession with clipping resulting from lossy encoding has certainly taken on a life of its own. I've yet to see a single person actually identify this artifact in a blind test.

[HotshotGG]

The obsession with clipping resulting from lossy encoding has certainly taken on a life of its own. I've yet to see a single person actually identify this artifact in a blind test.

I previous poster about a month ago said that was a "huge" myth that was being perpetuated these days. I don't know were they came up with that one.

This post has been edited by HotshotGG: Dec 23 2008, 20:15

[TREX6662k6]

Soundcheck works with MP3. If you would like albumgain, mp3tag and most likely others can convert replaygain tags to soundcheck tags.

The iPod management plugin for Foobar2000 (foo_dop) does a replaygain to soundcheck conversion by default.
"Replaygain to SoundCheck conversion: Uses album gain if present, otherwise track gain."

If you would like to do the conversion with music already on the iPod, selecting "Update metadata on iPod" will do the trick

This post has been edited by TREX6662k6: Dec 23 2008, 21:54

[greynol]

The obsession with clipping resulting from lossy encoding has certainly taken on a life of its own. I've yet to see a single person actually identify this artifact in a blind test.

I want to make sure that I recognize situations with highly dynamic music where audible clipping can occur; not as a direct result of the lossy encoding process, but because the RG correction values are positive. The criticism that I made earlier is for music where mp3gain is either attenuating the global gain or leaving it unchanged.

@TREX6662k6:
Thanks for the information!

This post has been edited by greynol: Dec 24 2008, 02:40

[shadowking]

mp3gain -a *

Works on any player for me.

[chromium]

I want to make sure that I recognize situations with highly dynamic music where audible clipping can occur

That is probably why it does not harm to much to add the -k switch anyway.

[senab]

I want to make sure that I recognize situations with highly dynamic music where audible clipping can occur

That is probably why it does not harm to much to add the -k switch anyway.

This is why I use the /k switch, does no harm and it will not matter most of the time.

[macman4hire]

You may want to check out iVolume for both Mac and PC. This not freeware but I think it will do what you are asking for.
iVolume

[greynol]

This is why I use the /k switch, does no harm and it will not matter most of the time.

I'd rather have my albums closer in volume than worry about clipping that I cannot hear.

To me having a larger difference in volume than what is necessary does not comport with the idea that the switch "does no harm".

[senab]

This is why I use the /k switch, does no harm and it will not matter most of the time.

I'd rather have my albums closer in volume than worry about clipping that I cannot hear.

To me having a larger difference in volume than what is necessary does not comport with the idea that the switch "does no harm".

A personal choice. According to my collection, the difference between what mp3gain has modified the mp3's global gain values to be, and the resulting Replay Gain values after, are in the region of 1db. I guess it is due to the increased accuracy of RG and not due to the clipping detection (although I have no evidence on the contrary).

[greynol]

The minimum change that can be made is 1.5dB.

I will concede that a change of 1.5dB, even 3dB is not that significant, especially when we're actually comparing volumes of different albums instead of the the same album. Depending on the way they're mastered, the quality of the music itself and the fact that RG while being the best thing available is far from perfect, perceived volume differences between different albums can exceed the differences that may exist due to clipping prevention. Of course these differences may be additive instead.

The only point I wish to make on the subject is that people on this forum often don't think critically about clipping prevention with lossy files. When faced with the concept of clipping as an artifact, the argument becomes comparable to what is made when people insist on using extra switches with Lame that they don't understand which don't provide any tangible benefit.

[HotshotGG]

The only point I wish to make on the subject is that people on this forum often don't think critically about clipping prevention with lossy files. When faced with the concept of clipping as an artifact, the argument becomes comparable to what is made when people insist on using extra switches with Lame that they don't understand which don't provide any tangible benefit.

I don't know about LAME, but Vorbis was originally designed with the intention that the -q switches were the best. Some people wanted a little more control over things later so a few advanced switches were added. If were left up to me I would say to keep some them "undocumented" especially the advanced ones, but there is always going to be someone who wants more control over the encoder unfortunatly.

[chromium]

The -k switch is relevant and can prevent audible clipping for dynamic music for which the gain is to be increased. It will rarely come into effect with music that needs to be decreased in volume, and then only for these needing only a slight reduction. If you also concede that "a change of 1.5dB, even 3dB is not that significant", then I cannot understand the reserves against wanting to prevent clipping, especially on an audiophile forum.

The safest bet thus is turning the switch on, but as with all options, it is ultimately a personal choice.

[greynol]

I cannot understand the reserves against wanting to prevent clipping, especially on an audiophile forum.

...an audiophile forum that requires blind test results when making claims about audio quality. I think I've made my point pretty clear.

[starmanj]

Stay AWAY from Ivolume. I bought it--

- It took 4 days of processing, it's extremely inefficient
- It destroyed ALL of my comment fields (with AMG review data), overwriting it with its own watermark. I didn't notice it until I had backed up my library twice, losing my originals.

You may want to check out iVolume for both Mac and PC. This not freeware but I think it will do what you are asking for.
iVolume