hi, i've just started using EAC and after a lot of reading, i quite like it so far. i'm planning on converting a few hundred cds to mp3 using LAME 3.96.1 (i think) but would also like to normalize each entire cd, not one track at a time as i had started doing.

process:

1. action -> copy image and create cue sheet (uncompressed)
--(already set to normalize in EAC options)

2. tools -> split wav by cue sheet (leave out gaps)
--(is there a way to automatically delete the original wav & cue?)

3. tools -> compress WAVs
--(using --alt-preset standard %s %d)

do you see any problems with this method? is there a way to combine some steps so it's more automated and doesn't need as much input from me? or a way to easily tell if a cd will be normalized according to my settings so if not i can do it the "normal" way? thanks a lot!

WACK will automate this process for you.
You set up EAC to use WACK, then run Action>Copy Image and Create Cue Sheet>Compressed.
EAC creates a CDimage.wav, when that's finished WACK kicks in and runs WaveGain, splits the CDImage, then LAME runs with the --scale command. The wavs are deleted on completion.

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=34011

Your encoder.ini will look like this to do the job you want. (Make sure WaveGain.exe is in your Wack folder!)


Of course, you already know that running WaveGain is lossy, right?
Discussion here -- http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....topic=10637&hl=

Many people manipulate each track to reduce the differences in volume level between tracks because of personal reasons or because they listen in environments that don't support easy hearing of a very wide dynamic range. They don't especially care about the balance between tracks established by whomever mastered the album. That balance would seem to be your goal when you say you want to do the entire CD as a whole.

I suspect that with the great majority of commercial CDs you will be just spinning your wheels and going absolutely nowhere. What you want has already been done.

In the most extreme case there may be one and only one peak on the entire CD that approaches 0dB. That doesn't matter in the least, however, when normalizing. That one peak sets the limit and everything else is relative to it. Therefore, normalizing again (by you) will result in no change to anything on the album.

Of course some albums may be produced at a lower overall level and you might gain some volume (relative to some constant volume setting of your playback system) in relationship to other albums that have been mastered at a higher level, but this probably won't happen very often.

Don't normalize, use Replaygain instead.


Why do you want to rip to a single file, then split, delete the original and then encode? That makes no sense, too many redundant steps.

Rip to single track mp3 files, and then replaygain.

I suggest you uncheck/disable the "Normalize" option in EAC. EAC only normalizes peak levels. Furthermore, the INI above already directs Wack to normalize your MP3s using ReplayGain (album gain). If you haven't read about ReplayGain, you should. It is an attempt to adjust music according to percieved volume--not just peak levels.

Basically, either use ReplayGain or don't normalize at all, IMHO.

Thanks everyone! Great answers & you've given me a lot to chew on. Replaygain is similar to the way Goldwave can average the perceived volume I'm assuming? I'm going to do some more reading, but I think I will probably abandon my idea to normalize the entire album because the ones I'm going to be working with are indeed commercial cd's. Once I get to my live shows which are usually much lower volumes I may start thinking about doing the entire album with Replaygain. For now, I'll just rip them and assume the studio guy knew what he was doing unless I notice big inconsistencies. THANKS! I think you've saved me a lot of work & headaches!