Volume Leveling: Difference between revisions

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Have you ever put on an album and noticed that it was drastically louder than the last album you were listening to? Everyone has a few albums that every time you put them on you race for the volume control to turn them down. Similarly, I'm sure you've heard albums that were "too quiet" and you had to turn them up quite a bit to hear them at all (only to go racing for the volume control again when you followed them up with a loud one). This is the result of the fact that (unlike film) there's no loudness standard in audio engineering. Because louder audio is often perceived as sounding better, there has been a "loudness war" in mastering music to try and make the loudest sounding music possible, often through compression (reducing the [[Dynamic Range]] to make more of the song "loud"). One unfortunate side effect of the loudness wars is that albums have drastically varying average volume levels.
{{Outdated}}


'''Volume Leveling''' is a solution to this problem. It does it by analyzing the "loudness" and dynamic range of the music (using the international standard [http://tech.ebu.ch/docs/tech/tech3342.pdf R128 analysis method]), and then adjusting the volume level of the music to a reference level. The result is that most music will sound close to the same average volume with volume leveling on. Volume leveling '''does not''' compress the music or affect dynamic range; it just changes playback volume. Volume Leveling also does not alter the audio content of files; all volume adjustment is done using DSP at runtime.
Media Center can analyze your audio files so that you can play them back at the same volume. The information is stored in the database and in the file itself, so that playing the file with any player will play it back at the volume set here.


By default, when you play an album, the whole album gets adjusted by a fixed amount so that intertrack dynamics aren't affected (i.e. a "quiet" song on an album will still sound quiet compared to the rest of the album). When you play a mixed playlist, each track is adjusted individually so each track sounds about the same volume (like on the radio).
Use the functionality of Smartlists to tell you which files still have to be analyzed. Create a Smartlist with the following rules:


Because most music is mastered so that its peak level is close to (or sometimes even above) digital full scale, in order for volume leveling to work correctly (without clipping) most music must receive some amount of attenuation (rather than boost). This means that when you first turn it on you'll need to turn up the volume a little; but after that you'll be able to leave the volume control more or less alone.
::mediatype=[audio] filetype=mp3 -artist=[] (replaygain==0 or peaklevel==0 or bpm==0 or intensity==0)


==Getting Started==
It's a two-step process. First, the program analyzes your files and adjusts the gain levels. Second, you select to playback your files using those levels.

In order to use volume leveling you'll need to analyze your files first using the [[Analyze Audio]] library tool. The information is stored in the database and in the file itself, so that playing the file with any compatible player will play it back at the reference volume.

Media Center includes a stock smartlist that will help you identify files that haven't been analyzed. It's titled "Audio-- Task -- Needs audio analysis," and will show you which files haven't yet been analyzed.

Once you've identified files that need analysis, it's a two-step process. First, the program analyzes your files and determines the gain levels. Second, you must enable the DSP option to apply those levels during playback.


==Step 1: Analyze Audio Files ==
==Step 1: Analyze Audio Files ==
Line 13: Line 19:
* To analyze all files, select files using one of the following methods then go to Tools > Advanced Tools > Analyze Audio:
* To analyze all files, select files using one of the following methods then go to Tools > Advanced Tools > Analyze Audio:
** Use the smartlist mentioned above; or
** Use the smartlist mentioned above; or
** Select Audio Mode, then select all files in the content list (Ctrl + A)
** Select an Audio View, then select all files in the content list (Ctrl + A)
* To analyze a few files, select the files in the content pane, right-click and select Library Tools > Analyze Audio.
* To analyze a few files, select the files in the content pane, right-click and select Library Tools > Analyze Audio.


Line 20: Line 26:
Wait for the analysis to be complete. This could take a while, depending on the number of files it is analyzing. If you have many files (over 5,000), perhaps you can do this overnight.
Wait for the analysis to be complete. This could take a while, depending on the number of files it is analyzing. If you have many files (over 5,000), perhaps you can do this overnight.


==Step 2: Set your Playback Mode to Read the Replay Gain Values==
==Step 2: Enable Volume Leveling==
# Go to Player > Playback Options > DSP Studio > Volume Leveling on the Menu bar.
# Place a check mark in the box next to Replay Gain in the tree.


Go to Tools > Options > Audio > DSP Studio & Output Format > and check the box for Volume Leveling.
==Auto Analyze during Rip==


==Auto Analyze during Import or Rip==
You can set the program to automatically analyze files when you rip them from a CD to your computer. This setting is enabled to default. For information on how to disable this setting, see [[CD Settings]].


You can set the program to automatically analyze files when you import them into the library or rip them from a CD to your computer. This setting is enabled by default, but can be changed in [[Auto-Import]] configuration or [[CD Settings]].
----
Note: DSP functions are only available during the playback of an Audio CD if you have "Use Digital Playback" selected under Tools > Options > CD. Some CD drives do not recognize digital playback. If you have a problem playing Audio CDs, try disabling this option.
----
For more information about replay gain, see [[Replay Gain - A Proposed Standard.]]


==Technical Information on Replay Gain==
==Technical Information on R128 and Replay Gain==


The program uses the R128 analysis method which is the international standard for loudness normalization. The R128 standard targets -23 loudness units below full-scale (equivalent to -23dBFS) as the volume reference level. Media Center's implementation of the standard targets an 83dB output at the reference level. For more information about how to calibrate your system and how this reference level interacts with other portions of Media Center's audio engine, see the articles on [http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Volume#Reference_Level_Calibration Reference Level Calibration] and [[Adaptive Volume]].
The program does "radio gain" analysis. It uses 83dB as the target gain, rather than 89dB used by MP3gain, Vorbisgain and replay gain for MPC. Note that for compatibility, track gain file tags will be written 6dB higher than that shown my MC (which upon reading the file tag adjusts correctly to target an 83dB gain).


Prior to adopting R128, Media Center used replaygain analysis for volume leveling. Note that for compatibility, Media Center continues to write replaygain tags so that analyzed files can be used with other players that support the replay gain standard.
For other options, including Adjustment and Overflow Handling, see below.


==More==
==More==
* [http://tech.ebu.ch/docs/tech/tech3342.pdf R128 Standard]
* [[Replay Gain Adjustment]]
* [[Volume]]
* [[Example of Fixed Replay Gain Adjustment]]
* [[Adaptive Volume]]
* [[Technical Information on Replay Gain Adjustment]]
* [[Overflow Handling]]
* [[Overflow Handling]]
* [[Replay Gain Adjustment]]


[[Category:DSP]]
[[Category: Frequently Asked Questions]]
[[Category: Frequently Asked Questions]]

Latest revision as of 23:41, 23 February 2015

Have you ever put on an album and noticed that it was drastically louder than the last album you were listening to? Everyone has a few albums that every time you put them on you race for the volume control to turn them down. Similarly, I'm sure you've heard albums that were "too quiet" and you had to turn them up quite a bit to hear them at all (only to go racing for the volume control again when you followed them up with a loud one). This is the result of the fact that (unlike film) there's no loudness standard in audio engineering. Because louder audio is often perceived as sounding better, there has been a "loudness war" in mastering music to try and make the loudest sounding music possible, often through compression (reducing the Dynamic Range to make more of the song "loud"). One unfortunate side effect of the loudness wars is that albums have drastically varying average volume levels.

Volume Leveling is a solution to this problem. It does it by analyzing the "loudness" and dynamic range of the music (using the international standard R128 analysis method), and then adjusting the volume level of the music to a reference level. The result is that most music will sound close to the same average volume with volume leveling on. Volume leveling does not compress the music or affect dynamic range; it just changes playback volume. Volume Leveling also does not alter the audio content of files; all volume adjustment is done using DSP at runtime.

By default, when you play an album, the whole album gets adjusted by a fixed amount so that intertrack dynamics aren't affected (i.e. a "quiet" song on an album will still sound quiet compared to the rest of the album). When you play a mixed playlist, each track is adjusted individually so each track sounds about the same volume (like on the radio).

Because most music is mastered so that its peak level is close to (or sometimes even above) digital full scale, in order for volume leveling to work correctly (without clipping) most music must receive some amount of attenuation (rather than boost). This means that when you first turn it on you'll need to turn up the volume a little; but after that you'll be able to leave the volume control more or less alone.

Getting Started

In order to use volume leveling you'll need to analyze your files first using the Analyze Audio library tool. The information is stored in the database and in the file itself, so that playing the file with any compatible player will play it back at the reference volume.

Media Center includes a stock smartlist that will help you identify files that haven't been analyzed. It's titled "Audio-- Task -- Needs audio analysis," and will show you which files haven't yet been analyzed.

Once you've identified files that need analysis, it's a two-step process. First, the program analyzes your files and determines the gain levels. Second, you must enable the DSP option to apply those levels during playback.

Step 1: Analyze Audio Files

Select files to be analyzed.

  • To analyze all files, select files using one of the following methods then go to Tools > Advanced Tools > Analyze Audio:
    • Use the smartlist mentioned above; or
    • Select an Audio View, then select all files in the content list (Ctrl + A)
  • To analyze a few files, select the files in the content pane, right-click and select Library Tools > Analyze Audio.

The Audio Analysis screen shows the files selected. Make sure that "Skip analyzed files" is checked, and select "Analyze".

Wait for the analysis to be complete. This could take a while, depending on the number of files it is analyzing. If you have many files (over 5,000), perhaps you can do this overnight.

Step 2: Enable Volume Leveling

Go to Tools > Options > Audio > DSP Studio & Output Format > and check the box for Volume Leveling.

Auto Analyze during Import or Rip

You can set the program to automatically analyze files when you import them into the library or rip them from a CD to your computer. This setting is enabled by default, but can be changed in Auto-Import configuration or CD Settings.

Technical Information on R128 and Replay Gain

The program uses the R128 analysis method which is the international standard for loudness normalization. The R128 standard targets -23 loudness units below full-scale (equivalent to -23dBFS) as the volume reference level. Media Center's implementation of the standard targets an 83dB output at the reference level. For more information about how to calibrate your system and how this reference level interacts with other portions of Media Center's audio engine, see the articles on Reference Level Calibration and Adaptive Volume.

Prior to adopting R128, Media Center used replaygain analysis for volume leveling. Note that for compatibility, Media Center continues to write replaygain tags so that analyzed files can be used with other players that support the replay gain standard.

More