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Full user review
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"Essential Volume Equalizer (Why and How)"
Pros
When collecting music on your computer it is important to remember that most music arrives at different volume levels. There are two main issues with having various levels of volume throughout your music collection. Firstly the obvious effect of having a much louder song playback; sending you running across the room for the volume control. Secondly and much more importantly is the fact that mp3 as a format can only sustain a limited volume (maximum between 93dB-96dB). Beyond the physical limit your music "clips" creating a distorted sound for which no amount of volume control will correct.
Cons
Only does mp3, M4A files have to be converted
Summary
When collecting music on your computer it is important to remember that most music arrives at different volume levels. There are two main issues with having various levels of volume throughout your music collection. Firstly the obvious effect of having a much louder song playback; sending you running across the room for the volume control. Secondly and much more importantly is the fact that mp3 as a format can only sustain a limited volume (maximum between 93dB-96dB). Beyond the physical limit your music "clips" creating a distorted sound for which no amount of volume control will correct.
MP3GAIN allows you to equalize either a track individually or a group of tracks or folders. I would recommend the following:
i) Small amounts often is better than trying to gain all your music in one hit e.g. one album at a time
ii)Change the default target volume from 89.0 dB to 93.5 dB then do a track analysis first. When complete the analysis result will tell you each track volume.
If the file path column is "red" and the clipping "Y" is also "red" then the track volume is beyond the limit, is clipping and likely to have patches of audible distortion. If the "Volume" and "Track Gain" columns are "black" then the track will be gained to within "clipping" limits and will be fine after the gain has been applied. If every column is "red" then the track will still be clipping after the gain has been applied. In the later I would remove those files and try another analysis with the target volume set at 92.5 dB. You would do the same if the "file path" column is "black" and the "clip(Track)" column is "Y" "red".
iii)Click the "Track Gain" button
iv)Go back and re-analyze/gain remaining tracks set at 92.5 dB target volume
Typical volumes include:
CD rip 96dB-106dB. This is due to the fact that CDs as a format can handle the higher volumes without distorting
Direct Downloading (Bandcamp, iTunes, Reverbnation and other free or paid for downloading) 89dB - 96dB.
Direct Downloading using programs such as "Orbit" or "YouTube Downloader" 89dB - 96dB
Music from friends 89dB - 110dB
