Normalize all audio output on HTPC

[saltlyck]

For years I've had the problem of switching between MP3 players and Sage or Emulators the audio being to loud or too soft. Another problem was that some files just have louder volume than others. AND another was that the volume of the commercials was quite louder than the movie or TV show. There was no comprehensive normalization between all of this on my system. Well I've found the solution and thought that a few others here might get use out of it too. It's called BREAKAWAY and the program normalizes and enhances every single media file you play from MP3's to MPGs. Here's the link.

For 30 bucks it's well worth it and solved all of my media volume issues.

http://www.claessonedwards.com/index.php

[Taddeusz]

Their claims sound dubious.

Makes tunes sound louder and punchier, while bringing out subtleties you never knew existed.

You can't really have it both ways. Making the audio "louder and punchier" means dynamic range compression is being applied. If you don't know dynamic range compression is used to make audio louder by limiting the amount of amplitude (or volume) available to the recording. By virtue of it's 16-bits a CD has a dynamic range of 96db. What the compression does is effecively limits this to far less. Making all the audio louder and limiting the volume to less than 16-bits.

The affect of all this is you actually lose amplitude (or volume) detail in the audio. You may be able to better hear subtleties without turning up the volume but the net result is all of the audio is near the same volume level. Subtleties are no longer subtle. The overall sound is duller and more tiring on human ears.

This is an extreme example but try listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication and try telling me it doesn't sound awful. That album uses a very high level of dynamic range compression. The result of which is that even though the songs are catchy I can't stand listening to the music because its just so horribly loud. It also has no detail or subtleties. Its just in your face loud like that annoying guy on gadget commercials.

[vikingisson]

And what if you're running pure digital output to a good amplifier? I doubt that my sound card plus software is going to improve what my amp already does. The amp is a much better sound card than anything the computer can do. Agreed that dynamic compression is the worst idea to infect music these days (besides DRM). I doubt that trying to undo that nonsense will help and not ruin other things.

Balancing out the sound levels between sources is another story and easily solved. Variety between content on the same source is just life and that's what my remote is for. Commercials? what's that?