"Db"

Feedback and Discussion Forum Adding Features
1

Alright, so most people have to download a common thing known as “the checker”, to find out how much db their recording is. This little download works very well, however, it’s an extra step to go to there and then have a little fight with going back and forth to from audacity to checker to get the right db setting, (unless you manage to get it first try). Now, what if audacity had their own “db checker” feature? I know that it recommends, when choosing to amplify, the db you should choose to amplify down or up… but I’ve noticed that it’s quite horrible in doing so, and I never trust it to be correct. So what if audacity could just tell you what your recording, or a small piece of it, is running at? I know you can be accurate, with the 0.0, 0.5 and 1 thingy on the left side (I don’t know what it’s called), and that trying to get your peaks only between the 0.5 to -0.5 would be around 89.0 db. (I hope this makes sense). But really, sometimes I do get it close to that, and it’s still 2 or 3 db off.

So can audacity make a feature to tell you what db your recording, or a small piece of it, is at?

2

Isn’t that what the “meters” do? https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/meter_toolbar.html

3

would be around 89.0 db.

89dB would be SPL (Sound Pressure Level = acoustic loudness), not a digital level. There is no calibration between dB SPL and dBFS (digital) because there are many variables, including the fact that everybody has a volume control. But, there is a direct correlation… If you lower the digital level by 3dB, the acoustic level will also drop by 3dB.

89dB is the ReplayGain reference, and there IS an algorithm for calculating the ReplayGain level from a file and there is a [u]ReplayGain Plug-in[/u] for Audacity. Of course, that’s not necessarily the true SPL unless you’ve calibrated your system with an SLP meter. And once you’re calibrated you can’t touch the volume control or get closer or farther from the speakers without messing-up the calibration.

Now, what if audacity had their own “db checker” feature?

There are several options:

The Amplify effect will indirectly give you the peak dBFS level. Amplify will default to whatever gain or attenuation is needed for 0dB peaks. For example, if amplify defaults to +3dB your peaks are currently -3dB. (You can cancel the effect if you just want to check peak levels without changing anything.)

The [u]ACX Check Plug-in[/u] will give you the peak, RMS, and A-weighted dB levels.

The 3rd-party [u]dpMeter 3[/u] will give you several measures including LUFS.

I know that it recommends, when choosing to amplify, the db you should choose to amplify down or up… but I’ve noticed that it’s quite horrible in doing so, and I never trust it to be correct.

Amplify works perfectly! If you “Amplify” by -6dB (attenuate) the levels will drop by 6dB. (That’s ALL of the dB measurements… peak, RMS, LUFS, etc.).

You do have to “be careful” about [u]clipping[/u]. (That’s why I used an attenuation example instead of an amplification example.). Many digital formats are limited to 0dBFS peak., You can’t go over and if you try you’ll get clipping (distortion). Audacity itself won’t clip, but your DAC (digital to analog converter) is limited to 0dBFS you can get distortion.

4

most people have to download a common thing known as “the checker”

From where?

What’s the job? Are you reading for audiobooks? We publish tools to make that job a lot easier as well as ACX Check which will tell you how far from audiobook standards you are.

It’s dB. The “B” is for Bell, the telephone guy, also a measurement of sound.

Koz

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Oh. Every time I come here, I always feel like I’m still learning something new about audacity. You guys are such great help, and your tips are great! Thank you so much!

6

In my experience, with creating music, doing podcasts, and audiobooks, people have to download the checker in order to check what their file’s db is. But seeing the last couple posts, that doesn’t seem to be the case for me anymore :slight_smile:

7

The blue waves on the timeline are labeled in percent. 1 is 100% or as high as you can go.

There is an idea to label the waves in dB instead of percent so they and the bouncing sound meter track better. You can convert between them, it’s just hard. 50% on the waves is -6dB on the sound meter. 25% is -12dB.

Koz

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people have to download the checker in order to check what their file’s db is

You missed posting the download address.

Koz

9

Oh interesting, that comes in pretty helpful.

https://cgjennings.ca/checker.html

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Checker (Christopher G. Jennings)

Excellent. We want to make sure we’re not running in a little bubble here—to see what other are doing.

I bet you’re wondering why everything isn’t in percent—normal person numbers.

Behold 10% is -20dB and timeline percent values are already getting a little hard to read.

Your ear is still working down at -60dB and the common sound system is still breathing down at -90dB. Percent ran out of visible and useful numbers weeks ago and there are special-purpose dB sound systems that go even further.

Koz