meters: recording - playing

Windows 10
Audacity
3.2.3
I’d like to reset the meters to start at 65, not 57 to assess noise reduction needs.
Thank you.

You can’t set it to exactly -65dB but you can change the range under Edit → preferences → Interface → Meter dB Range.

Super fab. Much appreciated. I looked all over the forum and in the manual index. Thank you! My coach has us get the floor down to 65.

The [u]ACX Check plug-in[/u] may be useful. It “scans” the file so you don’t have to watch the meters. (It’s intended for checking ACX audiobook compliance which allows a maximum noise level of -60dB.)

The [u]Recommended Audiobook Mastering Procedure[/u] may also be helpful but you don’t have to follow it exactly. (ACX has unusual requirement of keeping the peaks to -3dB or lower… In most other situations it’s OK to hit 0dB as long as you don’t clip.)

And I assume you know… When you amplify or attenuate you also amplify or attenuate the background noise by the same dB.