Chains help

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laknox
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Chains help

Post by laknox » Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:47 pm

When using the default mp3 conversion chain, many of the exported mp3 files show a few "hot spots" where they are slightly over 1.0 on the amplitude scale. The default level in this chain is set to 0.00000. What would I need to set the Level to to help prevent this? I'm converting mostly from flac files to mp3. Can a chain be created to check existing mp3 files and either drop them down if too hot or bump them up if too quiet? Thanks.

Lyle

billw58
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Re: Chains help

Post by billw58 » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:01 pm

In the Edit Chains dialog, click on the "MP3 Conversion" item in the left column, then double-click on the "Normalize" item in the right column. In the "Select Command" dialog that opens, click the "Edit Parameters" button. In the "Normalize" dialog that opens, set "Normalize maximum amplitude" to -1.0 dB. "OK" everything.

It is impossible to know prior to MP3 conversion if any area will exceed 0 dB after conversion when the track has been normalized to 0 dB. Therefore the only option is to normalize to slightly less than 0 dB. You won't likely hear the difference between files normalized to 0 versus -1 dB.

-- Bill

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