How to equalize volume in Audacity 3.1.3?

I have 2 audio files. The first one has uneven volume, some part sounds small, some part sounds loud. When opened in Audacity, it looks like this:
125.png
The 2nd one has pretty even volume. No matter where you fast forward to, it will have the same loudness everywhere. It looks like this in Audacity:
1698940523815323_42_n.png
Both files are voice recording, recorded by the same person, using the same set of equipment, at the same studio. Only that the 1st one is the raw recording, and the 2nd one was edited in Audition.

Is there a way to make the 1st one looks like the 2nd one with Audacity 3.1.3?

Note: cross-posted on reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/audacity/comments/xs19j7/how_to_equalize_volume_in_audacity/)

The important thing is how it sounds but it LOOKS like the 2nd file is over-limited or [u]clipped[/u] (distorted).
You can use [u]Limiting[/u] at -6dB (50%) and you’ll probably have boost with the Amplify effect before limiting.

P.S.
A couple of other things you might find helpful -

[u]Loudness Normalization Effect[/u]. This can be used to match loudness.

[u]Measure RMS[/u].

The RMS level is a kind of average that can be used to measure/compare “loudness”.

…In general, LUFS is a better way to measure perceived loudness but RMS works fine with voice. (The ACX audiobook standard uses RMS.) Audacity can set the volume to a given LUFS level with the Loudness Normalization effect but you need a 3rd-party plug-in if you just want to measure it.

I don’t get the “boost with the Amplify effect” part. Are you saying I should do a Effects → Amplify before applying the Effects → Limiter?

And on that note, I just found out that there is an effect called Distortion in Audacity, and it also has the clipping option. Should I be using that or the Limiter one? What’s the different between them?

I don’t get the “boost with the Amplify effect” part. Are you saying I should do a Effects → Amplify before applying the Effects → Limiter?

Yes, before. If you boost later you will no-longer be limited to 50%. But you can limiting without boosting first to see if it’s loud enough. (I’m guessing the Audition version sounds louder… It looks “denser”.)

And on that note, I just found out that there is an effect called Distortion in Audacity, and it also has the clipping option. Should I be using that or the Limiter one? What’s the different between them?

The limiter set to Hard Limit or Soft Limit uses look-ahead so it can lower the peaks without changing-distorting the waveform. That’s usually preferable unless you actually want distortion.

So Amplify, then set Limiter. And maybe throw in a Loudness Equalization somewhere in the middle. Got it.

Thanks you for your help!