Volume - Increasing

eager to learn · Post by **eager to learn** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 4:36 pm

Hi there,

I have an audio recording of a speaker on a CD as a .wav file.

Apparently, they hadn’t done a sound check before they started recording so when the volume is set to 92% in VLC Media Player I can barely hear the speaker (I have excellent hearing).

If I push the speaker volume icon in Windows 7 to 99% it’s slightly louder but there’s nasty feedback or volume spike noise.

I’m listening to the audio recording with a cheap headset (that’s all I got).

Is there anyway in Audacity to increase the volume of a recorded .wav?

Thanks so much!

Trebor · Post by **Trebor** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:04 pm

eager to learn wrote:I have an audio recording of a speaker on a CD as a .wav file.

Ripping the data from a CD produces much better quality than recording from a loudspeaker.

eager to learn wrote:... Is there anyway in Audacity to increase the volume of a recorded .wav? ...

Amplify, however it will also amplify any unwanted sounds on the WAV, like the noise floor.

Post by **DVDdoug** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:12 pm

Effect -> Volume -> Amplify.

Audacity will have already pre-scanned your file and Amplify will default to whatever gain is needed to maximize/normalize your file, so just accept the default and click OK.

Note that it will use the "loudest" peak in the file, so the overall volume may not be enough. If it's not loud enough, you can run Amplify again, but this time set it to allow clipping (distortion) and adjust the gain as desired. If that doesn't work, or the distortion is not acceptable, let us know and we can give you some more "tricks".

Also of course, when you boost the volume you also boost the background noise.

Ripping the data from a CD produces much better quality than recording from a loudspeaker.

That's only if you have a regular audio CD. If you have a WAV file on the CD you can simply open it in Audacity or copy it to your hard drive.

eager to learn · Post by **eager to learn** » Thu Jul 20, 2017 5:23 pm

Thank you Mates!

I'll try that tonight.

My best to you.

eager to learn · Post by **eager to learn** » Thu Aug 03, 2017 7:52 pm

I opened the .wav file on the CD and played it in Audacity and it remained very low audibly,

I then selected Effect > Amplify and pushed the volume lever all the way up and clicked preview and it still sounded very low.

Anything else I can try to make this .wav file “hearable”?

Thank you.

Trebor · Post by **Trebor** » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:34 pm

eager to learn wrote:I then selected Effect > Amplify ... it still sounded very low ... Anything else I can try to make this .wav file “hearable”?

If Amplify to 0dB is not loud enough, try Audacity's (soft) Limiter with "Make-up-gain"on "Yes"....

Demo of Audacity's (soft) Limiter, with make-up-gain, applied repeatedly.

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