Do you guys use replay gain?

[MSmith83]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UNHchabo /img/forum/go_quote.gif DTS is already compressed, so instead of trying to keep the compressed stream in a FLAC file (which probably isn't helping you in terms of file size), I'd say keep the DTS streams in .dts files. Then you can use Foobar to add ReplayGain info, while still keeping it in DTS format. Then you can tell Foobar whether or not it should ignore that ReplayGain info during playback, depending on what you want to do.

Yeah, FLAC compression doesn't do much in this regard; the tracks compress by about 11% compared to PCM. Are the .dts stream files the same in size as the FLAC files (about 1260kbps)? I now almost have 1TB of FLAC files with a decent number of DTS-CDs, so anything helps.

 

[UNHchabo]

Well, the DTS streams on DTS-CDs are exactly the same bitrate as PCM streams on CDs: about 1411 kbps. Frankly, I'm surprised you even got that much improvement by compressing your DTS streams with FLAC; I thought that FLAC might actually increase file size.

One alternative would be to try this: rip a DTS-CD, change the file extension to .dts, add metadata using Foobar (including ReplayGain), then put the files in a .zip archive. Foobar can read inside .zip archives by default.

Try that, and see if you get a file size improvement over your current method. If not, keep what you have.

 

[Slogra]

I use it always and everywhere.

All my flac, mp3, mpc (and some others) files are replaygain tagged. I play those on my PC and rockboxed mp3 player. Usually i use set it to albumgain.

For my car i have to use mp3 (instead of flac or mpc). In the converting process i use trackgain on the data with foobar (like mp3gain). It makes all tracks nice and equal which is great in a car.


Replaygain is great. With 24bit output it doesn't hurt the quality. Besides songs that have a heavy replaygain correction are likely loudness war songs, which quality is crap anyway.

And it does help lessen the clipping, but only for lossy formats, which actually have a peak above 1.0.

Everyone should use replaygain!

 

[MrKazador]

Doesn't replaygain increase noise from the sound card/amp because you are using more volume on the amp?

 

[Slogra]

Not with a digital interconnection. Keep in mind that todays CDs volume is not normal, it is way too loud. The volume of replaygain is much more normal.

 

[peter73]

Replay Gain DOES decrease the SQ as it applies processing. It is only suitable for car and portable use.

Replay Gain would not hurt if you used digital volume anyway and RG changed automatically the volume level without applying additional processing of the source data, which is not the case as far as I know. I think this is how ipod's "sound check" works - it changes the output volume directly.

 

[Slogra]

I'm not sure what you mean... i guess you can compare replaygain to digital volume. Of course, when you change the digital volume the audio will not be bitperect anymore. But is that quality loss audible? I don't think so, especially when you use 24bit output.

Another thing about replaygain (which can be a bit confusing). There are two ways to use replaygain:
1. add a tag with volume information. Then use a player (i.e. foobar) that changes the volume of the song accordingly when you play them.
2. change the actual data of mp3s by lowering the volume of each frame.

Method 1 is much better because it keeps the files in tact but you need a player that supports replaygain. In that way "sound check" is similar to replaygain. More advantages are that you can always choose between trackgain, albumgain, change the "main volume" or turn it off. I use it on my pc and portable player.

Method 2 kinda sucks because you change the actual files, but it works on any player. I will never use this on my original mp3 and it would be foolish it to use on flac. So i only use in my car stereo because it doesn't support method 1. I encode special mp3s for that (from flac source) and apply replaygain burn a cd, then remove the encoded mp3s from my HD.


I don't see why you would not use method 1. Equal volume thoughout your whole collection makes listening so much more enjoyable.

 

[RicHSAD]

I use it and love it. I do give it a +2.0db preamp boost though as otherwise I find the volume of my music a little too low compared to everything else on my computer.

 

[peter73]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slogra /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure what you mean... i guess you can compare replaygain to digital volume. Of course, when you change the digital volume the audio will not be bitperect anymore. But is that quality loss audible? I don't think so, especially when you use 24bit output.

That is exactly what I meant - every time the audio data is being processed some quality is lost. Whether it is audible or not is a whole different discussion - to me it's audible.

 

[craiglester]

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter73 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That is exactly what I meant - every time the audio data is being processed some quality is lost. Whether it is audible or not is a whole different discussion - to me it's audible.

More likely you're picking up on the audible loss of volume, rather than an audible loss of quality. Hard to disassociate the two admittedly.
I've used RG for years, and I like that I don't have to worry about absurd volume jumps from genre to genre.
Plus the best thing about it.. you can just turn it off.. its does NOTHING at all to the audio data itself.