Help! Normalizing FLAC files?
Sep 10, 2015 at 9:57 AM Post #2 of 30
That defies the point of having a lossless audio format, since any processing will most likely cause something to be lost.
And a lossy flac file is an oxymoron.
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 10:18 AM Post #3 of 30
Well I find that some FLAC files are just really loud and distorted.... When I normalized a 320 kb MP3 to 90dB I get no distortion or clipping.
 
BTW, normalizing a file has nothing to do with the encoding of the data, its strictly the volume level of the file. At least in MP3s.
 
And when you make a FLAC file from a CD, isn't that already a lossy source???
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 10:47 AM Post #4 of 30
FLACs being louder is a non-issue since often their sources, the CD album or the digital master was mixed louder.
info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war
 
I'm pretty sure however that it's not the volume of the FLACs that's the issue.
Distortion should not be present in the recording, but will most likely be caused by your hardware or software adding some unnecessary gain somewhere in the audio-chain/path.
 
You should address this issue, rather than looking for a workaround (normalizing your FLAC files), since this will not solve the true underlying problem.
 
What are you listening through?
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 11:11 AM Post #5 of 30
I'm listening through my laptop > Audioengine D1 DAC > FIIO A1 amp > Andrew Jones Pioneers or out the D1 > Audio Technica, Sony or Monoprice 8323 headphones.
 
Im not high end but I can tell when files are too high...   I bought tracks on Beatport and using MP3 gain, those all run about 100dB in level and do have some distortion until I bring it down to 90 then the tracks are perfectly clean and distortion free.
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 11:13 AM Post #6 of 30
Use replaygain. If your player supports it, it will normalize the loudness on playback and you don't have to modify the files. If not you can re-encode them. It's not bit perfect, but who cares.
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 11:14 AM Post #7 of 30
Why not use ReplayGain?
mindsmirror said:
  Use replaygain. If your player supports it, it will normalize the loudness on playback and you don't have to modify the files. If not you can re-encode them. It's not bit perfect, but who cares.
Click to expand...

 
blast, I'm too slow!
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 11:18 AM Post #8 of 30
Sure... if you're not interested in fixing the underlying source of the problem... go ahead and do that. 
But it's a band-aid solution.
 
What operating system and player are you using?
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 11:28 AM Post #10 of 30
Make sure you check THE BOX BELOW: (Disable all enhancements)
 

 
This stuff adds post-processing garbage sometimes.
 
Sep 10, 2015 at 11:38 AM Post #12 of 30
Un-checking the boxes isn't enough.. I've had situations where ONLY checking the 'disable' button fixed some problems.
 
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