[dimm0k]

Before I go ahead with using mp3gain on my iPod library I decided to run a test by first making a backup of my library to another drive. Then I had mp3gain go through my entire library, undo the changes and remove the tags and then compare the mp3gain'd library with the original. For the most part it was able to undo the changes and go back to the original, however there were quite a few that did not match up to the original. The file size was the same, but the contents were not. Anyone heard of this before?

 

[dimm0k]

Anyone?

 

[jdimitri]

I've had bad experiences with mp3gain.. my suggestion is not to do it at all

It worked fine around 99% of the time, but left that 1% of my music noticably louder than the rest of my music. BTW, when this happens, there's nothing you can do. Not renaming, moving nor re-ripping the file makes any difference

And when i tried to undo everything, many (more than the unchangable ones) tracks cannot be reverted back to its original gain.. so now i've got some tracks softer than the rest

Unless you really need to of course.. (why?)

 

[ILikeMusic]

I've never heard of that. The only cause I can think of would be if somehow the file tag was re-written or disturbed, removing the mp3gain info. If that data was missing from the tag, mp3gain would have no way of knowing what the original setting was so of course it would have no way of restoring it.

 

[Chef Medeski]

So now I'm debating whether to do it or not. I have 120 GB of music and 1% would end up being hundreds of songs and I just couldnt take that risk.

 

[ILikeMusic]

There really isn't much risk, even if the 1% figure is correct (and we don't know that it is.) The changes MP3gain makes are totally non-destructive and do not change the file in any way except for volume level. If you do have any tracks that sound loud (sometimes the automatic 'average volume' detection algorithm in MP3gain can get confused) then just manually adjust it a few dB lower. You can change this as often as you like and you will not damage the integrity of the track.

IMO the advantages MP3gain has to offer greatly outweigh any negative aspects.

 

[dimm0k]

The steps in my "test" were done one after the other so I never modified the MP3s themselves other than letting MP3gain do whatever it does on them. In fact I tried it on just one file so I can see it done for myself and comparing the file to the original still yielded a changed file. The size of the file matches the original, but something inside has changed.

The only reason I wanted to use MP3gain was so that when I listen to something and jump to another that I wouldn't have to jump for the volume control. After thinking things through however I don't really have this problem other than slightly raised volumes that I can just lower or raise later. I don't use the EQ on the iPod so another reason...