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[BullishDad]

For listening in my car, I'd like my USB flash drive to contain a bunch of songs (various artists and albums) in shuffled order, but have the drive volume leveled so that I don't have to adjust the volume knob for differences between songs.

I've tried copying files to the drive with DSP Options checked for Volume Leveling and Adaptive Volume.  I can still hear somewhat significant volume differences between songs.  I also tried with Volume Leveling and +10 under Parametric Equalizer 2 (add volume).  I could still hear noticeable differences between quiet songs and louder ones.  All files have been through Audio Analysis.

Is it imperative to hit the Save/Load button?  I didn't do so because it seemed that as long as the box was checked on left, the current settings would be applied.

Maybe I'm missing a step or setting that is keeping me from getting the desired result.  Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[BryanC]

Are you using handheld sync?

[BullishDad]

Yes, using Handheld Sync.

[Spike1000]

I don't have an answer as such just an explanation as I understand it. . . It may help.

Volume level R128 is a tag in the file, if the player looks for, and understands, this tag then the player can do the levelling for you - I suspect the car player doesn't support this. To do this manually (and destructively) you'd have to save (convert?) the files with the DSP volume levelling turned on. This will re-save the files with the levelling 'burned' into the audio (ie the volume permanently lowered or boosted).

I think this is what you're trying to do except you probably need to 'convert' the files with the DSP setting turned on rather than just copying. I don'y have the exact steps in my head, but hopefully you get the idea of the process required.

Spike

[BryanC]

You will need to select the "always convert" option in handheld sync so that the DSP is applied to every file.

[BullishDad]

You will need to select the "always convert" option in handheld sync so that the DSP is applied to every file.

When I select Handheld Sync->Options, I don't see a setting for "always convert". 

Under the options for Conversions->Audio, I have:
Mode: Specified output format only when necessary
Box checked for Apply DSP
DSP Settings ->Volume Leveling and Adaptive Volume are checked.  Output Format in unchecked.  Do I need to check that and if so what settings?

[swiv3d]

Mode - Specified output.
Don't ever apply adaptive volume if you want to see a diiference in the volume levelling!

[BullishDad]

For Mode my options are:
Original
Specified output format
Specified output format only when necessary
Specified output format only when necessary (including high bit rates)

Nothing about "always convert".

I found this in the help file:

Mode. Convert audio (always, never, or if necessary). Set this to 'always' if you want all your tracks to be the same bitrate. 'If necessary" means that conversion will take place if your device does not support the original file's format.

Seems like I'm in the right area, but those weren't my choices.  Using 24.0.73.  Has this part of the program been modified recently?

[BryanC]

Sorry, select "specified output format". Make sure your conversion settings are compatible with your car radio, you will probably want to stick to 320 CBR mp3s if transcoding to minimize loss. If your stereo supports FLAC, even better.

[BullishDad]

Thanks BryanC, swiv3d, and Spike1000.

I think it's working properly now that I've changed the conversion setting to "specified output format" and only selected "Volume Leveling" under DSP.  I haven't had a chance to listen to many tracks, but the early results are encouraging.  I think this resolved my problem.  Thanks again.

Update: I've now listened to about 40 tracks since posting the sentence above and I can definitively say the results are what I was looking for. 

[JonnyRedHed]

Thanks guys,  I've learnt a couple of good things in this thread about making car usb sticks. (Don't use adaptive volume in the DSP stack and best use constant bitrate).  And looking in my car infotainment system manual it also mentions bes to use CBR.  Who would of thought actually reading the manual for once would be so helpful!

I also learnt just the other day why jriver was failing all my flac to mp3 convertions for at least a year or so. I gave up trying.  Turns out with fresh installs (which I do) you need to let jriver have web access on the first mp3 encode so it downloads the latest lame codec. I did not know this.