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More => Old Versions => Media Center 16 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: fidelious on August 05, 2011, 03:14:41 am

Title: Change volume in dB
Post by: fidelious on August 05, 2011, 03:14:41 am
I would love the option to change MC's volume in dB, as an alternative to the current %. Would that be possible in a future build?
Title: Re: Change volume in dB
Post by: Matt on August 05, 2011, 08:50:17 am
If you're trying to calibrate something, you can do precise decibel adjustments with DSP Studio > Parametric Equalizer.

I don't think we'll switch the main program volume away from a 0 to 100 scale.  There are some technical reasons for this, like the fact that system volume slider (as opposed to the internal volume slider) doesn't offer a reliable way to get the volume as a decibel value.
Title: Re: Change volume in dB
Post by: mojave on August 05, 2011, 01:16:56 pm
Quote from: fidelious on August 05, 2011, 03:14:41 am
I would love the option to change MC's volume in dB, as an alternative to the current %. Would that be possible in a future build?

Quote
There are some technical reasons for this, like the fact that system volume slider (as opposed to the internal volume slider) doesn't offer a reliable way to get the volume as a decibel value.

I would think, but am not sure, that a receiver or preamp is able to do this because it knows its voltage output capabilities. With JRiver, you have any number of soundcards and audio devices being used. Each device will have a different maximum output voltage. JRiver has no idea how to scale the volume to match the output device. When other say they watched a movie at -10 dB, I respond that my system is so powerful that I only listen at 10%.  ;D
Title: Re: Change volume in dB
Post by: fidelious on August 05, 2011, 02:20:07 pm
Thank you for your answers.

@Matt, I am not looking for a calibration of the absolute (acoustic) playback level, but (like I have for example in foobar2000) having the option to make MC's internal volume take 1-dB (or 0.5-dB) steps.

From a perceptual point of 'view' (that should probably be 'audition'  ;)), taking dB steps is more intuitive, since they mean a constant subjective loudness step independent of the absolute level from the loudspeakers. MC's current % steps mean hardly a subjective change when you're playing close to 100% (a 1% step from 100% down to 99% is less than 0.1 dB down), but mean a larger change when you're playing around 10% (going from 10% down to 9% means reducing playback level by about 1 dB).

Also, I do not think that MC's % scale needs to go. I would be perfectly happy with the option of having the % steps (i.e. the change of the Volume % upon issuing the Volume Up / Down commands) depend on the current % value. For example, when playing at 100%, this would make 'Volume Down' result in 89%.
Title: Re: Change volume in dB
Post by: Matt on August 05, 2011, 02:45:26 pm
Quote from: fidelious on August 05, 2011, 02:20:07 pm
From a perceptual point of 'view' (that should probably be 'audition'  ;)), taking dB steps is more intuitive, since they mean a constant subjective loudness step independent of the absolute level from the loudspeakers. MC's current % steps mean hardly a subjective change when you're playing close to 100% (a 1% step from 100% down to 99% is less than 0.1 dB down), but mean a larger change when you're playing around 10% (going from 10% down to 9% means reducing playback level by about 1 dB).

The percentage scale used for internal volume is logarithmic.


Quote
With internal volume we also know the exact -
Also, I do not think that MC's % scale needs to go. I would be perfectly happy with the option of having the % steps (i.e. the change of the Volume % upon issuing the Volume Up / Down commands) depend on the current % value. For example, when playing at 100%, this would make 'Volume Down' result in 89%.

This will be in a coming build:
Changed: When using internal volume, the volume display will both the volume percentage and also the decibel value.
Title: Re: Change volume in dB
Post by: fidelious on August 06, 2011, 02:21:18 am
Quote from: Matt on August 05, 2011, 02:45:26 pm
The percentage scale used for internal volume is logarithmic.

This will be in a coming build:
Changed: When using internal volume, the volume display will both the volume percentage and also the decibel value.

Thanks again.

Indeed, MC's Internal volume is logarithmic, as I found out after analyzing some output files using the Disk Writer. See the below graph.
(http://emmakade.home.xs4all.nl/images/J.RiverVolumeOptions.jpg)