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[gitcheye]

I noticed in Media Center 9 that the normalization option has been removed from the cd burner settings.  Is there a new way to normalize your MP3's before burning?

[Mastiff]

I'd stay away from all normalization if I was you. It can easily give you bad results. Stick to MP3 Gain or the built in gain solution of MC9.  

[MachineHead]

Use caution with MP3Gain as well. It can, and does, permanantly alter your files. Test before using on all your files. I think the latest release does save a log so files can be set back to their original levels if needed.

[STEVE.S]

I'm curious about Gitcheye's question, since I prefer to have mp3s recorded onto a data cd with approximately the same volumn.  

I don't understand ether of the replies by Mastiff or MachineHead.  Can anyone explain?  

[rocketsauce]

Because of the way normalizing works, you run a much greater risk of introducing clipping in to the audio signal and ruining the sound and, often times, not really making the files sound very similar in volume.  Replay Gain does a much better job of this and is also a lot less likely to ruin the sound.

MJ/MC has a Replay Gain analyzation feature built in to it.  It analyzes each file and then saves the gain adjustment info to the tags, rather than physically altering the file. Then when you enable the Replay Gain DSP, it uses this info to "sound level" the tracks on playback.  Also, this analyzation only works for playback in MJ/MC.  

I believe MC9 also has a feature to burn an audio CD using the current playback settings, so if you have analyzed the files you want to burn and enable the Replay Gain DSP you should get a fairly uniform level across the tracks on the CD.

If you want to burn a "sound leveled" data CD, you probably would want to use the MP3Gain program.  It does what I've described above, but rather than saving the gain  adjustment info to the tags, it physically alters the files.  So, it is possible that you could apply too high of a gain and ruin the files, though MachineHead mentioned that the latest version has an "undo" feature.  In any event, if you use MP3Gain, it's best to make sure you have back ups of the files you want to work with just in case something goes horribly wrong.  

Rob

[STEVE.S]

Rocketsauce, I finially found the MP3Gain program you mentioned as media editor.  Unfortunately it appears to be a single song conversion with a long wait, and no batch file capability.   For a long list of songs it would be quite a task.

I finally got a chance to listen to the CD full of mp3s in my car, and normalization is definitely needed, at least on my equipment.

Can anyone tell me if there is a problem running Media Jukebox 8, so that I have normalization that works for me, on the same computer as Media Center 9?

[MachineHead]

MP3Gain can do files by the hundreds. Trust me I know.  

Anyway, if you want to check out stuff like MP3Gain and more, go here...

HA FAQ's. Loaded with a ton of informative links.

[rocketsauce]

I finally found the MP3Gain program you mentioned as media editor.

I wasn't refering to Media Editor.  MP3Gain is a stand-alone program that is not part of Media Jukebox/Media Center.  I don't have the link for it but you can probably find where to download it with a Google search.

As MachineHead said, it can do batch gaining, but make back-ups of any files before you use it just in case things get messed up.

Also, AFAIK, you can't run MJ8 and MC9 at the same time.  When you install 9 it makes changes to the database that 8 can't handle.

Rob

[KingSparta]

http://download.com.com/3000-2025-10175552.html

[STEVE.S]

Thanks for the help

[Mastiff]

Sorry, I forgot to follow this thread... Yes, the clipping is the reason I stay away from normalization. I spoiled a bunch of cd rips (try normalizing Dire Straits' Private Investigation - the heavy guitar chords becomes pure noise and distortion!). My whole mp3 collection (20 000 + at the moment) is album MP3Gained to 88 db and sound perfect.  I back up everything, but I have never had problems with MP3Gain messing up anything.

[rocketsauce]

but I have never had problems with MP3Gain messing up anything.

Probably if you leave the MP3Gain settings at their default you won't have any problems.  I think a lot of people see the 89dB and think that it's not enough and fiddle around with them without really understanding the consequences of choosing a bad setting.  

Rob

Listening to: 'Don't Be Light (Mr. Oizo Remix)' from 'Everybody Hertz' by 'Air' on Media Center