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[brucemck2]

When ripping a redbook CD to FLAC there's an option to "normalize to 95%"

What exactly does this do?

Is it, other than a volume adjustment, audible?  (Others have told me that there would be a loss of resolution.)

[Peter_T]

The way I understand it, normalizing wouldn't give you a loss in resolution, but would change the original file... a lot of hard-cores want a lossless codec to be able to reproduce the original waveform exactly (i.e. a bit-perfect copy). 

If the volume is changes then the bits have changed, and decoded waveform will be different than the original.  But it's not a loss of resolution.

[Matt]

We recommend ripping without normalizing, and then using the superior Replay Gain system built into Media Center to handle volume levelling at playback time.

It may be time to remove the normalize option on rip, although some users may still like it?

[brucemck2]

Matt, I recently switched from XP to Vista. 

Under XP I used the replay gain and it worked very well; under XP I noticed no degradation in sound quality.  It was/is a very high quality gain control.

Under Vista when I use replay gain I notice a pretty large degradation in sound quality.

I've tried setting MC12 to 24/96 and the Vista to 24/96, and, I've tried MC12 at 16/44 with Vista at 16/44.  I'm driving a USB to Coax converter (from Empirical Audio) and that didn't change with the OS change.

Perhaps I'm missing something?

[rjm]

We recommend ripping without normalizing, and then using the superior Replay Gain system built into Media Center to handle volume levelling at playback time.

It may be time to remove the normalize option on rip, although some users may still like it?

I vote to get rid of it. Users who do not understand implications may do unnecessary damage to their music.

[brucemck2]

Matt, I recently switched from XP to Vista. 

Under XP I used the replay gain and it worked very well; under XP I noticed no degradation in sound quality.  It was/is a very high quality gain control.

Under Vista when I use replay gain I notice a pretty large degradation in sound quality.

I've tried setting MC12 to 24/96 and the Vista to 24/96, and, I've tried MC12 at 16/44 with Vista at 16/44.  I'm driving a USB to Coax converter (from Empirical Audio) and that didn't change with the OS change.

Perhaps I'm missing something?

bump

[Matt]

Under Vista when I use replay gain I notice a pretty large degradation in sound quality.

That's hard to understand.  Could you describe the sound quality problem?

Replay Gain is a simple 32-bit attenuation (multiply by a scalar) so it shouldn't change the quality of the sound.  Are the "Total change" values reported in DSP Studio reasonable?

If the level output from the computer is too low, it's possible you'll have to turn your amp or speakers up more which could introduce more noise.  I'd make sure all the volume sliders (Vista has a system and application slider, and also DSP optional effects) are high enough.

[brucemck2]

There is a loss of "air", "sparkle", and "clarity" ... sort of "muffled".  Not tinny or harsh, just muffled.  Sort of like putting several layers of gauze over a speaker.

I believe I have all the Vista effects turned off, and, all the sliders at 100% volume.  Maybe I missed one?