Replay Gain & MMA

[RickMM]

I'm trying to understand how volume leveling works in MMW/MMA. I have a number of ripped CDs where the volume is significantly lower than the rest of my collection and I'm trying to use REplay Gain to fix it. I don't want to alter my original FLAC music files so the tagging approach is appealing. I have managed to get Replay Gain working on my PC based MMW. I have searched the user manuals and forum but I still have a few unresolved questions about Analyze Volume/Replay Gain.

1) Does MMA support Replay Gain? The user manual doesn't explicit state this, only that it's

an excellent approach for PC-based players,

Replay Gain
This is the most standardized approach to volume leveling, providing a comprehensive approach for all audio formats without impacting audio fidelity. Replay Gain implementations use a multi-phase approach: first track volumes are analyzed and the resulting coefficient is saved to the track's tag (Track gain). Then after all tracks on an Album have been analyzed, a single coefficient is saved for all tracks on the album (Album gain). Then, during playback, the Album or Track gain tag is read and the player adjusts the volume up or down accordingly (Album gain is preferable for playing an entire Album and preserving the inter-track volume variances encoded in the original album, while Track gain is preferred for playing a playlist of tracks from various sources). This is an excellent approach for PC-based players, but is limited because many portable devices do not support Replay Gain tags, and thus when tracks are synced to a device, the volume will vary.

2) If the answer to 1) is yes, how do you switch it on in MMA? The user manual only discusses the PC based player

MediaMonkey supports Replay Gain analysis and playback (per Track and per Album via 'Analyze Volume' and 'Level Playback Volume').

[Lowlander]

Did you enable Level Volume in the Options in MMA?

[RickMM]

Did you enable Level Volume in the Options in MMA?

Yes.

So I can assume that MMA does support Replay gain?

[Lowlander]

I'm not sure if this requires MMW to MMA sync to work. It may rely on MMW directly supplying Track Volume to MMA.

[RickMM]

Another question....For some tracks I want to remove the levelling coefficient attached to the track in MMW. What is best practice? I recall reading in another topic that you could use a preset in RegExp Find & Replace

[Erwin Hanzl]

For some tracks I want to remove the levelling coefficient attached to the track in MMW.

Addon "Clear Field 1.3"
https://www.mediamonkey.com/addons/brow ... ear-field/

Field: Leveling
Field: LevelingAlbum

[RickMM]

For some tracks I want to remove the levelling coefficient attached to the track in MMW.

Addon "Clear Field 1.3"
https://www.mediamonkey.com/addons/brow ... ear-field/

Field: Leveling
Field: LevelingAlbum

Well that worked, thanks . I only cleared "Leveling" as there was no value for the Album volume coefficient.

[RickMM]

follow up question:- allot of my flac files ripped from old 80s/90s CDs sound much lower than from more recently ripped CDs. I was wanting to use Analyse Volume to generally increase the flac volumes for selected tracked but it didn't have the desired outcome, some files/tracks the coefficient went up and some other went down. If I increase the default 89dB setting under Tools->Options->Volume Leveling->Level Playback Volume to: to say 91/93dB then re-run Analyse Volume will that trick the software into applying a higher positive track coefficent? Are they any recommendations/notes Level Playback Volume?

[Lowlander]

No, it calculates an offset, thus the offset changes along with the change in dB.

You can manually adjust the dB value for Track Volume by doing an in-line edit in the File Listing (not possible in Properties). Also make sure you use per Track as playback method in MMW (only affects MMW).

[Peke]

Hi,
If you have already analyzed volume you only need to increase Playback volume to less than 96db and you should hear them played in higher volume.

Even talked many time before on various Audiophile forums (not just on MM) let me explain it again. ALL 80s/90s CDs have much better dynamic range than current CDs due the fact that they were produced to preserve all the dynamic range of music according to RED Book of CD recording it is 89db allowing the rest of high end further expand and polish the sound, resulting much clear and better sound for higher end of listening experience. Today production due the majority of music is played over phone speakers or lower quality demands that all frequencies are flat lined with compression and floored to the limit 0db (-0.3db) range.

It can be even heard on LQ YouTube Audio (which I guess you already know):
OLD Dynamics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGpFcHTxjZs
NEW Dynamics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNYGLMQxZ64

Even Live sounds more Dynamic than remixed compressed one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbmiyLe2OnY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR49dyo-y0E
With compressed sound you can't hear exact vibrations of singers vocal cords and voice quality, all is masked behind post production.

NOTE: I have both tracks in HQ FLAC Audio 24/96 and when played on my Audio Technica ATH-M70x at High volume on quality Headphone AMP using ASIO bit perfect Optical decoding Original one sounds so clear and dynamic over new that sounds flat all over the ranges. But that is my subjective opinion.

[RickMM]

Thanks Peke for the history lesson.

I have a few more questions:-

If you have already analyzed volume you only need to increase Playback volume to less than 96db and you should hear them played in higher volume.

what if I haven't Analysed Volume per track (or have done it but then removed/deleted the values per track)?

I listen to most of my music from my phone these days, will the new higher playback volume setting in MMW sych across to my MMA app on my phone?

[Peke]

Hi,
My plesure, most of newer sound better on phone speakers, but I still like old style where whole dynamics are present and there is now post processing and Auto tune to anyone sound like he/she knows how to sing. I gues syou already knew that but maybe someone else will read and learn something.

No, MMA ATM is hard locked on 89db (MMA 2.0 should change that) if track contain Analyzed index then it ill be leveled if not then ...

MMA and MM are to separate apps and do not share that info/settings.

[RickMM]

No, MMA ATM is hard locked on 89db (MMA 2.0 should change that) if track contain Analyzed index then it ill be leveled if not then ...

Has MMA 2 been enhanced to address this?

[Peke]

Hi,
Not yet, editing Gain target is not customizable.