Here's an easy one (DSP question)

**ummagawd** · 08-02-2005, 04:08 PM

First - which do you all use to make that MP3 sound enriched and live?
2 - When you install the DSP... is it a set it and forget it deal? Or do you have to enable it each time you start RR?

3 - I tried a "volume" normalizer plug in (i forget the name) and it didn't do squat. The louder MP3's were super loud... and the softer ones still played low. Can someone recommend a good normalizer DSP?

Lastly... can more than 1 DSP be used at the same time?

Is there a DSP that will normalize levels while making it sound super good all in one?

**J187** · 08-02-2005, 04:20 PM

What you should do is go to nullsoft and checkout a bunch of the ones offered there for yourself. I don't have any personal experience to recommend one for you, but I have found plugins to be such a personal preference thing, that I just download and try them for myself then delete the ones that suck. Most of them should stay activated when you select them in winamp, then load winamp w/ RR. The only one I have used is DFX 7 and I can tell you, it stays active. I didn't do very much with it, but it looked nice.

**guino** · 08-02-2005, 07:03 PM

The DSP settings should not need to be messed with every time you start RR.. (should be a set it and forget it as you so put it).. I am not a big fan of normalizer plugins but I know some work, but you'll have to try them yourself..

There are DSP MIXER plugins that allow you to select multiple DSP plugins to apply effect simultaneously to the same audio output.

I don't know any names specifically but there's even a Free 250 Band Equalizer available for those who are really picky about sound quality.

**mgithens** · 08-03-2005, 06:28 PM

tomsteady was a plugin that I used to use, it is still floating around on the web... it was a set it and leave it app... it works well...

**arebelspy** · 12-02-2005, 02:31 AM

I've got a problem where my mp3s aren't loud enough (none of them) even when wave and master are at 100%, whereas my xm radio is loud (but i use the customized matchvol by andy to make my line in about 70% of the master to make it match), and my movies are SUPER loud (louder at 30% than my mp3s are at 100%).

I know it could have to do with various issues (encoding on the movies, encoding o the mp3s, etc), but what's weird is ALL my movies are loud, and all my mp3s are soft.

Oh and when it speaks GPS directions it's super loud and when NaviVoice speaks it's super loud.

But my mp3s are soft.

So anyways this is one of a few threads my searches turned up as semi relevant. Is the easiest solution to use some sort of plugin to boost my mp3 volumes on fly? (I don't have to use a program to reencode all of them louder individually do I? Even a batch program to do them all at once would be a hassle and take forever.)

If yes, what's the recommended plugin? If no, what's the recommended solution?

-arebelspy

**_dopehead_** · 12-02-2005, 03:36 AM

Sounds more like you have the volume slider in winamp way down, this will make them sound lower even if wave and master are at 100%, and will make everything else sound much louder.

**guino** · 12-02-2005, 11:03 AM

You should try a different OUTPUT plugin in Winamp -- it's that set and forget deal... try switching between DirectSound and WaveOut.. typically MP3 volume is about 50% louder than Videos... for me at least... so I leave my Winamp volume normally at half and everything else at 100%.. so I can go into Video at about the same volume..

**arebelspy** · 12-05-2005, 06:00 PM

Awesome, that was it.. for some reason winamp after the install set its volume slider to 1% or something ridiculous like that and since I never see it cause RR hides it, I had no idea.. now I have it set to 50% and it's about the same as videos, which is to say super loud (so instead of haing my mp3s play at 100% i can play them at 35-40% and it's loud enoguh to hear over road noise). Thanks guys for the help with the supid question.

-arebelspy

**wysocki** · 12-05-2005, 08:47 PM

I use DFX and it's doing a great job on my mp3's. I still haven't been able to figure out how to get XM to use the linein plugin but that's another thread.

I gave up on sound leveling plugins because I liked to hear dynamic range on a given track. However, some of my mp3's were recorded at varying levels overall and that was an issue until I found MP3Gain. It can losslessly adjust gain on a single mp3 or you can give it your whole collection to analyze. It determines the average level of all of them and adjusts them all to the same overall level. The latest version of MP3Gain can be found at http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/