getting same volume for tracks to be burned

[jimscds]

How can I get the same volume or peak level (that I could set) for any number of tracks? I currently balance tracks for CD's using a program inside a burner program. Trouble is I am only balancing the number of tracks for that particular CD. I have 2 CD mega-changers and want to make the listening volume the same for all tracks on all CD's - any help appreciated. I intend to create 700 CD's from my collection maximizing the available time per CD (80 min +-). Why put a 30 min CD in the changer when I can have up to 80 min? I am using DC5.

[Craig Maier]

Re: getting same volume for tracks to be burned

Here is one method that you can use. Bring up the first track in your songlist in Diamond Cut. Goto the "CD Prep" menu and click on "Gain Normalize". The software will find the peak signal in the wavefile and adjust the overall system gain referenced to that value and then it will re-write the file. Next, repeat this process on each of the remaining files in your songlist. That should do it.

[Tony_Bridge]

Re: getting same volume for tracks to be burned

That'll ensure that every track hits zero. But Normalizing won't (necessarily) make every track sound the same level - professional Mastering Engineers never ever use Normalizing [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Tony

[Craig Maier]

Re: getting same volume for tracks to be burned

Tony,

I agree, but that is me. I think that the material will not sound "natural" from one cut to the next if this is done on music having varying content. But, some people want to do this so we provide the tools to do so. Probably a better thing to do would be to calculate the average power spectral density over an entire cut and normalize to that or to use your own ear(s) to determine the correct gain for each cut. The pro's use the latter method, relying on their experience and sense of the art of music.

[Tony_Bridge]

Re: getting same volume for tracks to be burned

'use your own ear to determine the correct gain' - absolutely! Or even both! I always quote the 'Harpsichord' example: if you peak that to zero, you'll blow your speakers... about -6 would be a place to start.

I know users always ask for Normalize, but I don't understand why, as even an album of music by the same band recorded on the same day will have varying degrees of 'loudness' which will be 'ironed' out by Normalizing. But your suggestion of 'spectral intensity' is intriguing and one I'm going to investigate further.

Tony

[Craig Maier]

Re: getting same volume for tracks to be burned

Power spectral density is something akin to RMS except that the units are energy per root Hertz.

SPD is proportional to ((f1^2, f2^2, f3^2,- - -fn2)-1/2)/(fn - f1)-1/2