From: Kevin Tarr <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I know the underlying science for representing analog sound in a digital format but I'm missing something important. More than a few new and older* CDs are quiet. *(Stuff originally recorded back in the 70s, i.e. not new music). If I go from the radio to a CD, I have to turn the volume up to get the same (seemingly) sound level. This is in many cars, or home players. That may be bad example; but I also notice different sound levels when I take songs from different CDs and make my own collection.
I don't know how the radio stations keep the volume level relatively constant
between songs (I'm guessing the guy operating the equipment does it partially
by hand, or at least used to before modern digital equipment), but definitely
different CD's are recorded at different volume levels...
The CD .wav->.mp3 batch conversion script I use has a setting to normalize every song
to around 75% so of max volume, which helps a lot in keeping the levels constant
on my mp3's and mix CD's.
So the question: is there a reason this is so? Do they figure on better sound reproduction if the amplifier is producing the volume, rather than the source? Or is it to have more head room, space for loud crashes? Something else?
My guesses:
- With less noise on CD's (vs tapes/albums), the music doesn't need to be as loud to
be heard over that noise.
- Less noise (and arguably better modern stereo equipment) also allows for a greater
usable dynamic range for the music (ie: more head room as you say).
- There's probably no standard, so the level for any given CD might just by what the producer/sound engineer chose it to be.
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