MP3Gain Usage Guide

[LinkinJunior]

Well it seems my problem has disappear, after reformating the ipod the aac files with mp3gain leveling started to work again.

 

[Cloysterpeteuk]

I like to aacgain my files at 89db, then run them through vol boost @ 10% inc. I find this to be loud enough for me.

 

[shabbs]

I like to aacgain my files at 89db, then run them through vol boost @ 10% inc. I find this to be loud enough for me.

Why don't you just run aacgain at 97.9db (a 10% gain on 89db is 97.9db)?

 

[Cloysterpeteuk]

Because the default of 89db on mp3gain must be set low for a reason, anytime I go any higher it gives me nasty Y's all over the place to represent clipping. No idea what clipping is but it doesn't sound good.

And to change all the tracks would take hours.

 

[Anachronism]

I set my average to 94 DB, this seems closer to what most files are before I run them through mp3 gain. This way if I miss a file (with mp3 gain) chances are I won't get a huge volume increase when that song comes on.

If you use .par files to repair files downloaded from the internet make sure you run the pars before .mp3 gain. QuickPar sees the files as damged after mp3 gain gets through with them.

 

[aquatika]

Now, my next snafu is trying to boost the volume of my iPod a bit

Just use the volume slider in iTunes "Get Info" section, I use a 30 to 40 % boost.
It's not so fast as EuPod but at least it won't re-sync your whole library every time you connect the iPod.

For a mass volume boost just select all your songs and adjust them at the same time.

 

[Mike 2The D]

This may be a stupid question to some but do I have to normalize one album at a time or can I just point it to the folder with all my MP3's in it and then do the Album Analysis? and also what is the easiest way to reverse the changes?

Thanks in advance!

 

[aquatika]

The quickest way to reverse the changes is to select the Undo function found in the Modify Gain menu.

MP3Gain will adjust multiple albums at the same time, I'm not sure if the songs have to be seperated into seperate album folders or not though (mine are). Thats something you'll have to try out for yourself if all your files happen to be in one folder.

To enable MP3Gain to read the sub-folders with-in a main folder, ensure that the Add Sub-folders option is ticked in the Options menu.

 

[aquatika]

A note about AACGain

A nice gentleman called Dave Lasker has adapted MP3Gain so that it now functions with iTunes AAC files but not iTMS DRM AAC (or, in plain english, iTunes music store files).

To use it, just install MP3Gain as normal then download the most recent version of AACGain from here

Extract the files and you'll find a small .exe file called aacgain this .exe file has to be renamed to mp3gain and then placed into the MP3Gain program folder (replacing the existing mp3gain .exe file).

You can now use MP3Gain to adjust both MP3 and AAC files using the same procedure as before.

Please read this disclaimer from the MP3Gain website

The new AAC part of mp3gain is experimental. It's simply newer, so problems are still being found (and fixed). Use it at your own risk, and I'd suggest backing up your files first.

 

[musicology]

Hi,
Im new here so be gentle with me!
I have downloaded mp3gain and aacgain but am not sure what to do next.
I extracted the files and there was only a read file and another file which I presume is the aacgain.exe
I then renamed that file as mp3gain.exe and moved it into the mp3gain folder that I created.

I have tried to use mp3gain on my files in the itunes library but it doesnt recognise any of them.

If I use add files the files of type box only shows "MP3 files/lists (*.mp3, *.m3u)" or "All files"
There is no option for AAC

Can someone tell me where Im going wrong??
Please!!!

Thanks

 

[pufftissue]

Does eupod 88 db + 10% boost = mp3 gain at 97?

You can accomplish everything with mp3gain that you can with eupod, right?

Also, if I mp3 gain at 97 vs 89, for example, I no longer have to turn the volume up as high when listening. Does this mean I save battery this way? I suspect NO, but someone tell me for sure please.

Thank you

 

[aquatika]

musicology,

Ensure that you placed the re-named mp3gain.exe file into the actual MP3Gain folder (probably located in C:\Program Files).

Then try dragging and dropping your files into the MP3Gain window.

pufftissue,

MP3Gain and EuPod are very different, MP3Gain will actually change the volume (or Gain) of your music files while EuPod just instructs the iPod to play them back louder, the files remain unchanged.

Adjusting your files with MP3Gain to 97db will probably introduce distortion to your music. That's why it's better to keep the MP3Gain value low (maybe no higher than 92db) and then increase the iPod volume with EuPod, iTunes or GoPod (GoPod is for EU volume limited iPods only).

To answer your question an 88db + a 10% boost with EuPod will not be the same as a 98db file adjusted with MP3Gain. The 98db MP3Gain file will likely have lots of distortion.

If you use MP3Gain at the default (89db) and then increase the volume with EuPod or iTunes (I prefer iTunes as EuPod is buggy and not being developed any more as the creator has lost interest) you may get a very slight battery life improvement but nothing worth shouting about. Maybe only minutes.

I hope that's all clear enough.

 

[musicology]

aquatika,

Ensure that you placed the re-named mp3gain.exe file into the actual MP3Gain folder (probably located in C:\Program Files).

Yep, thats what I did.

Then try dragging and dropping your files into the MP3Gain window.

Thanks for the reply.
Sorry but which files are you referring to and what do you mean by MP3Gain window?

These are the main files in the mp3gain folder:
mp3gain GUI
mp3gain (volume normalizer)
mp3gain.exe (aacgain Altos design) thats the renamed file

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[aquatika]

By the MP3Gain window I mean drag and drop into the GUI once it's opened.

By files I mean your music files that you want to adjust, what else

If you have time please post what exactly you have done so far from when you first installed MP3Gain. Your posts are a bit vague.

I don't understand what you mean by "you presume" that the other file was the aacgain.exe, there should be no doubt as that is the actual file name.

 

[musicology]

If you have time please post what exactly you have done so far from when you first installed MP3Gain. Your posts are a bit vague.

Ok, I downloaded mp3gain and set up the folder in C:\Program files.
Then extracted the files from aacgain, renamed the aacgain.exe as mp3gain.exe and dropped in the mp3gain folder.
I then ran mp3gain selected add files and went to the i-tunes music folder to select the files but am unable to select any aac files as this option is not showing in the file type drop down.

If I want to select mp3s its fine, it just wont recognise aac files.

Im not sure whatelse I can tell you?

What files should be showing in the mp3gain folder?

Thanks for your patience.

 

[musicology]

aquatika,
Ive worked out what the problem was and I feel kinda embarrased!
Anyway, its all working now.

Thanks for your help.

 

[aquatika]

Glad you got it sorted.

If you don't mind (nobody will laugh at you here, we've all had those kind of problems) could you post what the trouble was as it could help somebody else out in the future. Sometimes the obvious is not always so clear.

Many thanks

 

[musicology]

As you tried to help me aquatika I will spill the sad beans!!

This should give you a clue;

These are the main files in the mp3gain folder:
mp3gain GUI
mp3gain (volume normalizer)
mp3gain.exe (aacgain Altos design) thats the renamed file

Spot the mistake??

I have two mp3gain executable files, but the renamed aac one was not recognised as I had named it mp3gain.exe as opposed to just mp3gain (as its already an exe file!)

There should have been a file conflict but the exe addition to the name prevented that, so the file was just redundant.
I hope Im making sense. Anyway by removing the exe part of the name and replacing the original mp3gain file sorted it.

I wont tell you what I do for a living!

One last question, will the files on my ipod be updated when I connect or do I have to erase all the files on the ipod and then update?

Thanks

 

[aquatika]

I think I see what you did, the file was named mp3gain.exe.exe or something similar, right.

Easy mistake.

After adjusting your files you'll have to re-load all your music to the iPod as iTunes won't recognize that you have change the files and so won't update anything on your iPod.
It's a nice opportunity to upgrade to the latest firmware if you want that sort of thing or just to do a full restore and start fresh.

If you want to keep everything as is in iTunes, just select all your music in iTunes and add something like "MP3Gain adjusted" into the comments box for all files. Then when you connect the iPod next everything will be updated without having to erase your iPod.

 

[musicology]

aquatika,
Thanks for the reply.

I already have the latest firmware, so your last option of selecting all filesland adding something in notes sounds perfect.
I didnt realise that would cause ipod when connected to update all aspects of each file, so many thanks for the tip.

Is there any downside to choosing this option or to put it another way, any benefits to restoring the ipod and re-loading all files?