Adjusting mp3 volume

[Lee Schierer]

I have quite a few mp3 music files that I like to play in my shop and in my vehicles when I'm listening to music. These files came from a number of different CD's so the playing volume of each varies considerably. I know that the play volume is embedded in the file of each recording. Is there a way that I can alter the volume of all the files to play at the same level, without having to adjust the volume on the playing device for each one?

[Bob McBreen]

You need a music editor app that works with .MP3 files and has the "Normalize" feature.

[Roger Feeley]

I have the same challenge. Surely there is an open source something out there. There’s a system from Adobe but you have to pay a pretty steep monthly fee.

I want to do two things:
1. Adjust volume
2. I want to combine multiple mp3s back into albums. I just can’t imagine Dark Side of the Moon as singles.

[Lee Schierer]

You need a music editor app that works with .MP3 files and has the "Normalize" feature.

Suggestions??

[roger wiegand]

Audacity is a great, free music editor that works on many OS platforms. I don't know if you can bulk process files with it, but I wouldn't be surprised. It will do almost anything you can imagine with audio files of all formats.

Apple music (nee iTunes) has (or used to have, anyway) on the Mac version a feature that will normalize the volume of all the MP3s in your music library.

There are third party apps that do this as well. I think all are pretty slow (as in many days to process a reasonable music library), as they need to completely reprocess every MP3, there's not a simple volume control.

[Marc Fenneuff]

Media Monkey will do this and save the volume as metadata in the file. You can select multiple files and normalize them all.

[Lee DeRaud]

For batch use, I've been using MP3Gain for years:
http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/

It's best feature is that it understands the concept of 'album': it will maintain the relative volume of cuts within an album, while normalizing one album to another.

(Make sure to read the note regarding "MP3Gain PRO", as that is a completely different program.)

[Thomas McCurnin]

A MP3 Juke Box application is perfect for this. I happen to use Media Monkey. It rips CDs, burns CDs, converts CDs to mp3 or other formats, and yes normalizes the files. It is free, but the paid version is only $30 and has more features.

[Rafael Herrera]

For batch use, I've been using MP3Gain for years:
http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/

It's best feature is that it understands the concept of 'album': it will maintain the relative volume of cuts within an album, while normalizing one album to another.

(Make sure to read the note regarding "MP3Gain PRO", as that is a completely different program.)

I've also used mp3gain to equalize my mp3 collection, although since I use Linux, I used a script that walked through all the folders and files in my collection, many thousands of files. Depending on your platform and collection size, try to determine if you can perform the equalizing task as a batch process, manually selecting files or folders is very tedious.

[Lee DeRaud]

I've also used mp3gain to equalize my mp3 collection, although since I use Linux, I used a script that walked through all the folders and files in my collection, many thousands of files. Depending on your platform and collection size, try to determine if you can perform the equalizing task as a batch process, manually selecting files or folders is very tedious.First time I did it (years ago), I believe I just selected the top-level folder and went off to have lunch while it was running. That was for 600 or so discs...since then I just run it on the new ones as they get ripped, before I move them onto the NAS.

[Michael Drew]

For batch use, I've been using MP3Gain for years:
http://mp3gain.sourceforge.net/

It's best feature is that it understands the concept of 'album': it will maintain the relative volume of cuts within an album, while normalizing one album to another.

(Make sure to read the note regarding "MP3Gain PRO", as that is a completely different program.)

I use this as well for my MP3 files I keep on a thumb drive for my vehicles. Seems to work fine, but I do not use the default gain target. I bump it up to about 94db. If useing the default level, I have to crank the volume control nearly to the max to hear songs/cds.

I have not tried using the album function, only by song. Have you tried both and prefer the album gain over song?

[Lee DeRaud]

I use this as well for my MP3 files I keep on a thumb drive for my vehicles. Seems to work fine, but I do not use the default gain target. I bump it up to about 94db. If useing the default level, I have to crank the volume control nearly to the max to hear songs/cds.

I have not tried using the album function, only by song. Have you tried both and prefer the album gain over song?I like the album gain because it keeps the balance between songs on the album consistent with the original: some tracks on an album are supposed to be louder.

I've never had a problem with the volume being too low with the default setting, in fact I set my default down a couple dB to eliminate clipping. Methinks you need either a better amp or a quieter car. :)

[Michael Drew]

I like the album gain because it keeps the balance between songs on the album consistent with the original: some tracks on an album are supposed to be louder.

I've never had a problem with the volume being too low with the default setting, in fact I set my default down a couple dB to eliminate clipping. Methinks you need either a better amp or a quieter car. :)

Thanks, I'll give that function a try on the next batch of CDs I rip.

The vehicle is a 2019 Ram Limited 1500. It's stereo is plenty loud enough, till I drive with the windows open on a sunny day...... My car on the other hand.....barley street legal vette, and my head rings after an hour in it.

[Jim Allen]

A MP3 Juke Box application is perfect for this. I happen to use Media Monkey. It rips CDs, burns CDs, converts CDs to mp3 or other formats, and yes normalizes the files. It is free, but the paid version is only $30 and has more features.

I tried MM and it seems to work well adjusting the volume, but I don't know how to copy the converted playlist to my thumb drive.

[Jim Allen]

I tried MM and it seems to work well adjusting the volume, but I don't know how to copy the converted playlist to my thumb drive.


I tried the other recommended software on the usb drive in stead of the hard drive, it also worked fine.