i-Tunes - a bit of advice please

[admin_exported]

I'm still adding my CD colection to i-Tunes. My older CDs from the 80s and early 90s sound far quieter than the ones from around 2000 onwards. I have been ripping them in WAv then using the wave editor in Nero to adjust the volume. Sometimes this can be 6-8dB. I then convert to Apple Lossless. Will this have an adverse affect on sound quality? Is there a better way to go about this.

I have also some CD singles which I want to rip. I don't want to fill it up with hundreds of 2-4 track albums? I have thought of one large Various artists album called CD Singles for the primary track and an Album called B Sides for the other tracks. Any advice on a better way of doing this?

 

[John Duncan]

I wouldn't change the volume on the files at all, you're adding 'fake' volume which can only degrade the quality. I would rip directly to apple lossless in iTunes and then click 'Sound Check' in preferences, which adjusts volume on playback using a 'normalisation' tag in the file (ie doesn't change the file itself) - it will scan all your existing files to check their volume first, but subsequent ones will be checked on rip.

As for the compilations, rip all the CDs, select them all, then do 'Get Info' and check 'part of compilation' and give it an album name. The tracks will all then be regarded as one album.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks JD.

I'll see if I can find time this evening to do that. I've not ripped that many of the older cds. I wasn't looking forward to having to manually set the volume for each individual song for the best part of 1000 albums. That's why I've only just asked the question. I've been putting it off.

Does soundcheck raise the volume of quiet tracks or lower the volume of louder ones. I take it, it's like the equivalent of input adjustment on the AV amps?

 

[John Duncan]

I would guess it finds a mid point of all your songs and sets the average volume on all your tracks to that.