increasing Audio levels in a CD

[alekei]

Hello

recently I bought a mini Hi-Fi to use it as a background music player.

When I select the TUNE option (radio) the volume is considerably higher than the CD option.

I would like to know if I can increase the audio levels of the cd in SoundForge without having peaks, because I did it just increasing the gain in the VOLUME tool, but I got too many peaks.

I would like to have the same volume level in the TUNE option as in the CD option.

Whan can you reccomend me?

Regards,

Alejandro.

 

[inspector_gizmo]

As far as I know, it really depends on the system itself. All of the systems that I own have the same issue as yours. I believe it also has to do with the fact that a CD can not go above 0 dB in level otherwise it will experience digital clipping while a radio operator can send a signal to their transmitter at something between 0 and +12dB. This is just my understanding of the situation, others may have a better idea.

If the situation is really bothering you, perhaps you could install a couple of resistors after the tuner in the radio, or install a limiter after the system before it goes to your sound console that way everything would be at the same level.

If you need any more advice, I'll keep an eye on this post, and I'm sure others will be able to put in their $.02. Best of luck.

 

[AVGuyAndy]

A well set compressor should do the trick.

 

[soundman1024]

I'm with Andy here. A well set compressor should do it. If you don't know how to set a compressor I'll see if I can give a quick rundown, though learning from experience will do loads more. The first thing to remember when you're setting a compressor is if you don't want it to be very audible that it is compressed, as it gives a "smashed" sound to the music. Most FM radio stations broadcast the music heavily compressed, and as a result when the song should get louder it just sounds like it got turned down. That is not the goal in most cases. In most cases you want to use the compressor to take the loudest parts of sound and make them not as loud so that you can turn everything else up. Typically the knobs on a compressor I worry about the most are the threshold, the ratio, and the attack. The threshold tells the compressor how loud the sound should be before it does anything. The ratio tells the compressor how much it should turn the signal down once it hits the threshold. The attack tells the compressor how long the audio has to be over the threshold before it takes effect. The threshold will be expressed in dB. The ratio will be expressed as 1:1.4 or 1:64 or something like that. The attack will be .2ms or something similar. It may be as high as 2000ms (2s) or more. There is no general setting for a compressor. Just play around with the knobs till you get what sounds right. Try to ensure it doesn't sound smashed.

Also just on a side note you said they were peaks. Are they short peaks, or are they loud areas of sound, followed by softer areas. If they are short peaks I would consider a limiter instead. A limiter is a specific kind of compressor with a 1:∞ (infinity). A limiter will get you a sound closer to what the radio uses, but it has its place where it is useful. As for adjusting it in SoundForge, I can't help you there because I haven't used it. If its a decent audio program it will have a compressor on it. If you don't find something under compressor it may be listed under dynamics also.

 

[jbeutt]

You can definitely do this in soundforge, which I would recommend far over using a live compressor. Sound effects generally just shouldn't have fx on them, they should come in the way they need to sound.
Sound forge will give you more options than a rack compressor will. I'd even consider going farther and using audition or protools, as I think you'll have even more control. But if sound forge is all you have, use it. As soundman said, it should be under dynamics.
If you combine compression with gain correctly, youre lower levels will come up and you won't get peaks at the louder points. Be warned, though, this could sound funny, because your doing just what it says: changing the dynamics. So where the music would/should naturally get lower, it doesn't.
The best, most appropriate solution to your problem, it seems, would be to replace the sound system you're using with someting that is simply louder. Then you maintain the integrity of the content, and can actually hear it.