Topic: How do you adjust the music volume using itunes?

[VANGUARD]

As we know, not all music is created equally. I have some music, no doubt, classical, that is not loud enough when at work compared to most music that I have.
iTunes "claims" that you can raise the volume. Been there, lots of times. Does it go up when iTunes is playing my song? yep. How about when I re convert it to an MP3? nope. I go to the itunes/music folder, see the new MP3s that have been created. any change? nope.
I have gone up 30%, 40%, even 100%, and not a change. volume still the same.

Anyone else have better luck than me?

[TechPro]

Have you gone into the iTunes Equalizer?  You can adjust the "Preamp" and the various frequency levels.  iTunes defaults on "Flat" which is (IMHO) very dull and unappealing.  I always adjust it to my liking (and according to the limitations of the speakers/headphones in use).


EDIT:  Have you also gone into the "Playback" section of the Preferences?   There are a couple settings that will impact your playback quality/volume/etc.

[VANGUARD]

I must be doing something wrong. everything sounds like it gets a touch louder, or quieter. but no luck when I convert it to an MP3 again.

Am I missing a step? doing the wrong thing? If you had an MP3 you wanted louder, how would you go about getting it louder, and to be in an MP3 format?

[Kaiaatzl]

iTunes probably applies some sort of compression when it's playing the file back but when it converts it it keeps it "pure".
I don't want to get all technical audio-engineery stuff so all I can really say is that significantly amplifying the volume of a track that's already peaking at 0 db, depending on how it's done, can either result in a lot of distortion or various "pumping" sounds -- known as overcompression.  I think iTunes does it in the latter way.

When music is left at a quieter volume like that, especially with classical music, it usually is a conscious decision to allow for more "dynamic range" -- the range between the louder and quieter parts of the song.  In short, it's probably what the composer or orchestra (depending on whether the composer was alive at a time to know about this technology ) intended.

[Matthew]

Are you listening on an iPod/iPhone or a generic?

[TechPro]

I must be doing something wrong. everything sounds like it gets a touch louder, or quieter. but no luck when I convert it to an MP3 again.

Am I missing a step? doing the wrong thing? If you had an MP3 you wanted louder, how would you go about getting it louder, and to be in an MP3 format?

As far as I know, iTunes doesn't let you alter the levels of a recording at all (as that would break any and all copyrights for any copyrighted material).  It only let's you change the levels your installation of iTunes uses for playback.  If you're trying to change the audio levels of the recorded file, you're going to have to use something else.

[VANGUARD]

makes perfect sense. you can cut the music in half, either at the starting position, or ending, or both, but you can't raise the volume to simply hear it better. only reason I am not fond of classical, hard to hear at work.

[Matthew]

iTunes is intended to be used as a dock program for an iPod, not as an all-purpose music conversion program. If you're not using it with an iPod, some features (most features) just won't work. Including sound leveling.

[VANGUARD]

I suppose that makes some sense. I have no ipod, iphone or any iAnything. Just the iMac.

[Foil]

There are some good apps out there for levelling the volume of .mp3s; foobar is one I've heard numerous good things about.

[Kaiaatzl]

I swear by Foobar.
I appeal to my own authority .

[VANGUARD]

I'm not seeing foobar for the iMac.

[-<WillyP>-]

Leveling is a pretty basic feature and I would think any program that can rip mp3's would be able to level existing tracks. Though, I wouldn't have a clue as to what is available on Mac.

[VANGUARD]

How about linux, like pclinuxos? I still have it, but something is dying. Laptop is getting bad.