Sound Level in Burning Through iTunes

Question

Sound Level in Burning Through iTunes

I have been noticing in the last year or so that there seems to be a difference in the output level of songs I buy on iTunes...As a result, when I burn them to cd's, the volume is recorded lower than other songs I've bought or imported from my cd collection and I have to keep adjusting the volume on playback to hear the lower songs..It doesn't just happen on quieter songs...Songs you expect to be loud, aren't....Does anyone else have this problem ??...Is there any plugin, application or script that would make iTunes burn cd's at the same output level so the songs playback at the same sound level ?

Thank you for knowledge in advance...

Rick

G3 Blue & White Mac OS X (10.4.7) 704 ram, Lacie Burner

Posted on Aug 16, 2006 4:52 PM

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Answer 1

ed2345

Level 9

63,602 points

Aug 16, 2006 8:47 PM in response to Rick Wiesenborn

This is a well-known flaw in iTunes CD burning software. There is an option that is supposed to correct it called Soundcheck - see Edit > Preferences > Advanced > Burning > "Use Soundcheck." But as you will hear, it does not actually do the job, and CDs burned with iTunes have that recognizable jumping around of volume levels. I do not know why Apple does not correct this problem; maybe somebody in this forum can help.

Windows XP

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Answer 2

Marty J

Level 4

3,020 points

Aug 16, 2006 9:01 PM in response to ed2345

"CDs burned with iTunes have that recognizable jumping around of volume levels"

???

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Answer 3

ed2345

Level 9

63,602 points

Aug 16, 2006 9:03 PM in response to Marty J

Most noticeable when the playlist includes both tracks originating in iTunes (Music Store or ripped from CD via iTunes) as well as tracks from other sources or ripped with other programs. Typically the iTunes-originated tracks sound softer on the CD. Anybody got any info on this?

Windows XP

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Answer 4

Aug 17, 2006 3:25 PM in response to ed2345

Thanks to all who stopped by with your input....To me, sound check is worthless...I used to have pretty good luck burning in Toast, but that was of course before they upgraded iTunes and it wouldn't work anymore 😟...again, anybody have a remedy ?

Rick

G3 Blue & White Mac OS X (10.4.7) 400, 704 ram, lacie burner, fantom ext HD

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Answer 5

NoName

Level 6

12,831 points

Aug 19, 2006 11:50 AM in response to Rick Wiesenborn

There isn't anything you can do to fix this problem. Apple's DRM is such that no non-Apple software is able to do anything to the files. You can't use MacMP3Gain, Toast (with volume normalization) or anything else to fix the volume levels, so you have to work with whatever iTunes offers, and that is limited to Sound Check.

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Answer 6

Aug 21, 2006 3:01 PM in response to NoName

Thanks for your response NoName, I guess that settles that...Lets hope Apple decide to fix this flaw in the future...Thanks again for your reply....

Rick

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Answer 7

Aug 23, 2006 8:13 PM in response to Rick Wiesenborn

I was having no probs with burning music and the volume level until the last 2 months or so. Not sure what has changed, except that I went to the latest OS from 10.3.9...

Burned a disk for a friend, he put it in his truck, and even cranked up to full volume, it simply isn't that loud.

Not sure why it did great before and now is burning so softly. I've tried it with and without sound check, not really any difference.

I'm currently trying toast as we speak to see if it will make any difference in volume levels.

One thing I also noticed tonight, was that playing back a disk that has continuous music like Pink Floyd or Neal Morse has that STUPID <1 sec pause when played from the computer, but doesn't have it when played back from a disk burned. I assumed the burned disk would have that pause. When is apple going to ever get rid of that annoying mandatory pause between songs?

good thread, hope they can/will fix all this someday.

Thanks

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Answer 8

Aug 24, 2006 3:30 PM in response to Texas_Man_Luvs_His_mac

Hey Texas, thanks for your comments....I look forward to any results you find..

Rick

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