reference level for audio CD.

[Yamahaluver]

<font color='#0000FF'>I have a request to all recording studios; why not incorporate a reference level signal tone in all the CDs mastered by them. Point is that unlike DVDs, there is no absolute set reference level standards for audio CDs. Ideally one takes a SPL meter and sets it at 83db at ?C? weighting, this is with a reference pink noise test tone of -20db. Sadly none or few CDs in the market are mastered for this standard and when you pop the CD in, either it is too loud or too soft, making it a pain to adjust the level of volume. By giving a test tone calibrated to the volume of the original recording would facilitate us in setting up the volume to either reference level or to our taste. This technique has been employed by tape recorders for quite sometime and I feel that the time for it has come to CDs too.</font>

 

[Audioholics]

<font color='#000080'>The problem is that everyone uses different mastering houses, all under the direction of different record companies... so to come up with what you are asking is akin to asking averyone to agree on some sort of mastering standard.

I am doubtful they would be interested.

I also think the issue is not so much one of reference level, but of compression and normalization as described by this article.</font>

 

[Yamahaluver]

<font color='#0000FF'>By giving their own reference tone on the CD they manufacture, they dont have to come to any agreement, and this will enable the customer to set his voume level properly.

Thanks for the link their, some good reading.</font>

 

[EdHeath]

<font color='#000000'>It's easy to confuse "reference level' and 'dynamic bandwidth'. &nbsp;Digital media are capable of a very broad dynamic range, and recording studios use different widths. Audiophile recordings are generally capable of, and regularly use, a broader range, which could easily be confused with a higher reference level.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ed</font>

 

[Dan Banquer]

<font color='#000000'>From what I understand from recording engineers is that there really is no standard. Bob Katz, put out an AES paper proposing that audio standards be nearly the same as video standards, ( the paper is quoted heavily in "Current Trends in the Recording Format Arena" ) To date the rest of the music industry has essentially ignored it.
Maybe this is another factor in why CD sales are going down.</font>

 

[av_phile]

<font color='#000000'>Now I understand why compiling my favouriites fron different CDs into a single CD-R, i get different volume levels when playing the CD-R, &nbsp;Very inconvinient as i have to bring the volume up or down for some titles in that compilation.</font>

 

[Yamahaluver]

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>

av_phile : <font color='#000000'>Now I understand why compiling my favouriites fron different CDs into a single CD-R, i get different volume levels when playing the CD-R,  Very inconvinient as i have to bring the volume up or down for some titles in that compilation.</font>

<font color='#0000FF'>You can use EAC and dump the tracks and equalize them with a program like Goldwave.</font>

 

[av_phile]

<font color='#000000'>Thanks Yamahaluver,  will look into the EAC one of these days. Is it the same the NERO software.  Am just starting to navigate through it.  

Thanks</font>

 

[Yamahaluver]

<font color='#0000FF'>In terms of audio extraction and burning EAC rules and is the only software to incorporate player/burner offset correction as well as extremely good extraction modes like paranoia which has the best error correction feature.

Check it out at www.exactaudiocopy.de</font>

 

[av_phile]

<table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>

Yamahaluver : <font color='#000000'>In terms of audio extraction and burning EAC rules and is the only software to incorporate player/burner offset correction as well as extremely good extraction modes like paranoia which has the best error correction feature.

Check it out at www.exactaudiocopy.de</font>

<font color='#000000'>Thanks for the info. &nbsp;Have download the zip file.</font>

 

[Yamahaluver]

<font color='#0000FF'>Great now all you have to do is set the offsets of your reader and burner and you are in business.</font>

 

[rsn]

<font color='#000000'>There are standards, but because of over compression, they are almost meaningless.

The standard for CD is Zero. Full level on one CD is exactly the same as full level on any other CD.

Unlike analog tape where the reference can be 0, +4, +6, +8 and the playback machine has to be adjusted, there is no difference.

For video and televesion the reference is -20 (some post houses use -22 or -18, but the difference is slight). This reference is strictly adhered to.

But, as you have noticed, they use more compression on the commercials so that they sound louder. The level at the transmitter or cable feed is exactly the same, but the compression makes it sound louder.

You come up with a reference and someone will find a way around it.

Roger</font>