Audio Normalization Answered

[McCrea]

This fix does not work on 2.1.0.

I hope others respond to this...

I shall preface by saying I am no expert. I only found the solution today, after Wikipedia explained to me that the effect we desire is not called normalization, it is called dynamic range compression. While I understand that the original method posted in this thread was accomplishing it via normalization, it is true that the effect we desire is not the purpose of normalization. Not being an expert, I would rather refer you to wikipedia than give my amateur understanding of the difference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_normalization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression

The settings for DRC can be found in both (ctrl-p) tools/preferences/audio/filters or more accessibly (because you can make live adjustments) throught the (ctrl-e) tools/effects/audio tab/compressor tab. However, I needed more specific instructions before I could make it work:

A nice set of step by step instructions on how to adjust DRC settings in VLC can be found here: http://lifehacker.com/5920290/how-to-fi ... eally-loud

I am ecstatic that I now can hear the silence, without cringing from the loudness.

Best of luck.

[loninappleton]

@Mc Crea



I will read the how to and try this soonest.

Is there any conflict with the settings previously described? I'm wondering if something cancels out something else.

Thanks for your efforts.

[McCrea]

@Mc Crea
Is there any conflict with the settings previously described? I'm wondering if something cancels out something else.

True, a proper experiment would begin by resetting all your current VLC Media Player preferences, which is done by (ctrl-p) tools/preferences and click "Reset Preferences" button, and "ok" the confirmation. So, before doing that we can see that some people would want to record some old settings, particularly in other categories, such as networking or video.

All I'm saying is that article worked for me, so it should work for others ... and all credit for effort goes to it's author, WHITSON GORDON, who extrapolated the procedure from a deep reddit thread.

[loninappleton]

Am I way off base by suggesting that the deep thread (which I just cleaned up to take up half the page count to print) be made into a manual entry for Documentation and support?

This Reddit/LPT post was news to me and has other info on hardware to fix the loudness problem for television/dvd players as well.

On the topic of hardware there is one thing I would add that is not a dbx box costing $300. This is a device for television made by the Terk (aka Audiovox the part number is the same) antenna people:


http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdet ... er=180-330

[loninappleton]

An update on audio Normalization and more importantly Compression.

http://lifehacker.com/5920290/how-to-fi ... eally-loud

This piece is very thorough and I am still experimenting with the settings. VLC has a section under Filters for Audio Compression which 1.) raises the Gain on quiet parts and 2.) lowers the threshold at which audio compression kicks in. In the two articles from Lifehacker, hardware is also discussed including devices for television sets.

They describe a hardware patch where an HDMI hookup can be made to the right kind of tv to use these techniques for
a stand alone tv set.

Also at the bottom of this LifeHacker piece is the link to Reddit for the full explanations. I printed these to paper to be able to study the text and make the adjustments to VLC.

[Kupotek]

Thank you!

[discman15]

I was so excited that this worked that I registered just to say this:

Sir, you are a saint, and every time I hear a conversation without hovering on the volume I will sing your praises.

[daaceking]

it doesn't work well enough. i've tried turning it up more but it doesn't seem to do what i want. what is it supposed to do? if you have several videos all different volumes, does it compensate for that or is it the sounds within one movie only?

[OldBoater]

In my opinion, it's far too many steps to simply "normalize volume" on output. It should work with only 1 step.

[NickGrouwen]

THANK YOU!! THIS DID IT FOR ME! The compressor thing never worked for me but this normalizing thing made a MASSIVE difference. I HATE it when I'm watching movies and trying to hear the speech and then all of a sudden the music hurts my ears. This really fixed it!

[MidnightCoder]

Anyone know if the audio normalization feature was improved in VLC 2.1? I saw the notes somewhere that said audio engine was changed completely in v.2.1 and wondering if normalization was redone/improved in v2.1?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

A bit improved in 2.1 and again in 2.2.

[MidnightCoder]

A bit improved in 2.1 and again in 2.2.

Are the improvements documented anywhere? I know of a few limitations in v1.1 and wondering these were addressed. Thanks.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Sorry, but there are too many changes on that part, since 1.1.x

[2mg]

I found out that putting a negative normalization value (-1,6 to -3,2) works as expander, as in brings lower sounds up, so if anyone needs that, there you go.

If you have unevenly loud songs, instead of making the loud one quiet (and then turning up your speakers or whatever), you can do the reverse without changing your usual volume!

[Boy2006]

yey i dont need to create a new tread for...
The Problem is in Movie the Sound is extrem Loud and the Voice is low.
For Music i dont need it. Its possible to make an Switch to de/activate it?

[rivermen123]

Thanks so much for this. I actually created an account and I was about to post a thread when I saw this one. Should be stickied. Do you know if this runs across all videos you play? That's the actual problem I'm having. I'll put on like 15 episodes of South Park or something when I go to sleep and one episode will end up having ridiculously loud volume and I have to get out of bed after sleeping for 3 hours to take the episode out. So does this just work to normalize the particular video you are watching at that time or does it normalize all the videos you have in your playlist to 1 solitary volume?

Thanks again,
awl19

Don't sleep with the TV on it's bad for you

[corlene]

Hi there, I am using mac, and I have vlc 2.2.4. I don't have the tools options. I do have a Preferences option, but under Audio there is no option for normalisation. Can you please help me?

[Imemine]

this is for a different version from 2012. the controls are different.

[springswood]

I had a problem with DVD playback where the volume was OK for effects but quiet for the English dialogue. Curiously not for the other languages available, French and German.
I found this fix via help at VSG:Audio:Normalization, however it didn't work in my case.
I found the solution was to change Audio - Stereo Mode from Original to Stereo. Unfortunately it reverts to Original each time I stop playback.

I'm running version 3.0.11 on a PC with Windows 10

[mederi]

I found the solution was to change Audio - Stereo Mode from Original to Stereo.

Thanks for the tip. I had similar experience with some 5.1 audio in the past. I could not make VLC to play it properly for me (volume normalizer, dynamic range compressor). I had to use some other player (like ffplay) that could play it well without any special settings. You can force the default stereo mode in VLC preferences (Tools > Preferences > Show settings=All > Audio: Stereo audio output mode [Stereo]; "Mono" is missing in the list, but it is possible to edit "vlcrc" file: stereo-mode=7).

[Konichiwa]

I was just wondering....

If VLC can remember where you left off on a file and ask you: "Do you want to resume playback where you left off?", then why can't VLC also remember the volume you selected for that same file?

How do you make such a suggestion to VLC developers? Remember "volume level" option.

[wonderboy2die4]

Does not help at all. In the playback window, the talking reach 1 bar and when I hear action it goes up to 5 bars. So I still have to play with the volume.

[84926173]

Thank you !
It works

[homtanks]

Yes It helps thank you very much....