volume equalization

So after years of complaining about my music collection being all over the map in terms of volume, I'm running the whole thing through mp3gain right now. Some songs are being reduced as much as 12 dB. Others are being adjusted upward 3 or 5. With a spread of as much as 15 dB, it's no wonder I was constantly futzing with the volume knob. This should make it much more enjoyable.

I prefer ReplayGain tags and a compatible player (e.g., foobar2000) for that so the original data doesn't have to change (unless you want it to). Been using it for almost 20 years.

topshot rhit wrote:

I prefer ReplayGain tags and a compatible player (e.g., foobar2000) for that so the original data doesn't have to change (unless you want it to). Been using it for almost 20 years.

That's the problem, Apple stuff seems to ignore ReplayGain tags from what I've read.  Kind of ridiculous in 2021 that they don't.

For the most part, the changes are (claimed to be) completely reversible with no loss.

ChristTrekker wrote:

That's the problem, Apple stuff seems to ignore ReplayGain tags from what I've read.

foobar2000 claims to support it

topshot rhit wrote:

ChristTrekker wrote:

That's the problem, Apple stuff seems to ignore ReplayGain tags from what I've read.

foobar2000 claims to support it

Well butter my buns and call me a biscuit. I hadn't even thought to look if it had an iOS port. Maybe I'll check this out before going any further. Good thing I kept a backup of my music library.

Looks like the "analyze only" option in mp3gain is what I need to do to get the ReplayGain tag added but not alter the music data. Cool. So assuming I can get foobar2000 (or some other tag-respecting app) to work for me, I'm set.

Not sure how to get f2k to recognize the playlists I already have (from iTunes) though. I'd hate to have to recreate them all.

Is there a way to make f2k the default music player? Telling Siri to play an artist or playlist is easy and handsfree; I don't really want to give that up.

Or maybe use mp3gain to add the RG tag for apps that use it, and also run the rg2sc script afterward so I can keep using the Apple apps.

I'm about as anti-Apple as they come, but I bet someone on the hydrogenaudio boards can help with foobar app questions. I use foobar to do the RG scanning as well. Usually on desktop but the app can as well.

topshot rhit wrote:

I'm about as anti-Apple as they come, but I bet someone on the hydrogenaudio boards can help with foobar app questions. I use foobar to do the RG scanning as well. Usually on desktop but the app can as well.

I was an Apple fanboy 20+ years ago (back when it was "make great tech, focus on the user"), but not liking their corporate (or UX) direction these days. However I can't stand Windows tech, and as much as I dig the Linux world it still feels hodge-podged too often. (Maybe it's gotten better; it's been a few years since I've used it seriously beyond a command line.) But now that Apple gear is a totally closed system you can't even upgrade memory or drive in, driving the price far too high, I may just make the jump to Linux anyway.

I'd like to hear what people have to say about the Pinephone when that becomes a bit more popular.