Make MP3 file louder

[quadrplax]

Is there any way I can make an MP3 file louder? I tried MP3Gain (which I actually use frequently for leveling audio files) and it capped at 105.9dB, which isn't loud enough and the quality starts to degrade. I tried messing around a lot in Audacity, trying normalize and amplify, but they seemed to do nothing (I could use amplify to make it quieter if I wanted to). The only thing that kind of worked was increasing the Gain in the Bass/Treble effect, which made it sound completely terrible. I'm doing this for an outdated device (iPAQ 210 with Windows Mobile 6) so I doubt I can do anything to the device to make it louder. Help?

 

[3D Jed]

In Audacity, go Effect, Equalization and use the center 'blip' to drag the whole line upwards. Click OK. Save as mp3. See pic

 

[quadrplax]

It still has the same terrible audio problem. I tried doing normalize first, since that makes the bars smaller first, then doing equalizer, but still had terrible audio problem. My bars look a lot different than yours. Top is before and bottom is after.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I don't think Audacity can "undo" a poorly recorded mp3. If it was originally recorded at too low or too high a level, it may not be correctable. You'd have clipping distortion if recorded too hot or background noise if recorded too low.

I'd try to re-record or find another version of the same file if possible. Otherwise, you can fiddle around at the margins with equalizer settings or noise reduction tools, but I wouldn't expect miracles.

Those wave forms generally look bad to me---overloaded, banging against the ceiling.

 

[quadrplax]

That's interesting, I got my songs by downloading them from YouTube with clipconverter.cc and it looks like that is the only song that even makes it halfway to the top. I'll try getting the same song from another video.

EDIT: Leveling the volume to 89.0dB (from 103) in MP3Gain makes the bars not ridiculously tall
EDIT2: Equalization only lets me get back to the original volume before getting terrible quality

 

[ignatzatsonic]

That's interesting, I got my songs by downloading them from YouTube with clipconverter.cc and it looks like that is the only song that even makes it halfway to the top. I'll try getting the same song from another video.

If you got it from Youtube, I'd bypass clipconverter.cc.

Just start Audacity in recording mode and then load the video in Youtube and let Audacity record it while you listen.

You are at the mercy of the guy who uploaded the file to Youtube. If his recording is poor, your recording or download of that recording will suffer and there isn't a whole lot you can do about it.

You can probably improve it a bit via Audacity and that would certainly be a better choice than clipconverter.

I use mp3gain and like it, but it's not perfect. It samples the song at many points and does what it can. I'm not sure all playback applications will follow the modifications made by mp3gain. It doesn't actually change the audio portion, but it gives instructions to the playback app to modify perceived volume. You can play around with it and change the setting from 89 to 99 or 79 and see what you get on your player.

 

[quadrplax]

This song is from Monstercat, so I doubt it would be his fault for bad quality. I tried recording it myself, which isn't the best since my horrible internet won't let me watch 1080p. I used the equalizer on it, and alas after switching between the tracks (recorded and MP3Gain'ed) they were both about the same volume. If there is a maximum possible volume, I'm guessing I've hit it.

 

[3D Jed]

In my first post I simulated a low volume mp3 as an example (volume reduced in Audacity). Correct level should look like this (after any processing) -



if the level hits the top, it is clipping (distorted).

BTW re YouTube - see forum rule 4

4) No piracy or discussion of piracy allowed at all. Such as software, music, videos and other intellectual property violations (e.g. downloading youtube videos locally etc)

 

[quadrplax]

Oh, sry about that violation, anyway, how would you fix the clipping/distorted problem? My audio reaches the top in many places before any editing, as you can see from my image.

 

[3D Jed]

Like ignatzatsonic said, you can't undo clipping/distortion. The problem seems to be the source material. I'm not sure what mp3gain does, but it may be making things worse. I suggest getting a clean copy of the music you want, and if necessary tweak the level in Audacity, but keep the max below the ceiling.

 

[quadrplax]

I tried clean copy, from both recording it through Audacity and a method I'm not allowed to speak of here, same problems.

 

[3D Jed]

If your Audacity recordings are hitting the ceiling (distorting), try reducing the rec level either in the Windows sound settings (R click speaker icon - recording devices) or Audacity input (or both) so it looks a bit like this pic

 

[quadrplax]

Here's a suggestion: Can you guys give me a sound file that you know works and isn't distorted or whatever, and I'll try amplifying that file.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Here's a spoken word file that is not distorted. You'll have to unpack it to hear it.

 

[3D Jed]

Here's a music track by an outfit I use ATM as soundtracks for my movies. The band is DKZ and it's Creative Common License so I am allowed to share.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/106200668/dkz.zip

looks like this in Audacity (so needs no adjustments)



free CCL music here -

Jamendo - Royalty free music downloads

'and I'll try amplifying that file' why do you want to amplify stuff ? If the level's correct, amplifying will just distort things.

 

[carwiz]

Also, check the playback device for equalizer or gain settings. My MP3 player has both. The gain setting can reduce the sound level based on other songs or the album. (So you don't blow out your ear drums from song to song.)

 

[quadrplax]

Ok, I think I have reached a maximum possible volume because the file you sent me that's supposed to work could not be made any louder than the song, unless I check allow clipping and then I get the terrible sound on both. As for the playback device, "Windows Media Player 10 Mobile for Pocket PC" has very little options, nothing fancy like an equalizer.

 

[lowie1]

If you donwload music from Youtube with some app. get it through "any audio converter" to make it into a real mp3.
Then Audicity will work to make it louder.
regards, Lowie

 

[quadrplax]

As I said, I tried using that audio file they know for a fact isn't distorted, and it didn't work