Hi Friends,
Probably discussed earlier on the forum, but I couldn't find the according threads: does anybody now how exactly volume levelling works when streaming from a NAS. Does it affect sound quality? What piece of software is exactly performing the levelling, and is the physical record-file affected when sound levelling is activated ? Anybest practices ?
The reason for asking is the following: sometimes I create playlists contaning records from various artists and various albums, and use it for background music. Once playing the playlist I notice sometumes rather big differences in volume. Having friends over, I do not want to use the volume control every time.
My chain is as follows:
QNAP => Asset on Laptop => ND5XS => .... amps to speakers ....... alternative chain: QNAP (Twonky) => ND5XS => amps to speakers
Cheers,
Iver
Posted on: 09 August 2012 by mrspoon
Asset can volume level if you ask it to transcode the stream, enable the replaygain option, also you need to have replaygain ID tags in the files, and for track quality reasons, you are best upping the bit depth to 24 bit (there is an option to do this next to the replaygain option). 24 bit gives extra room for the audio to be changed a certain amount without loosing any bit depth.
Posted on: 09 August 2012 by pcstockton
I assume with Asset you can do both:
1) Replay gain by track (levels volumes of all tracks in a list)
2) Replay gain by album (levels volume of all tracks within an album)
With a "legit" server you shouldn't have to transcode to do this. And sure it does affect SQ (if you apply "Naim Forumite" expectations/experiences of SQ).
If you think a HiLine touching a PowerLine, or FLAC rather than WAV, affects SQ then you wont want to volume level.
Posted on: 10 August 2012 by Iver van de Zand
thanks guys !!
I am not willing to admit on sound quality, so leave the levelling for what it is now
However, still interested in how it exactly works
Posted on: 10 August 2012 by mrspoon
>"With a "legit" server you shouldn't have to transcode to do this."
Ideally it would be the player which applies volume leveling, not a server...
Posted on: 10 August 2012 by Richard Dane
Iver, I'm not aware of this capability currently within Naim streamers. It adversely affects performance, so it's no surprise if Naim decided not to include it.
Posted on: 10 August 2012 by mrspoon
If you are using CD ripper, by default it writes all files to your music folder\[artist]\[album]\[track number] - [title]
if you are not getting that, click the default button on the naming page in CD Ripper.
