ITunes Sound Check

When Sound Check is enabled in iTunes preferences, does this feature carry over to the iPod on my iPhone 4s when I sync?

It should if it's checked when syncing

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Balancing volume/gain across clips - anything like iTunes Sound Check

I am now in charge of a pretty large pile of pre-cut FCP clips captured in less than ideal circumstances, but with reasonably clear narrated voice overs. There are hundreds of short similar clips, but the volume varies tremendously, and I am trying to assemble them into longer sequences.
So - since they are all speech at a similar volume, is there any batch operation I can run on my clips to raise or lower the gain on each one to the same final level? I am looking for something similar to iTunes' sound check.

You could TRY (try) the normalize feature by sending it to Soundtrack after you edit.
Might work ok for you.
CaptM

Is iTunes "Sound Check" better than five years ago?

I got into iTunes (briefly) about five years ago. I got all excited about mixed playlists and what-all ... but I burned out quickly because the Sound Check feature that would regulate the volumes from different CDs was mostly worthless. Most songs averaged out, but that one track in ten would still sneak in there, too loud or too soft, and ruin the listening vibe in the house.
I ditched iTunes and went back to my CD player.
Now I'd like to get back into iTunes again and I'm wondering if Sound Check ever had any significant improvements in the last five years? Did Apple finally perfect it?
Do we finally have mix playlists that play consistently, like one properly re-mastered compilation CD? Or are occasional tracks still showing up too loud or too soft?
-John

John_Neumann wrote:
Thanks for the replies, Wolf and Sanjampet.
Yep, both of you are spot on correct about some of the dynamics that affect Sound Check. The only thing I know is that, five years ago, I didn't like it. I also remember not really being able to make manual adjustments work for me because I have music playing constantly and jumping up and running over to the Mac while an offending song is on my mind got mighty inconvenient. That's why I stuck with my CD player. ...
I think you answered my question for me. No, Sound Check is no different than it was five years ago.
Not quite what I said. I certainly expect it has improved over 5 years, I can only tell you it will never be perfect. And that is relevant because of your expectations.
The fact is, CD players do not have SoundCheck at all. But when your CD mismatches song volumes, that does not "offend your ears". And yet, oddly, iTunes does. Listening sequentially to a CD you already know, you are accustomed to those particular mismatches, so they "sound right" to you. What I'm speaking of here is cognitive bias, which is human and normal, and the thing to do is simply be aware it's there.
I too have tried playlists and was not impressed. I remember when the level adjustment (in Song Properties) came out and thought "about time". And I've never spent the time to actually try playlists again. But I did not abandon iTunes entirely simply because one of its features "is not for me", i.e. sucked. Digital playback is still the Best Jukebox Ever, with instant and searchable access to my music. CDs are in every way inferior.*
It sounds like you jumped into digital playback with both feet, found some of its features were not ready for prime time, and jumped back out. I would suggest easing back in with one foot, remembering that setup is a one-time task and it's pure profit from there.
* purposefully ignoring the question of musical fidelity, some believe compression is bad, others believe digital is bad. Not this thread.

IPod/iTunes Sound Check Sync

Half the music on my iPod comes from my own computer that originally had Sound Check enabled in my iTunes. But the other half of my iPod music comes from my friends' computers, and I know that not every one of them used Sound Check. So the obvious problem is that the volume levels for the music on my iPod are not all normalized. I know that you can't directly Sound Check songs on the iPod, and that it only happens in iTunes. I also know that the solution is for me to import the iPod music into iTunes (with iPodRip), thus Sound Checking anything that wasn't originally normalized, and then updating it back to my iPod. But I don't want to import my entire iPod library if I don't have to.
So my question is this: Is there any was to know which of the music on my iPod was originally encoded with Sound Check? I only want to fix what needs fixing.
Thanks.

I can't remember the exact phrase as I'm not near a Mac with any sound checked files on it... It is at the bottom of the left column when it's present.
<TABLE CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0 WIDTH=100%><TR><TD>It was a joke about life...
Dave</TD><TD ALIGN="RIGHT">U</TD></TR></TABLE>

Reinstalled iTunes - "Sound Check" option no longer effective

I've always used and liked the "Sound Check" option in iTunes. Recently, due to 13-year-old hijinx, my library became corrupt. I uninstalled iTunes, downloaded the most recent version, and reinstalled it. I assumed the "Sound Check" option defaulted to "off", so I proceeded to add all my music folders to create a new library in the newly installed iTunes. Then I realized the "Sound Check" option was actually turned on - why I don't know, since I hadn't switched it on. I had assumed after the "add music folders" process I would turn on "Sound Check" and iTunes would read the music files to obtain the volume (usually a several hour process with my 6000+ songs). But it never did read the files. And now, even though "Sound Check" is on, it doesn't seem to me that the songs play at the same level. I've tried switching "Sound Check" off and then turning it on again to no avail. Is there a way to manually force iTunes to re-listen to the music files to re-set the levels for "Sound Check"? -Murray

hmmmmm. this is going to be experimental. (because i've never seen the problem i'm checking on manifest in quite this way before.) but in theory, it could help identify the cause.
Sound Check is an itunes preference. sometimes we get cases of preferences refusing to change for folks because one of the itunes preference files has gone skunky in some way. so it's plausible that you've got a preference file gone bad here.
let's try an experiment aimed at seeing if this might be the cause of the problem in your case.
quit itunes.
head into your user accounts control panel and create a new user account with full administrative rights. (there's help documentation on how to do that at the left of the control panel screen.) while you're in that control panel, switch off "fast user switching" in your logging-on preferences.
now log out of the old account and log into the new account.
launch itunes.
import some music into the (currently empty) library in the user account. (perhaps a couple of different albums with fairly wildly different recording levels.) listen to them with Sound Check on, and with Sound Check off.
does sound check make a difference in the new account?
(there's a different set of preference files in the new account and the old account, which is why a preference problem in one account usually doesn't affect preferences in a different account, and why this experiment may indicate the preference files are at fault in the old account.)

ITunes Sound Check (volume levelling) not working with AirPlay?

Playing music from iTunes. Just changed from cable connection to Airport Express. Now the volume fluctuates between songs. Any ideas?

go to:
iTunes
preferences
advanced
highlight the "general" tab
look at the second to last line
uncheck the box
i think that should do it for you
DY
the box is unchecked thanks for the help though

Used Sound Check on my iTunes library-did I make a mistake?

Hi all,
I have some rudimentary questions about iTunes, and the "Sound Check" feature in particular.
I've just completed converting my 18K FLAC song library into ALAC, mainly to use iTunes Genius mixes and to be more compatible with my iPhone and Touch. My library was ripped a few years ago when I bought my Sonos system to get whole-house music. At that time, I ripped my CD's into the FLAC to maintain the highest sound quality possible. No equalization was applied during the ripping.
Once I loaded my new ALAC songs into iTunes (converted using XLD), I began experimenting with Sound Check to normalize the volume among my songs, especially where the Genius mixes are concerned (I have quite a bit of classical music). While iTunes started the long conversion of my music to use Sound Check, I started reading about volume normalization and the effects of the quality of the sound. I read that Sound Check was really not the right way to go if I wanted to just normalize the volume; that it also affected the sound quality.
After reading this, I stopped the iTunes Sound Check conversion. Luckily, iTunes had only converted around 400 songs into Sound Check. But now I'm worried about those songs that iTunes did convert, and if I have compromised the sound quality of my ALAC tracks.
How does iTunes determine the Sound Check settings? I initially thought that Sound Check only affected the playback volume of the songs, but upon reading the discussions, it seems to change other things?
Does Sound Check store its parameters in a tag(s)? Or does it physically change the songs themselves? I hope that it does not change the songs, or I'll have to reconvert those 400 songs again.
Is there another program that I can use to just normalize the volume of the songs across my library? In the discussions I read, iVolume was mentioned, but I don't (obviously) have any experience with this program nor any others that affect song playback. Any suggestions as to other apps to investigate would be appreciated.
Thanks for your time.
Mike

Thanks for the reply Jim and for the link to the KB article. I looked through all the tags by showing each one, but I didn't see any that looked like they were populated by Sound Check. I'll read the link you provided to find out more.
Jim VanLeeuwen wrote:
I have used iVolume for some time and have been very satisfied. Of course, at age 64 I no longer have audiophile hearing. You can get information here: http://www.mani.de/ivolume/index.html
I have 52 year-old ears, both of which have tinnitus, so I know about my lack of audiophile hearing I just want to make sure that I don't mess up the audio quality of my songs for the next generation
Thanks again. I'll look at iVolume more closely.
Mike

Sound Check in iTunes 10.6 is different versus Sound Check in iTunes 8.2

Hi. My OS is Windows 7 Pro-64.
I have lots of CD and I decided to convert them in an mp3 library imported in iTunes (and “manually” in an iPod Classic) with Sound Check on (either in iTunes, or in iPod). I managed it with Windows XP and iTunes 8.2 till last year. I always verified the Volume adjustment of each mp3 and the correlated hex values written in the field iTunNorm (using mp3Tag). So far I was quite satisfied of Sound Check because I use iPod like a “juke-box” (I don’t need a per album normalization).
Last year I updated to Windows 7_64 and to iTunes 10.6 and I went on importing other mp3 files (from my CDs). But, with some test, (I imported the same file using iTunes 8 on a PC and using iTunes 10 on a different PC) I realized (with a very high probability) that:
iTunes 10 apparently don't write iTunNorm tag anymore in the file mp3. I have a Volume adjustment, but with mp3Tag I can’t read any iTunNorm field with the famous ten hex values.
iTunes 10 and iTunes 8 use a different way to calculate Sound Check; Volume adjustments calculated with iTunes 10 are lower of about 0,75-1,25 dB in average against iTunes 8. But sometimes the difference may be very high (-3,5 dB or -5dB for example in iTunes 10 versus iTunes 8).
When I updated to iTunes 10, my old library has been converted into the new format iTunes 10, but the old Sound Check (calculated with iTunes 8) did not change (no new calculation). So when I add new files to the library with iTunes 10, I have a discontinuity with the old files imported from iTunes 8 as far as Sound Check is concerned: the new files sound lower in average than the old ones.
I don’t want to delete and re-import all my files in order to reset and homogenize the whole library (I’d lose all statistics and I’d waste lot of time to pass the file in iPod). And I don’t want using third part software like iVolume.
My questions:
Is it correct what I wrote at the point 1, 2, 3 stated over here and mainly at the point 2 (Different way to calculate Volume adjustments of iTunes 10 versus iTune 8)?
Did iTunes 10 stop to use iTunNorm field to write Check Sound info in mp3 files?
If not, where iTunes 10 write Sound Check info to the mp3 file and how can I read it?
What can I do to avoid the discontinuity in Sound Check values due to the use of iTunes 8 and iTunes 10?
Thanks in advance for your answers.

Assuming that one has the 'Sound Check' feature
selected in both iTunes and on the iPod, do the
volume changes take place when obtaining the audio
via the 'line-out' port on the dock connector?
For the 3G and earlier iPod's, no, Line Out is not affected by Sound Check.
For the 4G and later iPod's, yes, Line Out is affected by Sound Check.
Do some iPods work and others do not? Specifically,
will my iPod mini (2nd Gen) send the adjusted volume
through the dock connector?
I have only actually tested the 3G and 4G models, I cannot say what other models do with any kind of reliability. I would expect that the Mini's would have the Line Out to be soundchecked, but I cannot say that for certain.
Any way of using another method to bring the song
volumes into a more reasonable range?
MP3Gain and AACGain. These modify the MP3/AAC files directly, so after using them, turn off Sound Check everywhere.

I just got the macbook air for christmas and i also got the dr dre headphones so i am trying to enable my soundcheck on my iTunes but i cannot figure out how to find where sound check is located can someone please help!!

i just got the macbook air for christmas and i also got the dr dre headphones so i am trying to enable my soundcheck on my iTunes but i cannot figure out how to find where sound check is located can someone please help!!

Go to the iTunes menu > Preferences > Playback.

HT201724 how do i activate sound check in iTunes / on my iphone 5?

Hello. I cannot work out how to activate 'sound check' (the system that allows all songs on my iPhone / within iTunes to be played at the same level). Can anyone tell me how to activate this? Thank-you.

On your phone tap Settings, Music. The sound check setting is there

Bug in iTunes 9.0 Sound Check ?

In iTunes 8.x when you add a new song to iTunes (with Sound Check enabled)
iTunes adjusts or adds the "normalization information" ID3 tag for the song.
iTunes 9.0 doesn't do this anymore.
Is this a bug in iTunes 9.0.0.70 ?
Ps: Programs like iVolume rely on this info.
Edit: 10/09 16:09

See this -> Don’t Panic
"Yesterday (09/09/09, by the way) Apple released iTunes 9. Unfortunately it has a nasty bug that prevents iVolume from analyzing songs that have been imported from a file. All other songs – that is purchased, ripped or converted songs – will still be processed fine by iVolume.
We put highest priority on this issue. All other projects have been interrupted in order to restore full compatibility with iTunes 9 as soon as possible. We already found a solution and are currently busy implementing it. Things look good so far.
So please be patient, a new version of iVolume will be released very soon"

ITunes and sound check

I updated to iTunes ver 7.1.1.5 recently. I have a problem with "Determining Song Volume" of all my library every time I open iTunes. It uses 100% CPU until I stop it.
I have already UNCHECKED Sound Check, that didn't seem help.
I reinstalled it again and that didn't help either. Is this a bug or is it just my Windows XP problem?
thanks in advance.
P4 Windows XP Pro

Hello,
I have to admit I've never used it but found this Macworld article a very useful explanation:
http://www.macworld.com/article/44344/2005/04/soundcheckyou.html
iVolume which is linked to from the MW article should check all your files again and put the adjusted volume in the ID3 info.
HTH.
mrtotes

Sound check & problems with iTunes startup

I recently changed my iTunes settings to allow "sound check," which normalizes the volume of the entire iTunes library. Nothing happened at first, but the next time I opened iTunes, the little now playing window said "determining track volume: 1 of 222," and iTunes and my computer froze immediately. This has happened every single time I've tried to open iTunes since. I'm kind of at a loss for what to do, because once I open iTunes, I literally can't do anything except shut down my computer. Any ideas??

I had that problem too. Maybe it works when you change your Bitrate in Itunes. My Bluetooth speakers run at 48 Khz and after the Itunes update, Itunes changed his settings to 44.1 kHz (before the update it was also 48kHz). I hope i could help you. Sorry for bad english i'm from Germany

ITunes / iPod EQ & Sound Check

I searched iPod help, and it told me to look at iTunes help, and that didn't answer my question.
Personally, I think the iPod EQ presets suck donkeys. How do I or can I adjust the iTunes EQ & save it as a preset....then apply it to the iPod so I can use that preset?
Also, while I'm at it: If I use the Sound Check in iTunes, does it physically change the .mp3 file...meaning if iTunes adjusted the volume DOWN on a song, would that song play at a lower volume if I open it with another program. Does that make sense??
-Bryan

*How do I or can I adjust the iTunes EQ & save it as a preset....then apply it to the iPod so I can use that preset?*
You can't.
Only the iTunes presets are used on the iPod. Any custom EQs are not.
*meaning if iTunes adjusted the volume DOWN on a song, would that song play at a lower volume if I open it with another program*
No it will not play lower. The Sound Check adjustment is set in one of the ID3 tags. It does not adjust the music itself.

HT201724 Can the Sound Check and Crossfade features within Itunes be synced to an Iphone?

Need help to sync Sound Check and Crossfade to an Iphone 4s. Not sure it can be done.

I recentlly tried uninstalling itunes to see if that would help but now when i try to install and download itunes it doesnt work and the install runs into an error.
What does the error message say? (Precise text, please.)

ITunes Sound Check

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