"Lord Hasenpfeffer" wrote in message ...
Whoa! Do you mind discussing this with me a bit via private email?
I think you've got, if not *the* answer I've been looking for, the
overall *better idea* which I've been looking for and have been trying
and probably failing to "correctfully" solve on my own.

Some of the things you've said in this post could start a flame war in
other newsgroups. I know this. I've seen it happen. It even happened
to me once. But that's beside the point. I've got some questions for
you if you don't mind answering.


Someone has finally popped up with information reagrding actions that can
be taken on the MP3s themselves. How does this relate?

Odd that you should be so taken by this, as it is a totally subsequent matter
to the encoding process. He is in reference to actions taken on the MP3
file itself... *after* the encoding process in which the frequencies that you
sold blazenly desire to KEEP, are already gone !!!

Taking it off-group is perfectly fine, but terribly unfair to those of us that
want to learn something.

--
David Morgan (MAMS)
http://www.m-a-m-s.com
http://www.artisan-recordingstudio.com


And with regard to MP3 compression, an MP3 file can be LOSSLESSLY
NORMALIZED on a frame-by-frame basis in 1.5 dB increments. The actual
compressed data is NOT changed -- only an ancillary "loudness
scale-factor". You can even LOSSLESSLY add fade-ins and fade-outs to
MP3 files, by changing the scale-factor on a frame-by-frame basis.
(The "MP3Trim" utility can do that.) So, if you're concerned about
this whole issue, simply pre-normalize the incoming WAV file by a
multiple of 1.5 dB, and then use a utility like "MP3GAIN" to
losslessly normalize it back down to the originally intended level.

In fact, you should be doing this anyway with any MP3 files you might
download, as today's over-compressed pop music often drives MP3
decoders into extreme amounts of clipping unless the level of the MP3
file is reduced to a "safe" value. (The MP3 ENCODING is fine -- it's
just the DECODER that adds its own extra clipping upon playback.)
I've seen downloaded MP3s where the file had to be knocked down by 6
dB, just to get it below the level of clipping during playback!