linuxaudio.org

On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 8:38 AM, Kenneth Jacker wrote:

quoted text
> I want to ask the "experts" on this mailing list a question I've had

> for years.  It involves "best practices" for the multiple volume

> settings available on most computer systems ...

>

> Say I am playing an audio stream from 'last.fm'.

>

> The way I see it, there are *four* different possible volume settings:

> "line" (e.g., PCM) volume, application (e.g., Rhythmbox, TVTime, ...)

> volume, mixer "master" volume, and speaker volume.

>

> I would guess that the last (speaker) volume should be set (dynamically

> when needed) to whatever is currently most appropriate for the listener.

>

> But what about the other three?  Should they all be set at 50%?

> If not, what other values should be used?

>

> Can anyone give some guidelines?

>

>

> Thanks for your comments!

> --

> Prof Kenneth H Jacker       khj@cs.appstate.edu

> Computer Science Dept       www.cs.appstate.edu/~khj

> Appalachian State Univ

> Boone, NC  28608  USA

>

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>

Simple - Keep every 'early' volume control in the chain as high as you

can without creating clipping or distortion at that stage. This keeps

signal to noise as good as you can for this audio data. Set your last

volume control to a level you want to listen to. (Depends on the size

of the power amp and efficiency of your speakers.
Typically for me doing this right requires some understanding of how

much overhead any given stage can tolerate. If I have VU's then I

might strive for some level averaging anywhere from 0 to -6. If I

don't have VUs then I'll do this by ear or maybe use some equipment

(software or hardware) to measure system response if I think it's

important. Most of the time it isn't so I'll try pushing a stage hard

with loud material until I think I hear some problems and then I'll

back off by some amount. If you do ti this way it's important to NOT

set the later stages loud as the distorion I hear might be from a

later stage and not the one I'm adjusting.
Hope this helps,

Mark

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