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xdj-rx: What is best for recordings: Gain up to +5 or Audacity "normalize"?

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What is best for recordings: Gain up to +5 or post-correction via Audacity Effect "normalize"? 

Afterward I want to put it to iTunes and convert .wav to AAC 320 kbits/s. I found, that converting to AAC in iTunes is much, much better than converting to AAC in Audacity. In Audacity you get fractal distortions. 

djfreak Answered

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Don't "normalize" - use the "volume" function instead. You want to boost the whole recording, not compress the dynamic range.

Pulse
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I personally record as close to 0db as possible and then normalize/amplify in Audacity to get a good clean level.

Daniel 0 votes
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did you compare the 0db + normalize via Audacity-method to the other way of gaining up to + 5db? 

Can post-correction via "normalize" in Audacity worsen the quality of the record? Isn't gaining not the more "natural way"?

djfreak 0 votes
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If you don't set the Gain to high you have more space during recording to fix error later in audio editor.
Audio Normalization: soundquality wise you should set max peak never to 0db. Set your level to -1dB or lower (-2dB), when you want to encode you recording with AAC or MP3. Because during encoding volume level can get small bit higher, during effect from audio encoder.

Freaking 0 votes
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@ pulse:

What is this: "volume" function? There isn't anything in Audacity called "volume" function, as far I know.

Do you mean: Use gain knob turning up of your xdj rx instead of Audacity, because Audacity always compresses sound with functions like "normalize" & "amplify"? And compressed sound always is of worse quality? Is this you want to say?

 

djfreak 0 votes
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@djfreak > Sorry, it used to be called the "Volume" function, now it's labeled "Amplify."

Your peaks should always be MUCH lower than 0 or -1dB (in recording) as digital clipping is unforgiving. Better to record with the headroom and then amplify it after the fact.

Pulse 0 votes
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