[MLA] Loudness normalization with MQA

[Kevin Gross]

I think we concluded in our whitepaper that if you don't want to include a
configuration control for album vs. track normalization, you should use
album normalization always. This is more likely to achieve artistically
intended loudness.

If you do provide a track/album control, I would infer that album should be
the default mode. I personally don't think you need or even want a such a
control.

On Thu, Jan 26, 2017 at 4:10 PM, Grimm | Eelco <eelco at grimmaudio.com> wrote:

> Hi Kevin,
>
> > That's very nice. Do we know if there is a provision for album
> normalization? That would require a second piece of loudness metadata -
> loudness of the album as a whole or, as re recommend in our whitepaper,
> loudness of the loudest track. Also, peak level metadata can be useful for
> clipping prevention.
>
> Replaygain (as you very well know) has metadata for both track loudness
> and album loudness. Unfortunately it seems the album loudness metadata is
> not always monitored. And if it is, often the user has to choose manually
> between album and track normalization - which is an unnecessary
> complication of the UI in my opinion. This brings up the question if it
> would be better to trick the system and stream the album loudness in the
> track loudness fields. What is your opinion on that?
>
> All the best,
> Eelco
>
> >
> > On Sun, Jan 22, 2017 at 6:12 AM, Robert Ludwig <gatewaybob at mac.com>
> wrote:
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > The question came up and I asked Bob Stuart if MQA can support Loudness
> Normalization on Tidal.  I got to spend 3 days with Bob Stuart, George
> Massenburg, and the great Shawn Murphy soundtrack engineer (Star Wars etc.)
> in Montréal.  I forgot to ask him in person but he just got back to me:
> >
> > 5) Can Tidal stream loudness normalized MQA streams?  As you heard from
> my talk, we mastering engineers hope universal adoption of Loudness
> Normalization will lead to the end of the Loudness Wars.
> >
> >    * With MQA the exact file you create is streamed.
> >    * As a download this can include the loudness/replay gain info in the
> header.
> >      Our encoder calculates it. It's up to the label if the leave it
> there.
> >    * Tidal (and other streaming services) keep replay gain information
> and that is sent to the App at streaming time.
> >       The App can level the gain.
> >       In the case of MQA it can't just apply gain to the audio because
> that breaks it so the replay gain is passed on to the MQA decoder.
> >        The way we do it is best because we want replay gain to be passed
> all the way down the chain until it hits the only (and hopefully analogue)
> volume control. Not all MQA decoders respond to this information yet
> although we expect firmware updates to make that happen in the next few
> months - now that we have a clear policy from the streaming companies.
> >
> > MQA fully supports normalisation in the RIGHT way (as you might expect)..
> >
> >
> > Have a great Sunday!
> >
> > Bob Ludwig
> >
> > Gateway Mastering Studios, Inc.
> > 428 Cumberland Avenue
> > Portland, ME 04101
> > (207) 828-9400
> > www.gatewaymastering.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > <15972535_1555792494434197_2337095743036056308_o.jpeg>
> >
> >
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> >
> >
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