Volume of the Podcasts

[Chris_Raymond]

Hi,
I really enjoy the audio files. I have started listening to them whilst riding to work on my bicycle. I use iTunes on an iMac and then copy the file to my mobile phone / mp3 player (Sony Ericsson W610i). I find that the max volume is sometimes not enough. This is also a problem at the gym. Would it be possible to increase the mean signal level on the mp3 files so that max. volume volume on my mp3 player was higher. There are other voice podcasts that I listen to that have a higher max volume. I would appreciate it if your podcasts could be made a bit louder.

Regards,
Chris Raymond

[sashimidimsum7250]

Does the ambient noise make it hard to hear the podcast?

Maybe a pair of noise-cancelling headphones will do the trick.

[markystar]

all of our audio files are peak limited at -3dB. this is a pretty standard volume for speech-based podcasts. in fact, we're louder than most of what i've heard out there. and if peak limited at something higher, say -1dB, it could damage your hearing. if you have to turn up the volume so high, i think there are some other issues at hand. it could be the output limit of your device. or, more likely, the kind of headphones you're using.

what player are you using? and what are you listening with?

on my iPod, using the earbuds that came with it, i don't have much of a problem hearing jpod101 on the train or busy streets in tokyo (though i do with, let's say south park, which is limited at a much lower volume than jpod101).

that said, it's best to consider your hearing. turning up the volume of a speaker in your ear or on your ear is quite a dangerous thing. ear damage is irreversible. so if you're listening in noisy environments, please consider something that covers your ears and blocks external sounds because these will allow you to listen at lower volumes, despite the noise around you. your ears will thank you for it.

[schenkus]

I don't play the podcast at anything near maximum volume,
but compared to the other tracks I have on my ipod japanesepod
has a noticable lower volume.

I got into the habit of changing the volume of the tracks in
itunes after downloading (to about +20%), so I don't need
to change the volume when switching between listening to
japanesepod and music.

[sTeVe aUsTiN]

There ya go!



Now that hearing loss has been mentioned, I wonder if ear buds are worse for your ears that tradtional headphones?

[markystar]

i don't know if earbuds are worse for your ears than other headphones. i think the volume is more of the deciding factor.

let me think a little more about this volume issue and get back to you guys on it. ok?

[Chris_Raymond]

Marky,
My listening device is a mobile phone (Sony Ericsson W610i). I will try to borrow an iPod and see if the max volume is any louder.
Regards,
Chris

[markystar]

one feature of the ipod is that you increase the range of the volume. i have mine maxed out because... yeah, ambient noise in tokyo is pretty bad.
but when i listen with my pioneer hdj-1000 headphones, i can keep the volume very low. but those are dj headphones, so probably not what everyone needs LOL.

i'm curious what other people think about this, because really it's the first time it's come up, and schenkus said boosts the levels of the files in iTunes.
but does that effect the iPod?

[sashimidimsum7250]

Since Itunes has a feature to adjust the default volume, it's not a problem for me. And yes, it does affect the iPod. I actually don't even make much use of that feature.

I rather reduce the ambient noise instead of increasing the volume. I use noise-cancelling headphones at work, in the car (not while driving), and on a plane....all these places can make it hard to hear at a low volume.

Like Marky mentioned earlier, it's not a good idea to increase the volume to offset the ambient noise. You might not be experiencing pain, but you are most certainly going to damage your hearing that way.

[markystar]

I rather reduce the ambient noise instead of increasing the volume.

you put that much better than i did.

[Javizy]

I had a pair of ear bud headphones for a while, but my ears seemed much more sensitive to the bass, and they just generally didn't 'feel right'. The woodblock sound effect in the podcasts seem to cut through my ears as well, even though I had the volume 20% lower than usual.

I find listening during a commute really ineffective anyway. There are just too many distractions that can lead to a missed line of dialogue or whatever. I remember when I reviewed intermediate lessons that I had listened to first time on the train, and it was as if I hadn't heard them before. I usually just play lessons I've done a good few times, or other talkie Japanese podcasts; things that you don't have to concentrate on too much.

[kc8ufv]

I use either noise blocking earbuds, or put it through my car stereo, consistently played back from my Axim X51. On the earbuds, the sound is about perfect with the volume set at mid range, with the fm transmitter (I have tried several with consistent results), I must turn the volume all the way up on the pda, and then turn it way up on the car stereo from what I use on recorded CDs, direct FM, and XM broadcasts. I have the transmitted audio level on my XM set to the lowest for it to match the same audio level as cds. I play music from my axim as well, it plays quite well via the FM transmitters.

[sashimidimsum7250]

These are the ones I use:

http://tinyurl.com/2uzn82

[edited to shrink URL down. -Jason]

[Hamiltoons]

I use SkullCandy noise cancelling ear buds. They are $14.99 (USD) and I can drive with the moonroof open and all of my windows down at 45 mph and can hear them just fine.

[myuserid]

Don't know if this is too late to get a reply from the staff here, but
I noticed you mentioned the levels are maxed at -3db, which sounds reasonable.
But I was wondering if you'd put any audio compression on them, you didn't mention it.
I've not actually noticed a particular problem myself, but if other people say they seem quieter than other podcasts then this may be why.
The reason being that the loudest sound may be considerably louder than the rest of the conversation, and if you just amplify it so the loudest sound is set at -3db (Normalisation), then you may not get much amplification, (no amplification if the loudest sound is at -3db). Put simply, compression makes the louder things quieter, and the quieter things louder, evening it out so you get a more consistent volume level.
Apologies if I'm teaching grandma to suck eggs here.