ReplayGain

[simoncn]

Yes, there is an internal MinimStreamer converter for FLAC to WAV that is used by default (because it came first, before FFmpeg was supported). The internal converter also has faster seeking within a track. The semicolon overrides this default. There is information about this in this section:

FLAC files. Valid for local files served by MinimServer (.flac) only. The output type must be L16, L24, wav, wav24 or wav16. By default, a stream converter program is not required. If you want MinimStreamer to perform transcoding using a stream converter program, you can specify this by adding a semicolon after the output type.

....

As a special case, you can append a semicolon to the output type and omit the sample rate. This is useful only for an input type of flac. It sets the output sample rate to the same as the input sample rate and uses a stream converter program to transcode the stream.

I will try to make this more prominent in the documentation as it isn't very easy to spot at the moment.

[adam2434]

I did not know that FFmpeg could process RG tags.

By the way, I added RG track gain tags to FLAC files with Foobar.

I guess FFmpeg first converts the FLAC to wav first, then applies RG to the resulting wav stream?

Is it possible to have 2 independent installations of minimserver on a PC?

There are times that I want RG enabled (shuffling a large playlist from multiple albums), and other times that I would prefer to have it off (playing a single album). Rather than adding and deleting commands in the System Properties for each scenario, having 2 separate installs could allow choosing whether RG is on or off.

Is there any other way around this?

Maybe it would be neat to have a way to toggle between default and modified System Properties.

Back in the old days, when I was using a Squeezebox for my FLAC library, I could simply turn RG on/off as desired.

[simoncn]

The conversion to WAV (actually linear PCM) happens before ReplayGain is applied.

MinimServer 2 is available for Windows and supports multiple profiles. You can set one profile to enable ReplayGain and another to disable it.

For more information about MinimServer 2, see this page. For Replay Gain and multiple profiles, you will need the full version.

[adam2434]

OK, I will consider MinimServer 2.

So, I take it that 2 separate installs of MinimServer 1 are not possible.

[simoncn]

You could create another Windows user (non-administrator) and do another install as that user. The second user will have their own configuration.

If you plan to continue using MinimStreamer after 31 July for ReplayGain processing, you will need to be using MinimServer 2 and MinimStreamer 2.

[adam2434]

Oh, ok, did not know about the July 31 deal.

Just curious - why is that?

[simoncn]

MinimStreamer has always been licensed for a limited period. Up till now, that period has always been extended at no charge. It is no longer financially sustainable to continue with this approach. See the 'Background' and 'Existing installation' sections of this page for more details about the rationale for this change.

[adam2434]

OK, thanks, understand.

[golke53]

I have few audio test files with samples like "silence" or "pink noise". These samples happen to bear a trackgain value of let's say 922... billion dB (seriously, an endless string, very large positive number). What would happen (to my system) if I ever played one of those files with trackgain enabled?

The number is + and the string convOut=-af volume=replaygain=track implies to me that the 922 billion would become subtracted but I am not sure...

P.S. I have played them with Albumgain enabled and that went fine since the albumgain value is rather a small value (-6 dB). The pink noise e.g. just came across as that: pink noise.

[Alandbush]

(07-02-2021 14:49)golke53 Wrote:  I have few audio test files with samples like "silence" or "pink noise". These samples happen to bear a trackgain value of let's say 922... billion dB (seriously, an endless string, very large positive number). What would happen (to my system) if I ever played one of those files with trackgain enabled?

The number is + and the string convOut=-af volume=replaygain=track implies to me that the 922 billion would become subtracted but I am not sure...

P.S. I have played them with Albumgain enabled and that went fine since the albumgain value is rather a small value (-6 dB). The pink noise e.g. just came across as that: pink noise.

In an ideal world, 'test' audio files should not contain replaygain tags.

For instance, if you generate an REW sweep file specifically set to -12db to measure your speakers, the last thing you want is to add replaygain tags and have them applied during measurements. The signal is unlikely to be -12db.

After all, replaygain is intended to allow a mixed playlist of tracks to be played at a consistent level. 'Test' files would not ordinarily be found in a mixed playlist.

If you have concerns, simply remove the tags.