What does normalize auido mean? Does normalizing audio affect the quality? Are you looking for the best audio normalization software to normalize audio easily? With the advent of streaming services, an increasing number of users tend to record video or audio clips or download them via free unknown channels. Such an act does save lots of money but largely undermines the quality of the resulting media files, since the video or audio file probably has an unbalanced volume, either muted or too loud. What shall I do? No panic! There is a sort of tool with an audio normalization feature that comes in handy when it comes to normalizing unbalanced audio. So, what is audio normalization? How to normalize audio? Which best audio normalization software shall I choose? This article has everything you need to satisfy your curiosity.

PART 1. Prelude to Audio Normalization

What is Audio Normalization

What does normalizing audio do? From the technical perspective, to normalize audio files is to adjust the overall volume by a fixed amount to reach a target level, which can be achieved with two principal modes: peak normalization and loudness normalization.

In specific, Peak Normalization means bringing the highest PCM (digitally represents sampled analog signals) sample value or analog signal peak to a given level, say 0 dBFS, the loudest level allowed in a digital system, which is widely used to normalize audio levels via optimal use of the available dynamic range. Thus, audio leveler software comes in handy. 

Loudness Normalization refers to bringing the average amplitude to a target chosen level, like the RMS value, in which ‘average power’ can be human-perceived loudness. For example, the reference level of YouTube is 14 LUFS but will be lowered to a certain level to fit a specific program. Usually, loudness normalization is born to overcome varying loudness when playing multiple songs in a sequence.

Why Normalize Audio

The reasons why people need to normalize audio files may be summarized as follows: to gain maximum volume and to match the desired volume. The former applies to the situation when you intend to adjust your quiet audio file as loud as possible without changing its dynamic range, while the latter works if you anticipate bringing a group of audio files at various volumes closer to the same volume. 

Anyway, audio normalization is a fast way to adjust clip volume to its optimal listening levels without distortion. In this case, the signal-to-noise ratio and relative dynamics still remain in their original levels in spite of the constant amount of gain throughout the volume recording process. If you have an video volume normalizer or mp3 normalizer at hand, you will have chance to get quality audio for better playback whenever you want.

PART 2. How to Normalize audio with DVDFab Toolkit?

As we know, a majority of users are not tech-savvy experts. So, an audio normalization program with an easy-to-use and simple interface means a lot. You are lucky to be here to try this professional but versatile toolkit used to normalize-audio as well as to address other issues related to video, audio, and image. The following tips exemplify how to normalize video volume, say MP4 normalizing audio.

Step 1: Free download and launch DVDFab Toolkit

After download and installation of this audio normalization software, run it to choose Normalization from Audio Tools.

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Normalize audio with DVDFab Toolkit

Step 2: Load source media file

Import the video or audio file you want to normalize audio via pressing the + button or simply dragging & dropping onto the center section. When entering the customization interface, you can tab +Add from Local to normalize multiple files.

Add video or audio file to normalize audio levels

Step 3: select once type to normalize volume

Here Peak normalization and Loudness normalization are for your options which are the main types of audio normalization. -24 LUFS, customized for ATSC A85 (US TV) and NPRSS & PRX, is the norm level by default for the peak normalization model of this program, so you cannot change the value on your own. But you are free to set the target value as you want to normalize audio levels once you choose the second type. Mind that -14 LUFS applies to Spotify, YouTube, and other streaming platforms, while -23 LUFS is suitable for EU R128 broadcast. Therefore, select the required value for the platform where you will share the normalized media file.

choose audio normalization mode-peak normalization and loudness normalization

Note that for free users, only the first 5 minutes of each media file is allowed to be processed. To remove this limit, you shall turn to the premium version.

Step 4: Start to normalize audio levels

Once done, tab the Start button to normalize audio. Here turbo-speed feature powered by technologies is used to accelerate the audio normalization process. Once you choose this privilege, your video or audio file will be normalized within a short time.

audio normalization software with turbo-speed feature

Note that Toolkit, together with Video Converter and Video Editor, is integrated into DVDFab Video Converter Pro, the best 3-in-1 video editing software package designed to convert videos and audios into various formats, and edit videos, audios, and images to perfection. Whatever you want to do with video, audio, or image files, you can use this bundled software to achieve your goals. Up to now, it has been the most powerful video editing toolbox that has gained wide popularity among video lovers.

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PART 3. How to Normalize Audio in Premiere

However, to seek unknown challenges is the true nature of most professionals and enthusiasts. In this case, sophisticated and professional audio normalization software will be the optimal solution, say normalizing audio Premiere. But how to normalize audio in Premiere?

Now let’s look at the below simple guidelines that focus on normalizing audio via Premiere.

  • Step 1: Launch Adobe Premiere and load your audio file
  • Step 2: Right-click an audio clip on the timeline
  • Step 3: Go to the Audio Gain and select normalize mode

For example, you can set Gain to your wanted value, adjust Gain by a certain value, say 0 dB, normalize Max Peak to a certain dB, or normalize All Peaks to your desired value when handling a group of files. This is the way to let Premiere normalize audio files as needed. Note that if you are beginners, you might as well try out other alternatives.

Now you have got the hang of how to normalize audio with the best audio normalizer software on the present market. With good mastery of such a professional tool, you will be at ease to balance audio volume at your target level.

PART 4. Alternative Volume Normalizers

Maybe you are wondering whether there are other options to normalize audio levels. Don’t worry. You will be introduced to several alternatives despite each of them has certain downsides.

iMovie (Mac)

It is an indisputable fact that iMovie has always been a perfect video editing solution for macOS and iOS users. This program boasts a simple process of normalizing audio. You can normalize the volume on individual clips via Project Browser > Inspector > Normalize Clip Volume. Of course, Video or Audio Adjustments are available for your volume normalization. When you want to apply the previous audio changes to all other clips in the project, you can copy the adjustments to other clips. However, such easy-to-use audio normalization software, with a lack of flexible customized options, does not apply to all platforms.

MP3Gain (Windows)

This lightweight volume normalizer software offers unique features to normalize audio levels, which adjusts MP3 files directly without decoding and reencoding process so that the sound quality remains stable and output best-normalized audio. The secret of its distinctiveness lies in the statistical analysis of audio files and performs well to gain the most comfortable listening level to the human ear. MP3Gain is a freeware to normalize multiple audio files but is not available for portable apps due to intricate authorization channels.

Conclusion

Now you have understood the best audio normalization software used to normalize audio levels on desktop computers, both Windows and Mac with the ultimate goal of boosting up the volume of quiet audio clips or reducing noisy ones, in which some allow for setting normalization value for each loaded media file, while others normalize the overall volume for all files added. However, among all recommendations, DVDFab Toolkit stands out from its rivals because of its 20+ feature modules applied to resolve all FAQs with regard to video, audio, and image.

By the way, if you want to download YouTube to MP3 for offline listening, DVDFab YouTube to MP3 Converter might be your first choice. With downloaded audio files, you can resort to the above-mentioned audio normalizers when necessary. But there might be times when you want to play your normalized audio file on various devices. In this case, some simple online audio converter will come to your aid, because it not only converts audio between all popular formats but also acts as a video converter and editor.