by Jim Leach » 06 Jun 2012 15:32
The cleanest possible records and 'hottest' possible recording are two tricks that need to be used when you do the rip. To get as hot as possible (without clipping) you may need to do each song individually, finding that hottest point and adjusting for it. Doing an entire side with the same gain setting may leave some dynamic range 'on the cutting room floor' so to speak.
Then, since it is now a digital file, you can tweak it over and over without loosing the original. Maybe start with the worst sounding track you have and get some settings dialed in for that (remember to never overwrite your original file!) and apply them to the best sounding track you have and see how it does.
Using this method, you can either get two settings (a good track one and a bad track one) or dial in a 'batch' setting to apply to everything somewhere in the middle. I do this with photos sometimes, but usually you need to tweak slightly for each record as recording methods and tastes vary widely.
"Just because I don't know what I'm doing never stopped me before!"
