Query re Volume and size of main window

[pooksahib]

Hi. I read somewhere that it's best if the highest 'spikes' of a file just touch the upper and lower edges of the main WavePad window. But now I see that the main window can be changed by means of a slider control on the right hand side. So what is the optimum window size for 'reading' the spikes - the unadjusted window when the file is first opened or something else?

 

My underlying problem is with some FLAC songs which I keep in a large folder. Some are just too low in volume compared to the rest. I'm using WavePad's 'Amplify' tool to bring them up. What's the best way of telling when I'm going too high - the upper window (too small to properly assess the spikes), the meter at bottom right of screen or ... something else?

 

My thanks for any advice offered.

[vapors]

I don't think using the 'window' size is any way to properly judge your 'spikes' (peaks).

My understanding is that a recording shouldn't peak much above -3 dB.

I try and judge this by viewing the channel meters at the bottom right of the window.

And I think that a gain(%) of 200 in the amplify dialog box will raise the selected file (or selected portion thereof) by 6 dBs. I often will have to apply this multiple times for a recording with low levels.

[pooksahib]

Thanks for that, vapors. I have wondered about the '%' function - you'd think 200% would sound twice as loud but it doesn't...