[LAU] Gain and clipping wav -> lame

[Jörn Nettingsmeier]

On 07/29/2013 01:50 AM, Marc Lavallée wrote:
>
> I'm sure it's been answered many times, but here's my question:
> For loudness evaluation, how's EBU R128 "better" than ReplayGain?
> (Or why use EBU R128 instead of ReplayGain?)
> (A link to the suitable InterWeb resource would be appropriate)

ReplayGain is a laudable effort at solving the issue of arbitrary 
loudness jumps for audio consumers. More power to them :)

However, I believe the psychoacoustic "model" of EBU R128 is superior, 
although certainly not perfect (colleagues have mentioned to me ways of 
cheating R128 to achieve higher programme loudness for constant LUFS 
readings, but I've yet to see an actual demonstration).

But regardless of technical merit, I would always choose EBU 128 over 
ReplayGain, because it has the magic letters "EBU" in it, and the 
underlying measurement scheme has the even more magic "ITU".

Don't forget that any perceptive loudness normalization proposal is 
basically a "non-agression pact" in the loudness war. If you don't nuke 
my speakers (and wreck my music), I won't nuke yours. So it makes sense 
to flock around the biggest fish in the pond, because their involvement 
and statement of intent carries weight.
Until all broadcasters follow suit, those who behave are at a commercial 
disadvantage, so the whole process has all the interesting properties of 
a game theory problem.

For an euro-centric bastard like me, the European Broadcast Union is the 
mightiest normative entity in the universe. Some weird people think 
differently, but those take solace in the fact that the actual loudness 
determination is governed by an International Telecommunication Union 
standard (and that should be good enough for everyone :)
So yes, R128 is a very safe bet indeed.




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Jörn Nettingsmeier
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