If you find yourself constantly adjusting the volume dial when playing music from different albums, Zortam’s Volume Normalizer options allow you to calibrate track volume levels across your entire library using lossless MP3Gain algorithms.
1. Target Volume Calibration
The Target Volume section controls the reference decibel level used when calculating and applying audio gain adjustments:
- Target Volume (dB): Enter your desired target loudness level (e.g., 89.0 dB is the standard recommended ReplayGain/MP3Gain target for non-clipping playback).
- Default Volume Button: Resets the target volume instantly to the standard safe default value.
2. MP3Gain Advanced Options
Fine-tune how gain adjustments are applied to audio streams and physical file headers:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Don’t check for Layer I or Layer II | Bypasses format checks for older, non-standard MPEG audio layers (MP1/MP2), speeding up processing when analyzing standard MP3 (MPEG Layer-3) files. |
| Clip when doing track gain | Allows volume adjustments even if peak audio levels slightly exceed 0 dBFS. Leaving this unchecked prevents digital distortion (clipping). |
| Preserve original file timestamp | Retains the original “Date Modified” file timestamp on disk after volume metadata or gain values are updated. |
3. How to Configure Normalizer Options Step-by-Step
- Go to Options → Setup (or press F7).
- Select the Volume Normalizer setup tab.
- Specify your desired target decibel value in the Target Volume field, or click Default Volume.
- Check Preserve original file timestamp if you want to keep file modification dates unchanged when normalizing.
- Uncheck Clip when doing track gain to ensure audio peaks never distort on high-volume playback equipment.
- Click OK to save your settings.
Pro Tip for DJs & Audiophiles: Keep Preserve original file timestamp enabled if you sort tracks by date added or modified in third-party DJ software or media players like Serato, Rekordbox, or Traktor.