Is there a good way to use Wavelab batch tools to generate ReplayGain during transcode to MP3? My goal is to set it for MP3s we stream, to level-match them via gross gain setting, but the files must carry that data and the web CMS can’t write it, so WL is where I want to do this job (plus I can transcode all formats we’ll need in the batch queues).
Secondarily and related, I’ve had a lot of trouble getting Wavelab to see or write metadata reliably… at first this was because it wouldn’t read it in ALACs. Some AIFFs seem to carry it, but WL won’t read it. I converted my ALACs to FLACs, then tried to write the metadata into WAVs I was batching with MP3s. No love. I must be missing some fundamental aspects of this workflow, or not understanding how WL stores metadata where… for example, if I set ID3 and ID3v2 tags up, does it write just one? both (mp3 can support either, wav supports just one)? I guess I’m mostly looking for some definitive reference, ideally a chart, showing which types of metadata WL8.5 can read/write to which file-types.
Concerning your second question, the point to get is that WaveLab does not transfer meta-data from one file format to another, if these file formats don’t share the same meta-format.
Eg. no possibility FLAC ↔ WAV
PG, I really hope that’s reconsidered in the future, because the audiophile programs that specialize in metadata, like XLD and Foobar, translate the FLAC metadata (vorbis?) back and forth to ID3v1 and ID3v2, and I believe they all do it in the same way, so there’s a de facto standard.
Daved, if you set up ID3v1 and ID3v2 it should write both. Amazon MP3s contain both. But it seems like you want to retain all the metadata that’s in your ALACs and just pass that through(?). If that’s the case, I would convert the ALACs to WAV in XLD, then use the WAVs in the Wavelab batch. (At least until Wavelab supports passthru of ALAC, AIF, and FLAC). You won’t get ID3v1 in the MP3s (only ID3v2), but you should get Replaygain in the WL batch if you use Inherit, and then Replaygain only in Batch Metadata “Merge”. I say “should” because I couldn’t get that Merge to work (no Replaygain, inherit only). The Replaygain checkbox wouldn’t stay checked if it was the only thing you wanted to merge. But you could also do the Replaygain during the transfer to WAV in XLD.
Thanks Bob, exactly what I’m looking for: a workflow to get this done!
I am finding the larger issue is web players that read and respect ReplayGain (that turns out to be the issue PG - I found that setting, it’s just not necessarily followed).
