Better histogram to spot clipping

[tonygamble]

I'm using the standard Bento skin.

I'm not sure whether those histogram bars are accurate.

However, I am sure they are too small to tell me much.

Is there a skin that displays them larger and maybe with more detail?

Tony
London UK

[J_Darnley]

Histogram? You mean the spectrum analyser? There are better ways of discovering clipping than watching a visualiser. Run the suspect files through the replay gain analysis and if any have peaks at >1 then they do clip. If any have peaks =1 then they are suspect and you should run them through an audio editor (such as Audacity) to see.

If you want to keep watching the vis then I have no suggestions for you.

[tonygamble]

J,

I run everything through replay gain. Always.

I have two controls that are effectively 'volume' controls in Winamp. One is the horizontal slider near the spectrum analyser. The other is the vertical slider next to the Equaliser.

Push both to the maximum and I get clipping. Reduce both or either and the clipping goes away.

My question was to how I could add a bit of science to picking the right settings.

Maybe I phrased my question too briefly.

Tony.

[TheUniqueTiger]

You may try the Classic Spectrum Analyzer visualization plugin, which shows you a larger spectrum analyzer. Spectrum analyzers don't accurately point out clipping.

[tonygamble]

"Spectrum analyzers don't accurately point out clipping"

What does then?

Surely there is a 'best' way of setting two conflicting volume controls?

Tony

[J_Darnley]

DO NOT use the pre-amp slider for volume control! That is not what it is there for. It was there in the past so that if you needed to amplify a file, you could use it. It has no way of preventing clipping. Only use the volume slider.

[tonygamble]

J,

So the pre-amp slider should be in the middle position and all work done with the volume slider.

Thanks - that's a help.

Tony