Digital audio question

[dave9199]

I use Peak 2.62 for audio editing as a hobby and have done a couple cds on my own on a Tascam 4-track. So I've put the analog into the computer. Now there's a lot of peaks in the sound files that are higher than the rest of the song and that's from my mix. So my question is if I boost the gain up 3dbsand then normalize the whole thing at 95%, is there any noticable unpleasant sound quality difference with the sound waves that get cut off as compared to the ones that don't?

[AllenLowe]

I don't have experience with that particular program, but I will say I have yet to hear a program where normalizing and using digital means to control peaks works very well - the problem is that the program just looks at the wave form and doesn't really hear it. The best way, in my opinion, is just to do the whole thing by ear -

[dave9199]

That's what I've done in the past and I can't say I have a problem with it. I just wanted to know if it robs any character aside from some dynamics (probably the most important character); qualitywise.

[AllenLowe]

Digital processing can sometimes be transparent, other times apparent - I would listen for artifacts or dullness or pumping -

[akashick]

I think the answer is Yes: the signal lose quality. It has to do something with data overflow.

The solution is to compress the audio signal. Check out if your software has any compression process, if not there are many software that does i.e Cool Edit Pro.