Clipping in MP3s made by youtube-dl

[stalepie]

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Make sure you are using the latest version: run youtube-dl --version and ensure your version is 2018.03.10. If it's not, read this FAQ entry and update. Issues with outdated version will be rejected.

• I've verified and I assure that I'm running youtube-dl 2018.03.10

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• At least skimmed through the README, most notably the FAQ and BUGS sections
• Searched the bugtracker for similar issues including closed ones
• Checked that provided video/audio/playlist URLs (if any) are alive and playable in a browser

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• Bug report (encountered problems with youtube-dl)
• Site support request (request for adding support for a new site)
• Feature request (request for a new functionality)
• Question
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If the purpose of this issue is a bug report, site support request or you are not completely sure provide the full verbose output as follows:

Add the -v flag to your command line you run youtube-dl with (youtube-dl -v <your command line>), copy the whole output and insert it here. It should look similar to one below (replace it with your log inserted between triple ```):

[debug] System config: []
[debug] User config: []
[debug] Command-line args: [u'-v', u'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKcj']
[debug] Encodings: locale cp1251, fs mbcs, out cp866, pref cp1251
[debug] youtube-dl version 2018.03.10
[debug] Python version 2.7.11 - Windows-2003Server-5.2.3790-SP2
[debug] exe versions: ffmpeg N-75573-g1d0487f, ffprobe N-75573-g1d0487f, rtmpdump 2.4
[debug] Proxy map: {}
...
<end of log>

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If the purpose of this issue is a site support request please provide all kinds of example URLs support for which should be included (replace following example URLs by yours):

• Single video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaW_jenozKc
• Single video: https://youtu.be/BaW_jenozKc
• Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4lCao7KL_QFVb7Iudeipvc2BCavECqzc

Note that youtube-dl does not support sites dedicated to copyright infringement. In order for site support request to be accepted all provided example URLs should not violate any copyrights.

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Description of your issue, suggested solution and other information

When downloading music from YouTube the MP3s are too loud. It introduces clipping in the audio. This is shown in Audacity when the "Show Clipping" option is on under View in the menu.

Clipping is when the waveforms go over level and it is distortion. It might be coming from volume normalization, which is trying to maximize the audio levels for every MP3, OGG, etc. that's made during conversion. The problem is likely in ffmpeg or whatever is used to compress and can be changed simply to avoid this issue.

I don't know whether to call it a "bug" or just mark this as "other," but I've already had a previous attempt at submitting here taken down. This kind of issue really shouldn't exist because it is needlessly worsening the audio quality of so many things downloaded and saved.

Thank you for reading and please considering improving the software here.

[dstftw]

Neither youtube-dl not ffmpeg does any clipping or normalization. All media files are downloaded as served by Youtube without any modification.

[stalepie]

You're right. Sorry about this.

…

________________________________ From: Sergey M. <notifications@github.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 3:12 PM To: rg3/youtube-dl Cc: stalepie; Author Subject: Re: [rg3/youtube-dl] Clipping in MP3s made by youtube-dl (#15857) Neither youtube-dl not ffmpeg does any clipping or normalization. All media files are provided as is. — You are receiving this because you authored the thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#15857 (comment)>, or mute the thread<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AjH0wi0Pyvb9Ia4AIPA1fP1QaDrXbJYbks5teBn_gaJpZM4SpQ7b>.