The Essential Guide to Equalizing Audio Volumes in VLC Media Player

How To Normalize Volume in VLC

How to normalize volume, why should we do it, and what is it after all? – these are the questions when it comes to editing our audio files, as well as the video clips we tend to change the sound of. So, first of all, the volume normalization is pretty much explained as follows: The process when a constant amount of gain is applied to the audio recording, bringing the amplitude to a desirable level, which is “the norm” for the project. If it is a little bit difficult to understand, we have to highlight that when this tool is applied to our volume, the whole recording has the same amount of gain across it, every piece affected the same way. Accordingly, when we normalize volume, the relative dynamics are not changed.

But, why bother at all and why not leave it the way it is? Well, the answer to this is almost the same as on why editing exists in general, right? Things are not perfect! This is the fact that prompts us to make our video clips and audio better, improve it at least on the level which can get us the right amount of viewers and listeners. Everyone have had some pain listening to several podcasts, when the volume was too high or too low, or there were so much background noise that the whole recording was hurting the ears of a person! People will not convert to being loyal subscribers, viewers and listeners if their user experience is not favored. So, it is in our best interest to serve their best interest, with a little bit of editing.

When it comes to normalizing audio, there are two reasons we refer to this tool. First is when we feel we need to get the maximum volume, and the second is when we need to match different volumes.

In the first case, you might have somewhat quite voice recording, and would like to make it better without changing its dynamic range, while making it as loud as possible. And when it comes to matching volumes, it is logical that you need to manipulate your editing this way in case you have a group of audio files, each or some of them are at different volumes, so, understandably, if not necessarily, you would like to make them come closer to the same volume.

So, until we give you the step-by step guide on how to normalize your volume in VLC player, we also need to inform you about audio normalization types. Here, generally, we come across three of them: a so-called peak normalization, helping adjust the recording based on the highest signal level present in the recording; another is called loudness normalization and it adjusts the recording based on perceived loudness. Last but not least, RMS (Root-Mean-Square), changes the value of all the samples, where their average electrical volume overall is a specified level.

Using any of this, making it better to listen to your voice, without people being annoyed and their ears becoming exhausting with what you have to offer, you will be making it enjoyable for them and easy to come back to your content, as they will not be obliged to change the volume on their own audio players. Instead, their experience with you will be calm and effortless, which you are aiming to achieve.

So, not, what about VLC? – this is a very popular media player, favorite for a lot of people all around the world, so you should already be quite familiar with what it is, at least by having streamed videos and movies there. Speaking more of what it represents, it is a free-to-use, robust, and feature-packed software that plays a wide range of audio, image, and video files. It is worth noting that it can also play multimedia files directly from extractable devices or the PC and additionally, the program can stream from popular websites such as Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, and so on.

As if it was not enough, you can do simple video and audio editing in VLC Media Player, which a lot of people are unaware of! For example, you can easily trim and cut videos. So, as it happens, we can also normalize volume in VLC Media Player. It is a very handy feature and it works on Windows as well as on Mac. Sooo… How to do that? Because, actually, it is so simple that you might be surprised you didn’t know about this earlier. To learn how to normalize volume in VLC, follow this simple guideline:

First, of course, as every time working with any software, you need to have VLC Media Player installed on your device. Once you have it installed, open VLC. Go to the Tools and Preferences and there, you will need to check the single box which is next to Normalize volume in Effects. Now, set the level to the one that works best for you. Then, when you are happy with the result, you can Save.

This is not something perfect, because it’s so simple to do and actually what it does is just help adjust the general volume, so it leaves the specifics alone.

But, it might be the case that you are not so satisfied with the simple editing and want a little more to get from the editing process on VLC. So, you can do more with the Audio Effects menu there. And the steps are as follows:

First, on your VLC player, find Tools and then, in the menu, go to Preferences. The window will open, and there you need to select All in Show settings – actually it is a little bit hard to find because this is in the bottom left corner of the window. From there, you will need to navigate to Audio, and then, a little below, click on Filters and highlight it. The checkbox next to the Dynamic range compressor will probably be unchecked – so, check in it.

Next, see where Compressor is in the left panel? Select it. And now, you are free to make the changes to the levels as you see fit.

Here, if you are a little bit overwhelmed with the wide range of options to work on, you can just concentrate the most on Makeup gain, Threshold, and Ratio. The first one is by which you adjust in quiet sequences to raise the volume, the second will help you reduce louder sequences to even things out, and ratio is the maximum level of all audio within a movie, let’s say.

Don’t underestimate Attack time and release time, either. They graduate the changes to ramp them up at first, then down again, rather than initiating them immediately. So, if you set them to your liking as well, this will ensure that you have a more fluid transition in and out of the scene and there are less sudden, sometimes scary volume changes.

Therefore, you are now equipped with the most information you will need to normalize volume in VLC Player – so free to give it a go, play around with the different settings and carry out the best result imaginable for you!

How to normalize audio in Wondershare Filmora?

Now, even though we already know how to normalize audio in VLC in the simplest, as well as in the more advanced way, it might be even better if we know some more about normalizing audios in different programs. Something worth discussing is a software called Wondershare Filmora , which carries out the same task wonderfully. Although, unlike VLC Media Player, it is a real video editor , but don’t panic if you have never laid your hand on editing – it is one of the easiest to use ini the word, operating also both on Mac and Windows, and its interface is utterly understandable for beginners right away. And, actually, it is a qhile that Wondershare Filmora X introduced the feature to normalize the audio for the first time. What to say more - you might want to stop now and download the latest version of Filmora because now we are about to learn how to normalize audio from the video there – so, tune in!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

When it is done installing, open the software. Now, click and drag the video of which the audio you want to normalize. Now you can select the clip you have chosen – if there are multiple, select all of them, then right-click and choose Detach Audio.

Now if you have this kind of graphic before your eyes, you can be pretty sure without even listening, that the noises are really, really different from each other, which highlights once again how useful audio normalization can be:

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Soon, all audio will be normalized, and you will already be able to see on the graphics that the volumes are almost on the same level and when you listen to it, you will make sure that there is no longer apparent difference between how they sound. And from there on, you can save the file you just normalized!

So, in this article, we learned a lot about normalizing volumes, why and how it is done, and, more specifically, how to get this task completed in VLC Media Player as well as in Wondershare Filmora X. you can proceed to putting this new information into a good use and come back to learn more about video and audio editing here!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Select these files, right-click and choose Adjust Audio. New panel will be opened on left top and there, you will see Audio Normalization – check the box there.

After you have clicked on it, wait until the normalization completes.

Ultimate Guide to Online and Offline Video-to-Audio Conversion Tools

Best Free Video to Audio Converter

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you have a film clip of your favorite music track or you possess a documentary where the voice narration is more important and informative than its visuals, you can save a decent amount space on your storage device with an efficient video to audio converter.

Even though there are several conversion programs available today, finding the best video to audio converter is still challenging, especially if you are not aware of the technical jargons that the professionals of the multimedia industry use.

Considering all the above complexities, here you will learn about some of the most used video to audio converter online and offline tools.

Part 1: Best Free Video to Audio Converters for Windows/Mac/Linux

Some of the best offline free video to audio converter programs that can run on Windows, Mac, or Linux, or all of them are listed below:

1. UniConverter

https://videoconverter.wondershare.com/

A product by Wondershare, UniConverter is a universal tool that is not only a video to audio converter but it can also perform various other tasks such as:

Editing the videos
Converting an audio file to a different audio format
Compressing media clips
Burning DVDs
Creating and ripping audio CDs
Merging multiple video clips into one

To convert video to audio with Wondershare UniConverter, you must:

Go to the ‘Video Converter’ category
Import the video file to the program
Choose an output audio format from the menu present at the bottom
Begin the conversion process
Access the converted files from the ‘Finished’ tab

Supported Audio Formats: At the time of this writing, Wondershare UniConverter supports more than 1000 formats for conversion that also include MP3, WAV, M4A, WMA, and more.

Supported Platforms: Wondershare UniConverter is available for Windows and Mac computers.

Pros

Supports wide range of video and audio formats
Can be used as a post-production tool for beginner to intermediate users

Cons

Not available for Linux

2. Filmora

Yet another tool developed by Wondershare, Filmora is a decent alternative to full-fledged post-production applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, etc., and can be used to produce industry-standard outputs. Some other features that Filmora has include:

Lets you create split-screen effects easily with the available presets
Allows you to add Elements to beautify your videos
Contains several transition presets

To convert video to audio with Filmora, you must:

Import the video footage to the ‘Media’ box in Filmora
Drag the clip to the Timeline
Trim the video as/if needed
Get to the ‘Export’ box
Choose ‘MP3’ from the ‘Local’ tab’s ‘Format’ list
Click ‘EXPORT’ to begin the conversion process

Supported Audio Formats: At the time of this writing, Filmora supports only MP3 when used as a video to audio converter.

Supported Platforms: Filmora is available for Windows and Mac computers.

Pros

Can be used as an alternative to other expensive apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, etc.
Can create device or portal specific videos like for iPhone, iPad, Samsung, YouTube, Vimeo, etc.

Cons

Direct video to audio conversion can produce files only in MP3 format

3. Freemake Video Converter

https://www.freemake.com/free%5Fvideo%5Fconverter/

This one is an absolutely free tool that does not only convert visual footages to a different video format, but can also be used as a video to audio converter without paying anything at all. Although Freemake Video Converter cannot be used as a replacement for post-production applications, it is a decent program for basic conversions. Some features that make the app the best video to audio converter include:

Support for more than 500 formats for conversions
Capability to extract videos from platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc.
Convert videos to device-specific format and/or resolution
Supports 4K resolution
Can trim, join, and rotate the videos as needed

To convert video to audio with Freemake Video Converter, you must:

Import a video file to Freemake Video Converter
Pick an audio output format from the bottom
Choose output preferences as needed
Begin the conversion process

Supported Audio Formats: Freemake Video Converter supports more than 50 audio formats for conversion including MP3, WAV, ACC, etc.

Supported Platforms: For now, Freemake Video Converter is available only for Windows computers.

Pros

Absolutely free to use
Supports more than 500 formats wherein 50+ are audio extensions

Cons

Available only for Windows

4. VLC media player

https://www.videolan.org/index.html

One of the most versatile players with native support of almost all types codecs, VLC media player also has a built-in video to audio converter that people can use for free as long as they have the app installed on the computer. Some features that VLC media player has include:

Ability to disable subtitles during movie playback
Ability to choose a different language for the menus
Can resume the playback of a media file after it is closed in-between
Ability to change hotkeys as per users’ convenience

To convert video to audio with VLC media player, you must:

Use the ‘Convert/Save’ option in the ‘Media’ menu to import a video file
Choose an audio extension as an output format
Pick a folder and define a name for the target file
Begin the conversion process

Supported Audio Formats: VLC media player supports OGG (Vorbis), MP3, and FLAC formats.

Supported Platforms: VLC media player is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux computers

Pros

Supports almost all types of videos as input files
Available for all major platforms

Cons

Doesn’t have video or audio editing features

5. HandBrake

https://handbrake.fr/

HandBrake is a free and opensource tool that can be considered the best video to audio converter as it can accept the video files of almost all types, and can convert them to your preferred audio format. Some decent features that HandBrake offers include:

Presets to convert media files to device-specific format/resolution/quality
Can accept source files from different formats, DVDs, and even Blu-ray discs
Can produce video files in MP4 and MKV formats using and encoders

To convert video to audio with HandBrake, you must:

Import a source video file
Choose your preferred format from the ‘Audio’ tab
Choose output preferences
Begin the conversion process

Supported Audio Formats: HandBrake supports MP3, FLAC, Vorbis, etc. audio formats.

Supported Platforms: HandBrake is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux computers.

Pros

The program is absolutely free and opensource
Supports almost all major video formats, and can convert them to the most common audio file types

Cons

Lacks some advanced editing tools

Comparison of Best Free Video to Audio Converters for Windows/Mac/Linux

Video to Audio Converter	Supported System	Supported Video Formats	Supported Audio Formats
Wondershare UniConverter	Windows, Mac	All major video formats	All major audio formats
Wondershare Filmora	Windows, Mac	All major video formats	MP3
Freemake Video Converter	Windows	All major video formats	50+ audio formats
VLC media player	Windows, Mac, Linux	All major video formats	OGG (Vorbis), MP3, FLAC
HandBrake	Windows, Mac, Linux	All major video formats	All major audio formats

Part 2: Best Free Web-Based Video to Audio Converters Online

Some of the most common online video converters are listed below for your reference:

2. Audio Converter

Audio Converter is another video to audio converter online free that can accept source files from your PC, Google Drive, Dropbox, or even the URL if they are already published somewhere on the web. The features that make this free video to audio converter worth using include:

It has an audio cutter tool
It can join multiple audio tracks into one
It can record videos and voiceovers
It has a video cutter, and much more

To use Audio Converter to convert video to audio, you must:

Go to https://online-audio-converter.com/
Choose your preferred method to upload the source video
Select the tab representing the output audio format of your choice
Use the ‘Quality’ slider to adjust the bitrate of the output file
Optionally click ‘Advanced Settings’ to choose custom preferences
Begin the conversion process
Download the converted file to your PC, Google Drive, or Dropbox

Supported Media Formats: Audio Converter supports more than 300 media formats wherein around 8 are of audio including MP3, WAV, FLAC, etc.

3. ZAMZAR

One of the popular online converters, ZAMZAR can accept source files from your local computer or from a URL. The tool supports more than 1200 format types including images, videos, and audio files. The features that make the solution worth giving a try include:

Can convert PDF to MS Word
Can export EPUB to PDF
Offers fast conversions
Can send converted files to your email address

To use ZAMZAR to convert video to audio, you must:

Visit https://www.zamzar.com/
Import the source video from your PC or enter its URL
Choose an audio output format
Begin the conversion process
Download the converted audio file to your PC

Supported Media Formats: ZAMZAR supports more than 1200 format types wherein around 15+ of them are for audio.

4. Online Converter

Online Converter is, in true means, free video to audio converter available online that requires no sign in process or subscription to be purchased. Some helpful features offered by Online Converter include:

Offers several conversion tools such as unit converter, video/audio converter, image converter, etc.
All the tools can be accessed right from the landing page
Supports files of up to 200MB in size
Can convert videos to device-specific format/resolution

To use Online Converter to convert video to audio, you must:

Go to https://www.onlineconverter.com/video-to-mp3
Choose a source type (from PC or URL)
Upload the file or paste the URL
Check the ‘Options’ box and choose an audio quality from the available drop-down list
Begin the conversion process
Download the converted file to your PC

Supported Media Formats: Online Converter supports almost every popular video and audio format including AVI, WMV, MOV, FLV, VOB, MPG, MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, M4A, etc.

5. Online-Convert

Online-Convert is not merely a video to audio converter online tool but is also a CAD, document, ebook, image, webservice, etc. converter as well. The web app lets you upload the source video from your computer, from its URL, or even your Dropbox or Google Drive account. Some advantageous features that Online-Convert offers include:

Ability to select audio bitrate before conversion
Ability to change sampling rate and audio channels
Can even normalize the audio
Ability to save your custom settings as long as you have signed up and signed in to the portal

To use Online-Convert to convert video to audio, you must:

Visit https://audio.online-convert.com/convert-to-mp3
Choose a source and upload the video file you want to extract the audio from
Use the available drop-down lists and options to configure output preferences
Optionally choose to remove the cover art from the file you are about to get
Begin the conversion process
Download the audio file to your PC, or upload it to your Dropbox or Google Drive Cloud storage

Supported Media Formats: Online-Convert supports almost all types of audio and video formats including MP4, WMV, MP3, FLAC, OGG, etc.

Comparison of Online Video to Audio Converters

No.	Online Video to Audio Converter	Supported Video Formats	Supported Audio Formats	Size Limitation
#1	Wondershare Online UniConverter	All Major Formats	All Major Formats	100MB
#2	Audio Converter	300+ Formats	MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, etc.	1GB +
#3	ZAMZAR	1200+ Formats	MP3, M4A, WMA, etc.	50MB
#4	Online Converter	All Major Formats	MP3, WMA, FLAC, WAV, etc.	200MB
#5	Online-Convert	150+ Formats	MP3, AIFF, FLAC, etc.	100MB

Conclusion

Depending on the frequency of your usage and the size of the media files that you generally process, the video to audio converter that you choose may vary. While most online solutions are free but offer limited flexibilities in terms of editing and output preferences, the offline apps need to be installed on your computer and would require local hardware resources to function properly.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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