Stereo Tool

I've noticed that the input level meters will sometimes go red sometimes when playing back certain audio files in Winamp. It doesn't appear to affect the sound nor does there appear to be an adjustment to reduce the input level. Is there any way to fix that so I can ensure that I get the best sound quality possible?

This just means that your input signal is probably too loud. (It could also be that the peak level is *exactly* at the maximum level possible). What you need to do depends on your input; if you're playing MP3's for example there isn't much you can do (except re-rip them at a lower level, and the original might already have been too loud).

If you're feeding an external signal into the pc and process that however, it means you should lower the level going into the pc (or the sound card settings which determine at which level incoming audio is recorded).

Set preamp in winamp's EQ to -0.6dB or lower.

That would indeed remove the red blinking, but afaik it doesn't improve any clipping that occurs elsewhere (in an MP3 decoder for example). So it probably has no effect on the audio.

In fact, you probably add a step of dithering which increases noise levels.

Oh ok thanks. I didn't know there was any setting in Winamp for that.

Where in the latest version of Winamp is that setting found?

I usually use Stereo Tools when I want to send a signal to my part 15 AM transmitter so I can hear music on my AM radios. I have the upper frequency limit set at 4.5 KHz so I more than likely couldn't really hear any distortion possibly produced by the MP3 decoder.

It's important to solve visual problem

Just got around to trying it. Solved the problem.