MP3Gain (aka replaygain) is really the way to go.

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Again, he's seeking something where he doesn't have to tinker with each individual mp3 file.
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-Mr.Fancypants (March 27, 2008, 03:08 AM)

So, is it that he doesn't want to have to mess with the MP3s on an individual basis, or does he want to avoid having to change all his files?
... If that's not clear, let me say it a different way: Would a program that will batch process ALL his MP3s at once be good enough? I'm sure there's plenty of programs that will batch process MP3s, but if not I could dig up the script I made for "The GodFather" music manager which will do it.

The way I understand it goes something like this...

Higher quality cables help do 2 things:
- reduce internal and external interference, and
- transmit the signal without loss

In the analog world the topic of "are those expensive cables worth it?" is certainly debatable. Personally I do not have the ears to tell the difference so I get the mid-range stuff (not the cheapest that anyone could ever get away with, but not $20 a foot either).

BUT when it comes to digital it's a whole new ball game. Your HDMI source, lets say a BluRay player, is more or less pumping out "1s" and "0s", or more accurately "Ons" and "Offs". So long as the device on the other end of the cable can tell whether it's been delivered a "1" or a "0" is all that matters. I don't know how much influence interference can have on the signal, but with digital it would have to be enough to turn the 0s and 1s into "0.5s" (a bit where the receiver cannot tell if it's "on" or "off").

I'm reminded of this image from SpinRite, an excellent data recovery tool.


The progression of different digital media (CDs, DVDs, HD stuff, etc.) is a different topic altogether. For HDMI cables the only question is: do the 1s and 0s make it to the other end or not? With digital, this is easily tested scientifically.