Audio volume adjustment — Settings and quality

Worked example

The slider moves in 1% steps from 0% to 200% and multiplies the waveform by that number.

In decibels, 50% is about -6 dB, 70% about -3 dB, 125% about +1.9 dB, 150% about +3.5 dB and 200% about +6 dB.

For a quiet voice start with 130% to 160%, which is roughly +2 to +4 dB and usually the most a normal recording can take. Reserve 180% to 200% for sources whose loudest peak sits well below the top of the waveform, because every extra percent narrows the safety margin.

Lowering is safer than raising. If a track is too hot, 70% to 80% costs nothing in quality apart from the final encode, while 0% simply produces silence and is only useful for confirming that a file is processed.

Perception matters: +6 dB is clearly audible but does not sound twice as loud, since a doubling of perceived loudness takes roughly +10 dB. If 200% still feels too quiet, the source level, not the setting, is the real limit.

The format choice interacts with gain. A boosted track encoded to 192 kbps MP3 can show new distortion on peaks, so use 256 kbps, or WAV if the file will be edited again, and keep the sample rate and channels on Keep source unless the destination requires otherwise. Small steps are easy to undo.

Quiet voice with louder peaks

Adjusted track; peak check required

Change the percentage in small steps of 10 to 20 and re-listen to the loudest passage each time instead of jumping straight to 200%.