2010/5/12 Martín Soto
<donsoto@xxxxxxxxx>
My idea to implement this, by the way, would be to measure the perceptual loudness [3] of the current stream using Replay Gain [4] or similar. The resulting (instant) value would be used to set the volume for the notification stream. This can probably be all done inside PulseAudio by creating an appropriate module.
the behaviour you are suggesting is called dynamic processing.
there are dozens of algorithms currently available and GPLed for this, including expanders, compressors, maximizers, limiters and maximizing limiters...
Audacity, Ardour and some Xmms clones do these via plugins.
fiddling with dynamics is a question of taste, as i stated before... i wouldn't recommend it to anybody for default configuration.. one should leave that in the plugins or as an option, if people vote to have it..
eventually the PA preferences will enable DSP plugins or at least eQ and advanced dynamics in a way discoverable for audiophiles.. so i hope