"normalize" for streaming audio

[stan]

Frank Cox wrote:
> I was just listening to some streaming audio where the volume changed between
> tunes -- so quiet you can't hear it, to BLAST!
> 
> "normalize" can fix this on mp3 files.  Is there a way to do the same thing
> with streaming audio?
> 

I have a question instead of an answer.  Do you run the 
normalize before you play the mp3 file, or do you normalize 
while you are playing?  I ask because normalize means that 
the amplitude of the whole file is raised until the loudest 
sound in the file is at or just below some max amplitude.

You see the problem?  Until the whole streaming file has 
arrived there is no way for any normalize routine to know 
what the maximum amplitude in the file is, and thus adjust 
the rest of it.

So I would say there probably isn't a normalize for 
streaming audio.  Unless there is some kind of buffer and 
delay.  i.e. you're always one song behind.  Or you like 
listening to music that has no dynamics.  :-)