You can't beat a person for this job. I know what I'm saying goes against the point of your question.
I believe the benefits of having a human control the volume in relation to the mood of the occasion far outweigh any benefits tech could possibly offer.

Yes, I know, Greener. I suggested this but because of space limitations it is not an option.

Unfortunately your basic compressor/limiter isn't going to help with this (at least in any way that is good musically). All it will do is clip the heck out of music that has already been compressed to within an inch of its life.

My advice is no more practical than Greeners - kick those damned overcompressed songs off the jukebox.

You may actually want a limiter instead. If it was me I would use a waves L2 for that application, however any compressor will act as a limiter with the ratio maxed.

THe DBX 166XL may not be the most transparent in this application though.

Try this:

http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=242

Or something like this:
http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=114

bent wrote: Or something like this:
http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=114

Good one Ben! Looks like this may do the trick.
krazykorg, what ever you choose, lets us all know how you make out.

Also, Symetrix manufactures a device called the "SPL Computer". It was designed to regulate the SPL of a sound system by sensing the ambient noise in an environment (via an external mic) and then adjusting the systems' gain to match the level, according to how it is programmed. I have used it's predecessor in the past for the same reasons you have stated. I simply placed the detection mic ( a Shure 57) near the system loudspeakers and let the SPL adjust the volume to the program levels. Worked pretty well.

I installed one of [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.formula-…"]these[/]="http://www.formula-…"]these[/] at the club I used to look after, to keep deaf DJs under control. Works very well.

BobRogers wrote: Unfortunately your basic compressor/limiter isn't going to help with this (at least in any way that is good musically). All it will do is clip the heck out of music that has already been compressed to within an inch of its life.

My advice is no more practical than Greeners - kick those damned overcompressed songs off the jukebox.

Dang. Get rid of all that loudness war music and you will have nothing left.

You are pretty much hosed. This is a problem that broadcasters face too. We need a standard. It will never happen.

I know that the joke box is a source of revenue, but why not go another route? There are music services that one can subscribe too that provide better mixes based on your demographics and hours of operation. You could always do the Sirus/XM radio thing. They have business licenses that are not bad. The music is better and it is all smashed out.

BobRogers wrote: Unfortunately your basic compressor/limiter isn't going to help with this (at least in any way that is good musically). All it will do is clip the heck out of music that has already been compressed to within an inch of its life.

My advice is no more practical than Greeners - kick those damned overcompressed songs off the jukebox.

If you can find a compressor that keys from RMS levels rather than peak levels you might manage to improve matters. Time constants would need to be set as long as possible, especially the release time.

But a dedicated unit such as the AVC2 I linked to above will do better.