App developer Marco Arment has a new update out today for his popular mobile podcast player Overcast. In a detailed blog post, Arment says the new version of Overcast now comes with a totally overhauled volume normalization feature, called Voice Boost 2, that relies on “dramatically more sophisticated methods, leading to more consistent results and much better sound quality.”

“Voice Boost 2 is a mastering-quality audio-processing pipeline that applies broadcast-standard loudness normalization, light compression and EQ, and a true-peak lookahead limiter to your podcasts, in real time, without sacrificing quality or battery life,” Arment explains.

Introducing Voice Boost 2 in Overcast, which brings mastering-quality volume leveling to your podcasts: https://t.co/wRTrqxZtSG



Also in this update (v. 2020.1):



- AirPlay 2 (with Smart Speed and Voice Boost, of course)

- Skip intros/outros by X seconds

- Restored iOS 12 support — Overcast (@OvercastFM) January 31, 2020

In other words, it’s going to make podcasts played through Overcast sound better and ensure that, podcast to podcast, the volume is consistent and tailored to the environment you’re in, be it in a loud office or the confines of your car. “If I did my job well, you’ll hardly notice it at all. You’ll have no idea that your podcasts are being remastered in your pocket,” Arment writes. “But I’ll know. And the handful of you who really care will know. And that’s enough for me.”

In addition to Voice Boost 2, the latest Overcast update also lets you skip the intros and outros of podcasts on a per-podcast basis by setting distinct time skips. Arment says, “Overcast can now play to HomePods and other AirPlay 2 devices much more responsively” considering it now has support for Apple’s AirPlay 2. He also removed the restriction on clip sharing in private feeds, describing it as “unnecessary.” The new update should be out now for all iOS users.