This is an interesting thread, so I wanted to get back to it and see if anyone knows how to help dmrodes. This last post gives more good clues.

Dmrodes, how do you answer that 1st question about whether you want to burn an audio or a data CD?

Could you tell us more about "MP3Gain" and what that is? I'm not familiar with it. Also, I can't really help with the other software you are using, since I don't use any of those to make my MP3s, but it all is commonly used and someone here must have experience.

The "volume discrepancy" is one area where I think a problem could be occurring. Your CD burning software could be trying to normalize each song before burning (just a guess) and in general, I do not let software do anything for me like that - I make sure it cannot make major changes to my songs. In other words, in Audacity, you could use normalize and perhaps limiting to make sure the average gain (if it has that spec; otherwise use your ears) is closer to equal for all songs before you burn them.

You mentioned BBE. I have used that but do not any longer. It has an interesting effect that sounds pleasant at first, but to my ears leads to fatigue after awhile. Still, it makes songs more clear, not less, so I doubt that is the problem here, especially since it sounds like you are only using it correctly at the end - at the PA - instead of somewhere in the process of making your MP3s.

BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors