Index: test/test.c
===================================================================
--- test/test.c	(revision 1091)
+++ test/test.c	(working copy)
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 static int    h264_30     = 0;
 static char * audios      = NULL;
 static int    audio_mixdown = HB_AMIXDOWN_DOLBYPLII;
+static float  dynamic_range_compression = 0;
 static int    sub         = 0;
 static int    width       = 0;
 static int    height      = 0;
@@ -823,7 +824,11 @@
             {
                 job->acodec = acodec;
             }
-
+            if ( dynamic_range_compression )
+            {
+                job->dynamic_range_compression = dynamic_range_compression;
+            }
+            
             if( size )
             {
                 job->vbitrate = hb_calc_bitrate( job, size );
@@ -1181,6 +1186,10 @@
             fprintf( stderr, "/" );
     }
     fprintf( stderr, " kHz)\n"
+    "    -D, --normalize <float> Normalize the source's audio by applying dynamic\n"
+    "                            range compression, so soft sounds are louder.\n"
+    "                            Range is 0.0 (off) to 4.0 (too loud), with\n"
+    "                            1.0 - 2.5 being a good range for... normal use.\n"
    
     
 	
@@ -1267,6 +1276,7 @@
             { "markers",     optional_argument, NULL,    'm' },
             { "audio",       required_argument, NULL,    'a' },
             { "mixdown",     required_argument, NULL,    '6' },
+            { "normalize",   required_argument, NULL,    'D' },
             { "subtitle",    required_argument, NULL,    's' },
             { "subtitle-scan", no_argument,     NULL,    'U' },
             { "subtitle-forced", no_argument,   NULL,    'F' },
@@ -1308,7 +1318,7 @@
         int c;
 
         c = getopt_long( argc, argv,
-                         "hvuC:f:4i:Io:t:Lc:ma:6:s:UFN:e:E:2d789gpOP::w:l:n:b:q:S:B:r:R:Qx:TY:X:VZ:z",
+                         "hvuC:f:4i:Io:t:Lc:ma:6:s:UFN:e:E:2dD:789gpOP::w:l:n:b:q:S:B:r:R:Qx:TY:X:VZ:z",
                          long_options, &option_index );
         if( c < 0 )
         {
@@ -1416,6 +1426,9 @@
                     audio_mixdown = HB_AMIXDOWN_6CH;
                 }
                 break;
+            case 'D':
+                dynamic_range_compression = atof( optarg );
+                break;
             case 's':
                 sub = atoi( optarg );
                 break;
Index: libhb/deca52.c
===================================================================
--- libhb/deca52.c	(revision 1091)
+++ libhb/deca52.c	(working copy)
@@ -56,6 +56,30 @@
 static hb_buffer_t * Decode( hb_work_object_t * w );
 
 /***********************************************************************
+ * dynrng_call
+ ***********************************************************************
+ * Boosts soft audio -- taken from gbooker's work in A52Decoder, comment and all..
+ * Two cases 
+ * 1) The user requested a compression of 1 or less, return the typical power rule 
+ * 2) The user requested a compression of more than 1 (decompression): 
+ *    If the stream's requested compression is less than 1.0 (loud sound), return the normal compression 
+ *    If the stream's requested compression is more than 1.0 (soft sound), use power rule (which will make
+ *   it louder in this case). 
+ * 
+ **********************************************************************/
+static sample_t dynrng_call (sample_t c, void *data)
+{        
+        double *level = (double *)data;
+        float levelToUse = (float)*level;
+        if(c > 1.0 || levelToUse <= 1.0)
+        {
+            return powf(c, levelToUse);
+        }
+        else
+                return c;
+}
+ 
+/***********************************************************************
  * hb_work_deca52_init
  ***********************************************************************
  * Allocate the work object, initialize liba52
@@ -200,7 +224,13 @@
 
     /* Feed liba52 */
     a52_frame( pv->state, pv->frame, &pv->flags_out, &pv->level, 0 );
-
+    
+    if ( pv->job->dynamic_range_compression )
+    {
+        float dynamic_compression_level = pv->job->dynamic_range_compression;;
+        a52_dynrng( pv->state, dynrng_call, &pv->job->dynamic_range_compression);        
+    }
+    
     /* 6 blocks per frame, 256 samples per block, channelsused channels */
     buf        = hb_buffer_init( 6 * 256 * pv->out_discrete_channels * sizeof( float ) );
     if (pts == -1)
Index: libhb/work.c
===================================================================
--- libhb/work.c	(revision 1091)
+++ libhb/work.c	(working copy)
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@
             title->width, title->height, job->width, job->height,
             job->crop[0], job->crop[1], job->crop[2], job->crop[3] );
     hb_log( " + grayscale %s", job->grayscale ? "on" : "off" );
-    
+
     if ( job->vfr )
     {
         job->vrate_base = 900900;
@@ -324,6 +324,9 @@
                 "faac" : ( ( job->acodec & HB_ACODEC_LAME ) ? "lame" :
                 "vorbis" ) );
     }
+    
+    if ( job->dynamic_range_compression )
+        hb_log(" + normalizing audio at strength: %f", job->dynamic_range_compression);
 
     /* if we are doing AC3 passthru, then remove any non-AC3 audios from the job */
     /* otherwise, Bad Things will happen */
Index: libhb/common.h
===================================================================
--- libhb/common.h	(revision 1091)
+++ libhb/common.h	(working copy)
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@
     int             acodec;
     int             abitrate;
     int             arate;
+    float           dynamic_range_compression;
 
     /* Subtitle settings:
          subtitle: index in hb_title_t's subtitles list, starting