diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 36cb694de..ed178a1ed 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@ _trial_temp/
 /tests/integration/blockchain/files
 /tests/.coverage.*
 
-/lbry/wallet/bin
\ No newline at end of file
+/lbry/wallet/bin
+
+/.vscode
+/.gitignore
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lbry/conf.py b/lbry/conf.py
index deb9222f2..d7cc8237b 100644
--- a/lbry/conf.py
+++ b/lbry/conf.py
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ class TranscodeConfig(BaseConfig):
     audio_encoder = String('FFmpeg codec and parameters for the audio encoding. '
                            'Example: libopus -b:a 128k',
                            'aac -b:a 160k')
-    volume_filter = String('FFmpeg filter for audio normalization.', '-af loudnorm')
+    volume_filter = String('FFmpeg filter for audio normalization. Exmple: -af loudnorm', '')
     volume_analysis_time = Integer('Maximum seconds into the file that we examine audio volume (0 to disable).', 240)
 
 
diff --git a/lbry/file_analysis.py b/lbry/file_analysis.py
index af55d500e..179ffbfd6 100644
--- a/lbry/file_analysis.py
+++ b/lbry/file_analysis.py
@@ -195,12 +195,11 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
             if stream["codec_type"] != "audio":
                 continue
             codec = stream["codec_name"]
-            sample_rate = stream['sample_rate']
             log.debug("   Detected audio codec is %s", codec)
             if not {"aac", "mp3", "flac", "vorbis", "opus"}.intersection(codec.split(",")):
                 return "Audio codec is not in the approved list of AAC, FLAC, MP3, Vorbis, and Opus. " \
                        f"Actual: {codec} [{stream['codec_long_name']}]"
-            if sample_rate > "48000":
+            if int(stream['sample_rate']) > 48000:
                 return "Sample rate out of range"
 
         return ""
@@ -307,9 +306,6 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
 
         raise Exception(f"The audio encoder is not available. Requested: {encoder or 'aac'}")
 
-    async def _get_volume_filter(self):
-        return self._conf.volume_filter if self._conf.volume_filter else "-af loudnorm"
-
     @staticmethod
     def _get_best_container_extension(scan_data, video_encoder):
         # the container is chosen by the video format
@@ -433,9 +429,8 @@ class VideoFileAnalyzer:
             if audio_msg or volume_msg:
                 audio_encoder = await self._get_audio_encoder(extension)
                 transcode_command.append(audio_encoder)
-                if volume_msg:
-                    volume_filter = await self._get_volume_filter()
-                    transcode_command.append(volume_filter)
+                if volume_msg and self._conf.volume_filter:
+                    transcode_command.append(self._conf.volume_filter)
                 if audio_msg == "Sample rate out of range":
                     transcode_command.append(" -ar 48000 ")
             else: