The invention relates to methods and apparatus for adjusting a level of an audio signal. An audio signal is divided into a plurality of frequency bands. Modification parameters are obtained for at least one of the plurality of frequency band. Gain factors are derived for at least one of the plurality of frequency bands, the gain factors determined based on the amplitude scale factors. The gain factors are smoothed. A level of noise from noise compensation factors is determined. The gain factors are applied to at least one of the frequency bands to generate gain adjusted frequency bands. The level of noise is adjusted based on the gain adjusted frequency bands. At least one of the frequency bands is filtered with a filter generated with the filter coefficients. The plurality of frequency bands is synthesized to generate an output audio signal.