[MPlayer-users] Volume too loud in converted wav files

[Hal Vaughan]

I have some DVDs that have music I want to listen to in my CD player.  
I've been able to convert files over to a .wav file, but when cutting 
the .wav files into tracks, I've noticed a some problems with pops or 
clicks.  I don't know what terms to use, since I'm not an audio person 
and I would think this would be a common problem.  I would not be 
surprised if my problem in finding an answer is I just don't know what 
terms I need to use.

Here's what I've done (all on Ubuntu Linux, Edgy Eft):

Copied the VOBs from the DVD to my hard drive:

vobcopy -i /media/cdrom0/ -m

Then I converted the VOB files to AVI file with MPlayer:

mencoder PATH/TO/VIDEO-FILE.VOB -ovc frameno -o DestFile.avi -oac
    pcm -alang en

And then, to copy to .wav files and change the sampling rate to 44100 
for CDs, I did this:

mplayer -vo null -af resample 44100:0:2  -ao pcm:file=DestFile.wav
    SourceFile.avi

For some reason the AVI files would not play in MPlayer, but they played 
in Kaffeine without a problem and sounded fine.  The problem is when I 
converted the sound data to .wav files, many times the volume "maxes 
out" and when it does, I get clicks or pops.  I can play the exact same 
section of the .avi file in Kaffeine with no problem.  When I play 
the .wav, I get the pops and clicks.

What is happening?  Is there a reason the volume "maxes out" in the .wav 
files?  What is the term for this?  And is there a way to keep this 
from happening?  What do I need to be doing?

Thanks for help on this, including what kind of terms I should be using 
for this behavior and what I do to prevent it.

Hal