Hi, my project just uses audio tracks recorded for audio tours that can be downloaded to smart devices by tourists visiting my area. I have noticed during tests ( using standard ipod ear phones) that the audio levels of play on the smart devices (using two different free app software) varies but in general is quite low for the end user (especially if there is wind etc). If I export my tracks with higher decibel levels will this help increase the sound levels my end users will ultimately hear? 

you do not want to export at anything higher than 0dB or you will get digital distortion and that will make the recording soundbad.  what you probably need to do is add a compressor or limiter to the master bus to bring the overall "perceived" volume up.  If I remember correctly, there were several free plugins available that came with MC5, find a compressor in one of them and find a preset that compresses pretty highly or uses it as a limiter and try that.

It totally depends on what is the level you're using now. AS Beagle writes, do not go over 0 dB anyway.
I assume you're talking about voice recordings only. In addition to compression, suggested above, one quick approach would be normalizing to, say, something like -1 dB. If the performers speech is well produced, not swallowing the ends of sentences and such, normalizing could be everything you need. Filtering out the lowest end (below 100-150 db??) of the recording with an EQ may also add clarity by eliminating low noises caused by proximity effect.

Many thanks Beagle (once again) and Kalle, your advice is will give me hours of challenge but can you recommend any youtube tutorials or the like, on giving good audio commentary? 

Unfortunately I can't point you to any Youtube- or similar stuff.
Normalizing, EQ and compression are something I think you can  get into with reasonable
amount of trial and error, as this is spoken audio. Just try them. Normalizing isn't an effect, though, I think you find it in the Edit, Process or that kind of drop down (I've never used MC).
The two latter are somewhat more complicated when you start fiddling with music.
 
Using compression you first select the treshold level, i.e. the lowest volume point for the FX to kick in. Then you set the ratio. A ratio of 1:2, for example, means that the level exceeding the treshhold is decreased By 50%. This evens the dynamics of the volume, quiet parts get louder in relation to the loud ones.
 
Normalizing simply raises the level evenly so that the loudest sounds reach the dB level you have set. It does not affect the dynamics, the differences between loud/quiet parts.

Hi Kalle, thanks for response but the youtube clips I was referring to, was in relation to your comment  "If the performers speech is well produced, not swallowing the ends of sentences and such, normalizing could be everything you need" because I am the performer and producer!!

Ronan,
 
One thing you might want to think about is setting your meters to show both peak and RMS values.
 
Peak is an instantanious value and should never exceed 0 dbFS.  If the waveform exceeds 0 dbFS it has clipped and results in distortion.  In fact most people suggest limiting peak at -3 or -6 dbFS.
 
RMS is an average waveform value.  The higher a RMS value is the louder the apparent volume level will seem to be.  Typically a voice speaking at normal volume will have a low average waveform value because there is little energy in the voice.  Like a singer, a professional speaker (such as a teacher, military oficer or religious leader) learns how to project their voice above the noise level so they can be clearly heard.  Projecting the voice is raising the average waveform value of the waveform.
 
You can raise the RMS value of your recorded travelogues by setting a compressor at a high compressor value and having the threshold value set low enough that the compressor is working about 25% of the time so that the compressor is working only on the waveform peaks.  Then raise the compressor output volume so the same level as before.
 
Let's say the loudest peak is -4 dbFS but you can see the compressor start to work when you have the threshold set to -20 dbFS.  That means the peaks have a range of about (20 - 4 = 16) 16 db.  If you have the compressor set to a 8:1 ratio then the 16 db range is squashed to 2 db and the highest peak is no longer -4 db but is now -18 dbFS so you can raise the volume of the track.  The dynamic range is reduced but the overall volume level is higher.

Hi Jim, thanks for the reply, 
 
Below is as good as it gets in the MC5 help section;
 
 
My Exported Projects Are Not as Loud/Hot as Commercially Released CDs

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CDs released on major record labels are always mastered. This is the final step before publishing. It involves applying equalization and dynamic processing (compressors, limiters, expanders, etc.) to your final mix to add an even volume and "punch". You can certainly accomplish this in Cakewalk products, but bear in mind that it is a technique that is just as advanced as mixing.
If you are looking for a quick solution, consider exporting your project to a single stereo wave file, import it into a new project and apply a limiter. 
 
Is a "limiter" a compressor?
I've tried to use the compressor in MC5 but can you give a quick explanation for the settings; attack, release, compression threshold, compression ratio, compression input gain, gate mode, gate threshold,  many thanks for any help! Regards Ronan.
 
 

There are no fixed settings one can give you without hearing the project. Making a loud song starts from the arrangement. Then you may need to do some volume automation to roughly even out the biggest variations in volume on some tracks, often especially vocals.
Then you might need to use gentle compression on some of the tracks (well, bass and drums often tolerate/require heavyish compression). The finall compressing  and limiting takes place in the master bus, where each track is routed.
Yes, in practice limiter is actually a compressor with extreme settings, but many compressors include a limiting feature.
 
I used to find a lot of useful recording guides at tweakheadz.com , and the Izotope Mastering guide (free at Izotopes site) is a useful read even if you don't use Izotope products.

Just a quick update, more for Cakewalks attention than anyone else, I followed as best I could all the advice I was given by you all, but I think Cakewalk is way beyond my ability. I found NCH software by chance that looks a lot easier to work with. I was able to do a test audio file and increase the volume etc pretty easy. It's probably not up to the quality levels of you guys but I feel it's a lot more user friendly, the Cakewalk software came with the mic I bought, so that's why I went with it first. I am truly grateful for the support I was show by you all. All the best, Ronan!