Monitoring levels

[drundall]

What level do you guys monitor at while mixing? Do you try to stay around 85dB or are you mixing quieter for most of the time? I'm especially interested in what the rock guys are doing who mix day in and day out.

Thanks for the time. I'm trying to get together a quantitative approach.

[Peter Morrison]

I typically mix around 76dB and push it sometimes to 86dB

though no one else in the studio likes those levels... they like it up near 80 - 96dB

Peter

[MASSIVE Master]

I try to keep most of the "critical decision making" at around 82-85 or so. But I tend to go back and forth to the extremes fairly frequently just for grins.

[jdunn]

Check out the thread about "K-14 Metering" in the April Mastering Forum. 0 dB on the K Meter should correspond to 83 dB on your monitor setup. The optimal SPL for mixing pop music is about 6 dB below this at 77 dB, but the calibration is supposed to be done at 83 dB.

Ideally you should have a monitoring level control (attenuator) that has 1 dB steps.

[ShamansDream]

I just did this on my setup and works really well.

Not sure what the proper setup is but I put the SPL meter to a-weighted and the white noise on each channel would come in at 84db at my ears for each channel. Using the Inspector XL meter set to K-12 reading 0db RMS (-12dbfs).

Someone correct me if this is not the right method. Regardless, this is a comfortable setting for monitoring. When I start pushing the red on the XL meters, I know it and back off without even reading the screen.

[Zwinter]

So I don't know if I am the only person who does this, but I check my mix anywhere from a whisper to turning it all the way to "11". I figure it needs to sound good at any volume. Plus, I am always surprised that as you turn the volume up or down things will poke out and I will end up making changes. Ultimately it is a balancing act; when I listen to a mix at a whisper I may need to turn something down, and then when I listen at "11" it may need to be turned back up. It’s also important to listen in mono!

But in general I do most of mixing listening at a fairly low level. I find myself having to turn it up if someone else wants to listen to it. But this is what I do and I do it because it works for me. But for other people I would find the volume that gives you the best results.

[Bob Olhsson]

Originally Posted by Zwinter

So I don't know if I am the only person who does this, but I check my mix anywhere from a whisper to turning it all the way to "11"...

This is one of the most important things you can do in mixing and mastering records because the playback conditions are all over the map compared to almost any other application.

The reason for this is basic to how our hearing works. Our ears compress all sounds above around 500 Hz. but not sounds below. This means we hear a different balance at different SPL levels and this needs to be accounted for in mixing and to a lesser degree in mastering. 85dB. average SPL is a good compromise for a fixed level however it is no substitute for monitoring for musical balance at a variety of different levels.

[mtstudios@charter]

Get my bottom at louder levels, all balances and fader rides at low levels. One last check at louder levels. Then low levels small speakers. Med level on near fields, listen outside control room. I leave while client listens at excruciating levels.

[wwittman]

I mix mostly with the speakers up LOUD, not all the way up, but loud.
With a few forays into full blast.
If I am just doing mutes or things that don't need real vibe, I'll monitor softly for that.

and I like to stay on ONE set of speakers the entire project... more confuses me and EVERYONE ELSE in the room, more importantly.

I don't believe in lowest common denominator record making.

[Rep]

70 - 80 = fixing , tracking ,
80 -90 = Vibe /feel / base set
Whisper for standouts ,
... few different Headphones test , are a MUST

[vls]

Hi!

I want to measure with this device:
******//www.teufel.de/de/Zubehoer/Verschiedenes/
Which ist the best way to measure dbSPL? this device can only measure dbA / dbC.

Volker

[ShamansDream]

Originally Posted by vls

Hi!

I want to measure with this device:
******//www.teufel.de/de/Zubehoer/Verschiedenes/
Which ist the best way to measure dbSPL? this device can only measure dbA / dbC.

Volker

That unit looks a lot like the Radio Shack model I use except mine is digital:
Linked here

They also have this unit: Link

[vls]

Originally Posted by ShamansDream

That unit looks a lot like the Radio Shack model I use except mine is digital:
Linked here

They also have this unit: Link

Hey, these ones look nice! Someone knows whether i can get them in Germany, too?

Volker

[dussel]

Originally Posted by jdunn

Ideally you should have a monitoring level control (attenuator) that has 1 dB steps.

That leads me to another question does anyone know of a very simple stepped attenuator (preferably with discrete resistors) and a mute and a mono switch? I am thinking of something like the central station remote control, but without the speaker selectors and with completely neutral sound and superb separation.

thx.

dussel

[ShamansDream]

Originally Posted by vls

Hey, these ones look nice! Someone knows whether i can get them in Germany, too?

Volker

You can probably contact Radio Shack to see if they ship internationally.

[weedmaker]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

...

85dB. average SPL is a good compromise for a fixed level however it is no substitute for monitoring for musical balance at a variety of different levels.

...

This is something that's been forgotten lately! Everyone seems to have found a "magical" level for mixing @ 85dB SPL for -20dBFS!

However, music is replayed by consumers at all levels from whisper quiet to 120 dB in-car systems and clubs!! It is VERY important to check mix at all levels during mixing.

It is a balancing act, as stated earlier!

[jdunn]

Originally Posted by ShamansDream

I just did this on my setup and works really well.

Not sure what the proper setup is but I put the SPL meter to a-weighted and the white noise on each channel would come in at 84db at my ears for each channel. Using the Inspector XL meter set to K-12 reading 0db RMS (-12dbfs).

Someone correct me if this is not the right method. Regardless, this is a comfortable setting for monitoring. When I start pushing the red on the XL meters, I know it and back off without even reading the screen.

The SPL meter should be set to C-weighted and Slow response I believe.

[mtstudios@charter]

I forgot to mention maybe a headphone listen for pops clicks bad edits. Low to med level.

www.bluethumbproductions.com

[lucey]

Originally Posted by dussel

That leads me to another question does anyone know of a very simple stepped attenuator (preferably with discrete resistors) and a mute and a mono switch? I am thinking of something like the central station remote control, but without the speaker selectors and with completely neutral sound and superb separation.

You'd need to buy a stepped attenuator and make you own box. Shadow Hills is working on something great but it's years away.

We use the Avocet and it's very clean plus it has offsets that can be changed on the fly.




I monitor all over the place when making final decisions. Never above 85-87 for very long as my ears tire in a hurry and this strange ringing sound appears and makes me sleepy.

[jdunn]

For $40 I found an ATI analog SPL meter. Here's a link.

******//www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...goryNavigation

[rufus13]

******//www.gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=82970