Channel levels while mixing ITB

[frist44]

Since I've started doing more stuff ITB I pay more attention to gain staging and all that stuff. I've read that decreasing the level of the master fader would decrease the resolution of your mix. Is this true? With that, I try to mix so the end result has the master fader at 0 and the channel faders wherever to still get a healthy level but not overload. With a 24 channel rock project and plugs, I end up having the majority of the drum faders at about 10% of the way up, which when I look at it seems really low. But that's the only the way to don't overload the crap out of the master fader. I'm mixing in Nuendo.

How does everyone else approach the gain levels in channels, groups, and master? Have you noticed a better sounding way of doing anything like this?

Brandon

[sdevino]

The resolution is the same no matter what the level is. Its like having a thermometer with 0.1 degree resolution, it still has 0.1 degree resolution at -30 degrees as well as at +100 degrees.

In the case of digital audio, the resoution determines the smallest change in voltage that can be described by the digital numbering system. Inside the mixer a 32 bit floating point mixer has 24 bits of resolution. So it can store adjustments as small as 1/16millionth of full scale. That is 256 times smaller than a 16 bit system can. It doesn't matter if the level is 0dBFS or -65dBFS the 24 bit system can store changes as small as 1/16million.


The master fader programs a multiplier that is applied to every channel. When the master fader is set to zero, the value of the multiplier =1. When you change it you change the multiplier value in steps as small as 1/16millionth of full scale.

Ignore myth! Play with the levels yourself and do what sounds good.

Steve

[Mike Tholen]

observe 0dBVU on yer way in.

[sdevino]

Originally posted by djui5
I think someone should test this theory..

Do a mix with the master fader at 0...and mix it as hot as you can without peaking anything, then using the same exact mix, pull down the master fader and push up the channel faders so you get the same level you had before.
Print both and compare...

OK smart guy I did it. You can down load a 1 minute WAV file here Same audio with the guitar and flute faders raised 6dB and the Master turned down 6dB.

I switch from master fader at 0 to master fader at -6 somewhere in the middle. See if you can tell me where the edit is and which is which.


Steve