What are you guys listen for when you are mix at low volume

[steveschizoid]

I tend to mix at between 70 and 75 dB because my ENT told me that OSHA's safety guidelines were a bit of a compromise - and according to him it's not entirely safe to expose yourself to 80 dB all day, year after year.

It's certainly less fatiguing.

Of course I crank it to 80-85 dB get a feel for what happens when the mix is turned up, but there's no need to listen at that level all the time. What changes at higher volume is your perception of highs and (mostly) lows. Dynamics have a different impact as well.

Your mix will sound different at varying volumes, and it's your job to make sure it rocks no matter how loud.

[bmuth]

I find that it's easier to get "used to" the mix at louder volumes- by that I mean things that aren't sitting right, whether its tone or volume, tend to be revealed less at louder listening levels.... almost like the fine details blur. While it's still crucial to get some air moving and bring it up in the 80-90dB range to check low/high freq. balance (as already stated) I catch the most obvious stuff when I "take a break from loud" and turn the monitors down to literally "next-to-off"... it sort of makes me stop and squint my ears. for lck of a better description, I'm forced to try harder to hear what's going on.

I'd say what's most important is that you reference at different levels. loud & quiet as well as between multiple monitors if possible. The more references you can get, the better! I'll add that I'll tend to lean towards the volume that certain genres of music "require"... for instance making the hard rock or hip-hop stuff "hit hard" when loud, since that's how listeners will tend play it. On the other hand, rarely will you find a dude cranking the crap out of jazz through the 2x15" box in his trunk, so I'd tend to lean towards quieter mixing there.

[Yetti]

Originally Posted by germz

Ok there's a lot if talk about monitoring at low levels but that's where it all ends no one goes beyond why they're monitoring at low levels I've heard a few say to set levels in the mix but is that all are you checking to see how the low/miss/high are sitting are you trying to see if you gonna get the same feeling u get when u turn it up, plz try to stay on point with this one guys

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The balance changes when you listen at low volumes....the lack of low end energy can reveal issues with sibilance, string squeeks, and just the tone of each instument.
Like every mix, it needs to sound balanced on various speakers and at various volume levels

[germz]

Thanks guys I've really got in to listen quite and I've notice that my balance has improved a bit levels and frequencies wish

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