Final Mix - EQ Then Compression OR Compression Then EQ?

perx · 10th April 2007

I usually do any separate track EQ´s ITB, then once all is done - the full mix out to an outboard Compressor, and then finally EQ the compressed mix.

eq the final compressed mix, and bringing out what I feel is missing or I want to enhance.

Now I have a couple of friends that are mastering their new albums and was surprised that they did it the other way - EQing the final mix first THEN compressing it.

Which leads me to this thread.. Im Curious on what method the folks on Gear Slutz use and why?

;-)

Led · 10th April 2007

Hate to give you this answer but - it depends. Both work for different things. It depends on the sound you are going for, eqing after the comp helps frequencies stand out a bit more, eqing before the comp blends the frequencies together a bit more. Eqing before the comp may cause the comp to react more to the frequencies you are boosting, as in the case of a de esser. Eqing after the comp will bring the level up overall and may cause headroom issues with peaks. Try it both ways and see which you prefer on each mix, as both sound different.
Are your friends doing the mastering themselves or having it done? It may be that they are using some limiting at the end of the chain and calling it compression, or maybe a mastering engineer was eqing the sidechain and they thought it was the program being eq'd. There's no right or wrong, just what ever sounds best to you.

10th April 2007	#1
perx Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 502 Thread Starter	Final Mix - EQ Then Compression OR Compression Then EQ? I usually do any separate track EQ´s ITB, then once all is done - the full mix out to an outboard Compressor, and then finally EQ the compressed mix. eq the final compressed mix, and bringing out what I feel is missing or I want to enhance. Now I have a couple of friends that are mastering their new albums and was surprised that they did it the other way - EQing the final mix first THEN compressing it. Which leads me to this thread.. Im Curious on what method the folks on Gear Slutz use and why? ;-)

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10th April 2007	#2
Led Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 2,711	Hate to give you this answer but - it depends. Both work for different things. It depends on the sound you are going for, eqing after the comp helps frequencies stand out a bit more, eqing before the comp blends the frequencies together a bit more. Eqing before the comp may cause the comp to react more to the frequencies you are boosting, as in the case of a de esser. Eqing after the comp will bring the level up overall and may cause headroom issues with peaks. Try it both ways and see which you prefer on each mix, as both sound different. Are your friends doing the mastering themselves or having it done? It may be that they are using some limiting at the end of the chain and calling it compression, or maybe a mastering engineer was eqing the sidechain and they thought it was the program being eq'd. There's no right or wrong, just what ever sounds best to you.