what -db do you print your mixes at?

[req06]

Hi Guys,

I'm coming to the end of mixing an album and was wondering about general opinions of the general peak level you guys print your mixes at? I have been reading Bob Katz mastering audio book and from what I can tell I'm not far off.

I mix primarily on my events but switch between another 3 or 4 different real world set up for translations sake. Most of the mixes translate well.

I have been printing with the mixes peaking at about -4db with average levels about -14/16db. I figure that this gives plenty of "room" for mastering to take place, considering the dynamic range will be compressed at mastering.

Obviously my mixes then sound quieter than cd's but i figure these cd's sounded quieter also before they went to mastering.
I have found in the past that the more dense (less transients) a mix is the harder it is to raise the relative level in mastering, as there is no "room" for the signal to go.

I have particularly been reading about crestfactors (diff between peak and av level in mix prog).

Anyway just some backup, and different points of view/tecchniques would be much appreciated.

Cheers guys

[Archmart]

Hey Hey!

Short answer: I generally go for -.3dB, but...

Unless you really mean "-.4dB", that sounds like taking a teddy bear to a taxidermist.

I don't know what genre you're working in, but if you've only got 10dB between your RMS and your Peak, I hope you're doing death metal.

I'm assuming you're already compressing the snot out of everything, including the 2 Bus.

I'd say it doesn't sound like you're leaving near enough room for Mastering.

There's no harm in going right up to a -.3dB on the peak. (The third of a dB is just to allow some cheaper CD players a little room...)

Again assuming death metal, you might be ok, with the -14/16dB for an RMS level (average) but I don't think 10dB (-14 to -4) is enough dynamic range for a Mastering Engineer to work with. Pushing the peak up closer to 0 (which would actually be pulling back on the amount of compression) would give you a little better scenario, approaching 14 dB instead of 10. It may sound small, but it's actually quite a difference.

Just keep in mind that getting it up there is the Mastering Engineer's job and the more dynamic range he has to work with the more he can preserve.

[req06]

Its mainly pop/rock material. I haven't got PT in front of me now but i've been using inspector and signal tools to do checks, I think I may have got my readings a little wrong since I haven't compressed a hell of a lot and the master bus is clean, I thought i'd left enough range but i could be wrong. Still should be easily rectified with some small changes. Thanks for the advice man. I'm always interested in this stuff.

Anyone else?

[req06]

hi archmart,

just checked now,- peaking at between -4db/-1db, average level (rms) is more like -24/20db

[req06]

bump

[Palli-Moon]

I'm np expert (actually i'm a total beginner) but I allways print my auxes to audio channels at 0dB just as long as the auxes don't peak. Is this wrong? I mean I can't really understand why you should reduce the volume if it doesn't peak.

[cwhite771]

One important thing I haven't seen anyone mention here is whether they're at 16 or 24-bit. Since 24-bit has more headroom, you don't have to push levels as high since the noise floor is lower... correct?
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c

[kurt]

Hi.
If you are going to the mastering studio, your levels are correct. (No harm done if they where lover.)
If you like your mix, leave it there & don´t put any comp/limit/dither on the master fader. Just bounce your files at 24bits, & burn them as Data.

Good Luck.

[req06]

24 bit, with no dither on the bounce,....i'm leaving headroom and some range for the ME to have room to work,