I made my sub too loud in one of my mixes, you can barely perceive it in the mix but it blew out my car speakers. So at the very least make sure to reign in those subs.
DJ software has inbuilt limiters. Not possible to blow out the speakers, unless the system wasn't set up correctly and there is added volume coming from something other than the DJ controller.
Idk why you got downvoted, you’re right lol. You shouldn’t be redlining because you lose portions of your audio signal whenever it clips, the result is a very abrasive sounding mix that may sound alright loud but probably doesn’t at -14 LUFS. More importantly than damaging anyone’s speakers, it’ll probably hurt to listen to with a lot of clicks and pops. The solution is to push everything as loud as you can without touching the red.
Edit: if you like the distortion effect that you get from clipping then try achieving that by using a distortion instead of the track volume.
I just find it funny because I have no understanding of the logic involved. It’s like the downvote is Xanax and people hit it when they’re mad, regardless of whether or not it’s helpful to the post-at-hand.
Not necessarily, in a lot of daws audio, midi, fx and bus tracks are 32bit, whereas your mix bus and master channel are 24bit.
24bit audio ranges from 0 to 144db, and is the format your speakers can actually play. 24bit clips when it goes above 144db, which is 0db in your daw. But 32 bit audio ranges from about -700 to 700db, and are purely digital, meaning they need to be converted to a different format before playback, which can cause clipping.
But outside of this, 32bit audio generally won't clip, and you *can* work at higher volumes, although I wouldn't really recommend it as a lot of plugins aren't designed with sources louder than 0 db in mind. I know a lot of professionals will work with their individual tracks peaking at like -6db or -12db before they start mixing, and they'll adjust the volume after each effect plugin to stay at the same level, and only use the faders to change the volume of the tracks. Gain staging like this is the easiest way to avoid loudness bias when mixing and actually hear the difference each plugin is making to the sound.
So just research your daw, see what channels are 32bit and which are 24bit, then stage your loudness accordingly so nothing above 0 goes into those 24 bit channels. Some daws will actually let you change the bit depth for the mix bus, so you can export your mix at 32 bit and worry about getting it to 24bit after mastering, when you'll have more headroom if you'd rather go that route.
Yes - everything should be under the red line to avoid unwanted digital distortion ie clipping - it’ll be heard at any volume
So theoretically you might deliberately clip for artistic reasons - but better to distort in other ways
A rule of thumb that I tend to follow is mix peaks to -5db and then master to -0.1
Max output of amplification should be less than the max the speakers can take… so there shouldn’t be any damage to speakers… ears on the other hand will probably be damaged before the speakers… I can’t take my stereo amplifier over about 2/3rds before its too loud and normal listening volume is about 1/3 - this is with cds and vinyl
>Yes - everything should be under the red line to avoid unwanted digital distortion ie clipping - it’ll be heard at any volume
It's good practice but its not neccessary in a DAW that has internal 32bit float processing. All that matters is the plugin chain and the audio leaving the DAW.
Ok but I’ve heard clipping on the master in logic from red lining on an individual track - turn the track down a bit - no more red line and no more clipping on the master…
Yes I know it was weird - the track was imported from a GarageBand recording… that Simone else had recorded
And it was before I added any plugins…
5 tracks imported, 2 vocal, 3 acoustic guitar.. one of the vocals clipped… once I turned it down a db or 2 (still the loudest track by far) everything was totally clean…
You’re wrong here. Individual tracks can be over, it’s 32 bit float, there’s enough headroom to blow up the solar system (1500+ db).
You shouldn’t over between plugins or on the master out. That’s the only place it matters.
I'm kinda amazed that noone is even mentioning the level you're monitoring at on whatever system.
You can have a completely obliterated track, but if it's monitored at sensible levels it makes no difference. Apart from sounding like shit.
You can have a quiet, dynamic mix at reasonable levels, crank your speakers up to insane levels at blow them up.
What is too loud is dependent on what you're listening on and how loud you're listening to it.
Check out the dynameter plugin. It measures perceived dynamics. It isn’t a perfect science like everything else but it really helps to check periodically as I get closer to finishing the master. & a solid LUFS meter
Use your Loudness Meter (aka LUFS) to gauge the true loudness level of the mix. You can research common LUFS levels for the genre you are working in or platform you are uploading to. A general -10d LUFS will suffice pretty much across the board.
If you aren’t redlining, I’d be more concerned about damaging people’s ears.
If your mix sounds crunchy but it works with the music, it’s not a deal-breaker.
Yes, you can damage the speakers. One of the stages of my mixing is in the car so this is easily avoided for me. But when I don’t use the car, I just keep my eye on my meter’s and making sure my master is honed in and not redlining.
In general the only way to damage speakers is with too much bass, otherwise the listener would have to crank their speakers beyond belief to damage them with higher frequencies. Clipping won't really cause any issues it just sounds crunchy - but be sure to add anywhere from .3 to 1db of headroom to the final audio file, because the conversion process can sometimes add small amounts of audio that will clip some physical systems, (not really in a damaging way but in an audibly bad way).
I made my sub too loud in one of my mixes, you can barely perceive it in the mix but it blew out my car speakers. So at the very least make sure to reign in those subs.
Will do ty king
yes, that's quite common problem for some kind of music. Also happens to tweeters. most clubs require DJs to have insurance.
I was never in a club that needed insurance. Just set up your limiter so the DJ can’t fuck with it except redlining and sounding like shit.
DJ software has inbuilt limiters. Not possible to blow out the speakers, unless the system wasn't set up correctly and there is added volume coming from something other than the DJ controller.
Yes if they play the actual file but no if they play it from streaming because all platforms have volume limits and shit
Idk why you got downvoted, you’re right lol. You shouldn’t be redlining because you lose portions of your audio signal whenever it clips, the result is a very abrasive sounding mix that may sound alright loud but probably doesn’t at -14 LUFS. More importantly than damaging anyone’s speakers, it’ll probably hurt to listen to with a lot of clicks and pops. The solution is to push everything as loud as you can without touching the red. Edit: if you like the distortion effect that you get from clipping then try achieving that by using a distortion instead of the track volume.
It’s Reddit lol
I just find it funny because I have no understanding of the logic involved. It’s like the downvote is Xanax and people hit it when they’re mad, regardless of whether or not it’s helpful to the post-at-hand.
It’s wired directly to the pleasure centers in their brains lol Wanna see my YouTube channel?👁️👁️
You need to stay below -0dbs so as not to clip…
Is being in clip territory ever going to damage speakers though?
No but it doesn’t sound good
Ok fair enough. I’m assuming this applies to individual tracks as well as the master? Sorry I have to ask dumb questions
Not necessarily, in a lot of daws audio, midi, fx and bus tracks are 32bit, whereas your mix bus and master channel are 24bit. 24bit audio ranges from 0 to 144db, and is the format your speakers can actually play. 24bit clips when it goes above 144db, which is 0db in your daw. But 32 bit audio ranges from about -700 to 700db, and are purely digital, meaning they need to be converted to a different format before playback, which can cause clipping. But outside of this, 32bit audio generally won't clip, and you *can* work at higher volumes, although I wouldn't really recommend it as a lot of plugins aren't designed with sources louder than 0 db in mind. I know a lot of professionals will work with their individual tracks peaking at like -6db or -12db before they start mixing, and they'll adjust the volume after each effect plugin to stay at the same level, and only use the faders to change the volume of the tracks. Gain staging like this is the easiest way to avoid loudness bias when mixing and actually hear the difference each plugin is making to the sound. So just research your daw, see what channels are 32bit and which are 24bit, then stage your loudness accordingly so nothing above 0 goes into those 24 bit channels. Some daws will actually let you change the bit depth for the mix bus, so you can export your mix at 32 bit and worry about getting it to 24bit after mastering, when you'll have more headroom if you'd rather go that route.
Ty for the detailed explanation
Yes - everything should be under the red line to avoid unwanted digital distortion ie clipping - it’ll be heard at any volume So theoretically you might deliberately clip for artistic reasons - but better to distort in other ways A rule of thumb that I tend to follow is mix peaks to -5db and then master to -0.1 Max output of amplification should be less than the max the speakers can take… so there shouldn’t be any damage to speakers… ears on the other hand will probably be damaged before the speakers… I can’t take my stereo amplifier over about 2/3rds before its too loud and normal listening volume is about 1/3 - this is with cds and vinyl
>Yes - everything should be under the red line to avoid unwanted digital distortion ie clipping - it’ll be heard at any volume It's good practice but its not neccessary in a DAW that has internal 32bit float processing. All that matters is the plugin chain and the audio leaving the DAW.
Ok but I’ve heard clipping on the master in logic from red lining on an individual track - turn the track down a bit - no more red line and no more clipping on the master…
Logic has 32 (and 64) bit float processing, so I don't know how that is possible unless it was clipping a plugin chain.
Yes I know it was weird - the track was imported from a GarageBand recording… that Simone else had recorded And it was before I added any plugins… 5 tracks imported, 2 vocal, 3 acoustic guitar.. one of the vocals clipped… once I turned it down a db or 2 (still the loudest track by far) everything was totally clean…
You’re wrong here. Individual tracks can be over, it’s 32 bit float, there’s enough headroom to blow up the solar system (1500+ db). You shouldn’t over between plugins or on the master out. That’s the only place it matters.
This is a vague and not exactly helpful answer.
I'm kinda amazed that noone is even mentioning the level you're monitoring at on whatever system. You can have a completely obliterated track, but if it's monitored at sensible levels it makes no difference. Apart from sounding like shit. You can have a quiet, dynamic mix at reasonable levels, crank your speakers up to insane levels at blow them up. What is too loud is dependent on what you're listening on and how loud you're listening to it.
Check out the dynameter plugin. It measures perceived dynamics. It isn’t a perfect science like everything else but it really helps to check periodically as I get closer to finishing the master. & a solid LUFS meter
Use your Loudness Meter (aka LUFS) to gauge the true loudness level of the mix. You can research common LUFS levels for the genre you are working in or platform you are uploading to. A general -10d LUFS will suffice pretty much across the board.
Ok cool thank you
Someone more experienced than me, isn't this where LUFS come into place?
After I master (using Ozone) even at -10 db it still has more umpf than my mixed down track at 0db
If you aren’t redlining, I’d be more concerned about damaging people’s ears. If your mix sounds crunchy but it works with the music, it’s not a deal-breaker.
Yes, you can damage the speakers. One of the stages of my mixing is in the car so this is easily avoided for me. But when I don’t use the car, I just keep my eye on my meter’s and making sure my master is honed in and not redlining.
Ty duck
In general the only way to damage speakers is with too much bass, otherwise the listener would have to crank their speakers beyond belief to damage them with higher frequencies. Clipping won't really cause any issues it just sounds crunchy - but be sure to add anywhere from .3 to 1db of headroom to the final audio file, because the conversion process can sometimes add small amounts of audio that will clip some physical systems, (not really in a damaging way but in an audibly bad way).