What level should I mix to on an mixing desk, I have been trying to keep to 0 db am I wrong in doing so ?
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Some more details might help with context-
- Are you trying to record live?
- Play live? In what environment? Club? Is your mixer going to a separate house engineer and PA?
- Are you experiencing any specific problems with your mix or looking to optimize any aspect of it?
- Have you also tried monitoring dynamics of the mix/session with something like https://youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/ ?
- Are you eventually going to be running the mix through a compressor or limiter (or having someone else do so in a later process)
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Just for PA tomorrow night! I mean i’m looking at my desk keeping it peaking at 0 but should I let it be in the +db
Some PA systems sound like shit when you push them too hard. Large venue event PA’s push past 0db on a pretty regular basis for dance music. Unless you’re performing folk rock as a duet, you’re probably not going to notice less headroom in the sound. If it’s a cheap PA, and the sound is bad when it’s louder then I would opt for a conservative approach.
But I’m not a soundman, I’m just a guy who only has half his hearing left so take what you want from it. Thermionic probably has better advice.
If you intend to record the performance straight out of the desk I’d keep it to where it’s not clipping on the recorder. That would be my biggest concern. I think gain staging will be important either way. Also stand in the audience area and hear what it sounds like to you, your ears will probably inform you as much as anything how the audience will hear it.
ok cheers its a boat soundsystem I’m confused just like it sounds fine on my monitors in the plus
Does it sound better in the plus? to your ears at least?
do you have a db level meter to where you can measure the actual db? or can you download an app? I don’t know how accurate the apps are but equipment can be inaccurate. Is your board analog or digital? Are the meters analog or digital?
Do not drive it into the red. Peaking at -6 to -3db gives the engineer a little room and they can push a little if they need to. It’s always better for the engineer to have to ask you for more than less.
I have an allen & heath gl2200 analog desk running 2 x digitakts
I think he’s his own engineer for this boat performance so it’s on him to determine what sounds good.
For a studio or a recorded performance an unmastered recording should be -6db. Thats the rule of thumb.
I’m seeing this pop up “Under normal conditions the GL2200 does not require user maintenance or internal calibration .” so I can only believe that they are confident that the machine will read true.
If you are mixing for the venue, I would trust my ears.
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ok 
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as long as its not in the red but the red is +16db lol ffs my brain is meltingggg
that’s the low ph
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Doubly so then, PA sounds shit clipped.
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Well then we should clarify, have you played the mix through the actual PA?
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I need coffee, think I’m just freaking out. To clarify Its not clipping if its 0db, true or false
clipping is when the system in question runs out of headroom and you get that NNNGGGTTTZZTT sound out of the recording/speaker. 0db doesn’t mean clipping, it just means it’s at 0db.
A shit speaker can clip at 0db, but it is not clipping just to say 0db.
like have you ever recorded something that was in the red and heard that sound when something loud hits and it sounds like everything hit the roof? that’s clipping.
If you are playing it through the PA as in if the PA is available to you, or you own the PA then you will know if it’s sounding good or not. If you’re just using headphones or even monitors, they may have a different response to PA speakers. I’d go off the system in question, that’s what I meant about using your ears.
If there’s any doubt lean toward conservative.
Sealed the deal there thanks!! yes I will just go with the original mix that was the one where I was using my ears without thinking now the thinking has me wierd
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SO yeah limiter hit me hard tho I was running into a god damn dj controller 2 mic input channel and 1 rca jack. Had to turn it down a good bit but was still good night. Next time I’m doing one to 0db mix and one with full max volumes and then testing on soundcheck!
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If you don’t have access to the system ahead of time that’s the safest way you can go. Glad it ended up working out though. How many speakers was the PA set up with?
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