Why monitoring determines the mix
Every mixing decision depends on what you hear. A room with a dip at 80 Hz leads you to add too much bass; bright speakers lead to dark mixes; a volume that is too high makes the mix seem fuller and brighter (equal-loudness curves: the ear is less sensitive to bass and treble at low volume). For this reason you work with a known monitoring system, at a constant level, and check the mix on multiple systems.
Listening level
- Classic references: 85 dB SPL (cinema, large rooms), 79–83 dB SPL for music in mid-sized studios, 73–76 dB SPL in small rooms and home studios.
- Calibration: pink noise at −20 dBFS RMS on one speaker at a time, SPL meter at the listening position (C-weighting, slow); adjust the interface volume until the chosen value is reached and mark the knob position.
- Work at that level for most of the time, with short checks at low volume (balance of the vocal, of the snare) and occasional loud checks (low end, impact).
- Take 10-minute breaks every hour: a fatigued ear hears the highs less and tolerates more harshness.
Room and position
- Equilateral triangle between the two speakers and your head; tweeters at ear height; speakers 1–2 m apart.
- Listening position at around 38% of the room length (not in the center, where the modes add up).
- Speakers away from corners; if the monitor has placement controls (boundary, half-space), adjust them.
- Minimum treatment: absorbent panels at the first reflection points (side walls, ceiling), bass traps in the corners, material behind the listening position.
- Software correction of the room and headphones (Sonarworks SoundID, Dirac, ARC, Trinnov): it corrects the frequency response, not the decay times; it is an aid, not a substitute for treatment.
Headphones
Useful for editing, noises, sibilants, reverb details and for untreated rooms. Limits: exaggerated stereo separation (each ear hears only one channel), bass perceived differently, no interaction with the room. Curve correction and a speaker simulator (crossfeed, virtual room plugins) bring the listening closer to speakers.
Checking systems (translation check)
| System | What it reveals |
|---|---|
| Main monitors | Overall balance, depth, stereo |
| Small mono speaker (cube, Avantone, smartphone) | Vocal balance, mids, audibility of bass and 808 |
| Headphones | Details, noises, sibilants, reverbs, stereo |
| Common earbuds | The most widespread system: low end and brightness as perceived by the audience |
| Car | Low end, vocal against background noise |
| Laptop | Mids, harshness, audibility of the bass |
| Sound system with subs (club) | Sub, kick/bass separation, energy |
Listen to the mix on at least three systems before considering it finished; note recurring problems (if the bass is always too loud in the car, your main system is showing you less of it than there actually is).
Checks in the DAW
- Mono check on the master (see “Mono compatibility and correlation”).
- Listening at very low volume: the vocal and main elements must remain audible.
- Listening from outside the room (door open): reveals the balance of the vocal and snare.
- Comparison with references at equal volume.
Common mistakes
- Mixing at high volume for hours: dark mixes, lacking in bass, with uncontrolled harshness.
- Speakers against the wall or in corners: inflated bass, final mixes lacking in low end.
- Trusting headphones alone for stereo.
- Frequently changing speakers or volume: you lose your reference.
- Fixing everything you hear on a single checking system: the mix must work on average across all of them.
Starting settings
| Parameter | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home studio working level | 73–76 dB SPL (pink noise −20 dBFS RMS) | Consistent, non-fatiguing listening. |
| Level in mid-sized studios | 79–83 dB SPL | Reference for music. |
| Position | Equilateral triangle, about 38% of the length | Correct stereo, weaker modes. |
| Breaks | 10 minutes every hour | Rested ears. |
| Checking systems | At least three | A mix that works everywhere. |
| Room correction | Software + minimum treatment | More linear response. |
Frequencies to watch
| Range | What to do |
|---|---|
| 40–200 Hz | Region most affected by room modes: check with headphones, car and analyzer. |
| 1–4 kHz | Most sensitive region of the ear: small speakers and laptops show its balance. |
| Above 8 kHz | Perceived less with fatigue and at low volume: check after breaks. |
Example chain
| Step | Tool | Settings | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calibration | Pink noise + SPL meter | −20 dBFS RMS = chosen level | Fixed working volume. |
| Correction | SoundID / ARC / Dirac | Room or headphone curve | More linear response. |
| Check on the master | Monitoring plugin (mono, inversion, bands) | Listening only | Quick checks. |
| Check export | Test WAV or MP3 | Listening on multiple systems | Translation check. |
How to check the result
- Mix spectrum compared with the references at equal volume: systematic differences above 3 dB in the Sub or Bass band indicate a room problem.
- Integrated loudness of the test versions noted (e.g. −14 LUFS) so you can listen to them all at the same level on the checking systems.
- Mid and High-mid bands: the vocal must remain audible in a low-volume mono listen.
- Correlation and mono check passed before checks on single speakers.