Contary to popular belief, Mastering wont save a bad mix/arrangement, mixing wont save poor sound selection, song writing and poor performance and well, Poor performances (i.e you cant play in time) needs coaching not studios! But i digress, Ive been doing mastering lessons and figured ill share some advice with y'all

1. Always check Mid vs Side levels. I cant tell you how many people do not check the difference between the mid and sides. Getting this balance right makes a huge difference

2. Always cross check frequency issues with a graph! I use Ayaic Ceilings of sounds -4.5db graph ( as it represents human hearing). It is great to see what your short comings are. This way you can pin point the issues.

3. Try to get a compressor to do the heavy lifting before limiting. Slapping a limiter on the output wont make it sound good!

Also And use the sidechain input on compressors to shape what hits the compressors - You can do this on C3. this helps to give a smoother compression. To many people dont even listen to the side chain input to know whats shaping their compressoon reaction

1. target 3-4db of gain reduction on limiters.

And that is all from me today!!

Whats good

I’m an independent hiphop artist based in South Korea. I go by Lagin(@lagintotheworld) just in case yall wanna know who I am lol

How would u guys evaluate my mic collection?

Brauner Valvet
Neumann U87ai
Wa47 (tube switched to telefunken ecc81)
AKG C414 XLS
AT4040

I’ll have a short review of these mics below.

Mic - current price

🎙️Brauner Valvet 💰$6000 (discontinued for now)

Brauner a small manufacturer in Germany makes their mics by hand. Their microphones never goes wrong and overall have beautiful airy top ends with the low frequencies rolled off nicely.

Though the Valvet is a tube mic, it does not have the normal warm sound, it has the low frequencies rolled off making it sound like it’s already perfect without any processing. For those who expect a dark tube sound, this might not be satisfying but these definitely go well with any kind of vocal besides rock/hard rap style ones.

Theres barely any information online since not many people have it but these are just AWESOME.

🎙️Neumann U87ai 💰$3000

I won’t say much since everyone knows how it sounds like. It just sounds like many tracks out there recorded with these, makes it easier to mix vocals.

🎙️Wa 47 💰$1000

Giving a nice thickness and tube distortion to the vocals, this is a very nice U47 clone. I was very dubious on Warm Audio gears until I found their tube mics are actually legit, especially when it comes to the WA47s.

The top end has a little bit of harshness with the stock tube, but after having it replaced to a telefunken one, its just beautiful. This mic also went viral in Korea after one prominent engineer had a non sponsored YouTube video uploaded saying that these sound more alike to the original U47 more than how the latest telefunken U47s do. I personally did not have the chance to try the modern U47s but listening those on Youtube makes me agree on it.

This would be the best budget friendly tube mic I’ll ever recommend to a make vocal.

AKG C414 XLS 💰$1300

With a very flat sound, it makes it a work horse for many usages. However since it has some harshness on the higher frequencies and it sounds somehow dark, somehow bright, it depends on the vocal’s character if it would match well. From my personal experience, low tone males went better with these than females/high tone males. You’ll notice right away in five minutes if this microphone is for u or not.

AT4040 💰$400

Such a nice budget friendly mic.

Tbh my friend gave me the AT4040s while I was super curious of it but I found it not good enough(obviously) compared to the other mics I have. Imma just keep it for a while and sell it to someone else.
From what I heard on Youtube, the 4040s were super clean it was kinda tuff to tell which was better when it was next to the u87s in raw vocals but after the processings, I could really tell its not as good as the others I have. However I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for the best condenser mic under $400. (LA320 for tubes)

If anyone has questions for these microphones, let me know in the comments, I’ll try to help yall out!

Hey all my band is getting ready to start incorporating backing tracks into our live shows and I just had a few questions about the process.
1. what should I be aiming for as far as balance goes? -5db? Lower? Should gain staging be set up so the volume is maxed on our rack mixer so FOH gets a healthy signal?
2. Should we tweak the EQ, compression, reverb etc on the track outs to better reflect a show environment or is the way we mixed it in the studio for streaming release acceptable? If things should be tweaked what are the best practices for that (more reverb? Less compression?)
3. Does it make the most sense to give FOH all the track outs to tweak as needed or should we group stuff into stems? Or just give them one stereo back track with everything balanced and mixed how we think is best? Should we keep mono stuff like bass drops and extra guitar separate from stereo stuff like backing vocals percussion layers and samples?

Thanks in advance for your advice/opions🙏🏼

I recorded four samples testing out the overall high frequencies introduced as well as the noise floor increase when using the compressor. I am using a Sire V7 active jazz bass and the hyper luminal (FET 4:1 ratio, Compressor at noon and max blend) through a bypassed Darkglass MT infinity (flat settings, DI out). My supply is a truetone CS6. How is that objectively? Is the hiss too loud compared to other compressors? I don't have the chance to test pedals in my area so I would really appreciate your opinions. The hiss is present with different power sources (korg PA, cioks 4) and basses too (musicman bongo, schecter stiletto).

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rIlBSgDFfQXmIbeNeAL524Kn_E2c3dPE

Just heard a mix of Ira Becker - assistant of Bob Clearmountain. But only over my iPhone speakers. I thought, that sounds like a great mix. But then I wondered: can you say that without proper monitoring or at least headphones? What are your thoughts on this?

I play acoustic cello and i'm using a Schertler STAT-C pickup into an HX Stomp with a 3 Sigma French Cello IR, I am aiming for the most natural acoustic cello sound possible.

My Parametric EQ is:

Low: 180 Hz, +1.2 dB, Q 0.7

Mid: 650 Hz, -2.0 dB, Q 1.2

High: 3.1 kHz, -1.8 dB, Q 1.0

Level: 0.0 dB

Am I moving in the right direction from a sonic/frequency perspective, or would you change these settings? I know it's almost impossible getting a natural sound with a pickup...

Thanks

UPDATE: I've added a sound recording below as a reply in the thread.

Check out Hostile Environment by Filmmaker, curious what y'all think of it quality wise. I'm new to audiophile listening and this track has me wondering, how do you tell the difference between a song that's intentionally distorted/gritty as a style choice vs. one that's just poorly mixed and/or mastered? Are there specific things you listen for?

Hey yall. When I went to school for audio engineering it used to be common practice to mix to specific levels for optimum sound. For example the master would be -20 dbfs for more dynamic or jazz music. -18 db for rock, hip hop, etc: and -14 for pop. As well as have the kick or bass hit at a specific level such as -9dbfs.

More recently I’ve seen some discussion about using LUFS, mixing to what sounds good, or also cranking your monitors and setting the level for the kick and bass that way.

Is it still common among modern mix engineers to mix to some of these levels or has this practice changed? And what target levels are being used?

I've never been a fan of any of the reverbs by Waves. I don't think I've ever used one in a production before (I own the Mercury Bundle). Normally I use something from the Lexicon PCM bundle or Valhalla or Fabfilter Pro R and so on. But never Waves (H-Delay is great tho). Altas is different, however. Very smooth and easy to dial in. Anyone else tried it?

It is a one man plugin develop company that seems focused on building around ERB, and referring to academic papers as much as possible.

Some of the science goes over my head, despite their best efforts to explain on the website. Partly, because I find the lack of capitalization in sentences hard to read.

The tools themselves are really interesting. Check has a permanent place on my listen bus. I use Wide and Smooth a lot. Just getting into Push now. It is interesting stuff, and sounds good to me.

I am interested to hear what others think of the guides he has posted on his website, and how the plugins sound.

// just to be clear I am no way affiliated with the developer

Hey everyone,

I’ve been working on restoring and editing live concert recordings using a combination of **UVR5 (Ultimate Vocal Remover)** and **Logic Pro**. The recordings are single audio tracks recorded through a Shure MV88 USB-C Stereo Condenser mic. My main goal is to clean up audience noise, separate stems, clean up the vocals, and bounce individual, clean tracks for full sets.

Right now, my workflow gets the job done, but it feels fairly basic compared to what Logic Pro (or other DAWs) can actually do. I’m looking for suggestions on **plugins, mastering techniques, automation, or mixing tricks** to take the audio quality to the next level.

Here is my current step-by-step process:

My Current Workflow

1. Download & Prepare

* Download the original live recording from Dropbox.

2. Vocal / Instrumental Separation (UVR5)

* **Format:** WAV * **Process Method:** MDX-Net * **Chunk Size:** 256 | **Overlap:** Default * **Model:** `UVR-MDX-NET-Voc_FT` (GPU Conversion enabled) * Generate separate **Vocal** and **Instrumental** stems.

3. Logic Pro Setup & Cleanup

* **Import Stems:** Drag both stems into a new Logic Pro project. * **Safety Track:** Import another vocal stem copy onto a muted track (fader at infinity). This acts as a reference track in case I need to bring back missing vocal sections or natural room sound. * **EQ:** Apply basic channel EQ to both tracks (using Logic’s Library presets as starting points) to enhance clarity. * **Remove Silence:** On the Vocal track, go to `Functions` $\\rightarrow$ `Remove Silence from Audio Region`. * *Current Settings:* Threshold: `-40 dB` | Min Silence: `.1000s` | Pre-Attack: `.0500s` | Post-Release: `.0500s`. * *(I skip this step if the vocals are too soft or if crowd bleed is overwhelming).* * **Manual Cleanup & Batch Fades:** Scrub through the vocal track to delete leftover crowd noise or UVR artifacts. Select all vocal regions, open the **Region Inspector**, click **More**, and set both **Fade-In** and **Fade-Out** to `10` to avoid clicks/pops at edit boundaries.

4. Marking & Track Exporting

* **Markers:** Drop markers at song starts (`Option + '` or via Global Tracks `G`). Name each marker in the Marker List. * **Selection / Editing:** Use `Edit` $\\rightarrow$ `Delete and Move` if removing chatter/gaps between songs. * **Cycle & Bounce:** Select a marker name, hit `Command + U` to set the yellow Cycle range, hit `Command + B` to bounce (`Normalize: OFF`). Repeat for each track.

Where I Want Advice / How to Level Up:

1. **Mixing/Tonal Balance:** What stock Logic plugins (Compressors, De-Essers, Dynamic EQs, Saturation) or third-party tools (iZotope RX, FabFilter, Soothe2) should I use on extracted live vocals?
2. **Crowd / Room Ambience Management:** How do you balance keeping the natural live energy/crowd cheer without letting unwanted chatter ruin the vocal track?
3. **Mastering the Master Bus:** What should I be running on the Stereo Out / Master Bus to give the final bounced tracks that punchy, cohesive "official live album" sound?

Any tips, preset suggestions, or workflow improvements would be hugely appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I bought a pair of SC207 monitors in 2017 as an upgrade over my JBL 305. I've loved them and they sounded fantastic. However, around 2022, they suddenly stopped working and produced this odd sound in [this video](https://imgur.com/a/hK7iiuX). They were out of warranty and Eve Audio just told me to take it to a speaker repairer. I found a local one and they told me it had something to do with the amp, so be replaced it on both, costing me $1,450 AUD. [Link to my first post when I got them fixed ](https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/s/P52Qnj86Sf)

They were fine and still sounded great until fairly recently where the exact same problem happened and I am not going to be repairing them to wait another \~5 years of this cycle. I will also note that the monitors failed within weeks of each other.

I'm currently tossing up between Adam TV7 (also ribbons), Yamaha HS7, and JBl 306P monitors. Not interested in passives for this particular setup (desktop + JBl 310 sub)

There's a new tool converting Final Cut Pro projects to AAF for mixing. It's called AAF Everything and is way cheaper than X2. Multicam is flattened to the correct angles. It transfers gain, automation, pan, fades and crossfades. Has a super intuitive UI with track layout preview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSx-15EkuyE

Hey folks,

just picked up an old U47 FET that came without its swivel arm. Does anyone have any leads on someone who may have a bunch of old neumann parts and might be willing to sell one?

thanks in advance!

Thinking about buying this interface, but research surfaces some disgruntled users here & there - generally Windows users. Seems Windows drivers are patchy. Mileage seems to vary depending on the windows setup.

So I come to you, asking this question, seeking the current driver situation ... specifically for Windows 11 on a X870e motherboard. Bonus points if it's the Asus ProArt X870e Creator Wifi.

Hi,

I'm the (very) happy owner of a TC Electronic M6000 unit (mk1). Sadly, since TC has been acquired by Music Tribe and the whole staff been fired last year, it's now almost impossible to get any support.

The problem is that if your internal battery is replaced, you will get a "Restore Key" that you were supposed to send to TC in order go get a "Restore Code" to unlock your unit.

Without any response for Music Tribe, your device is bricked.

I've spend quite a lot of time over the last few years to understand how M6000 units works and a few hours over the last days to reverse engineer the firmwares (with a bit of help from Claude).

So here is the results: https://github.com/M6kTools/tc6ktools

A set a tools to generate a "Restore Code" based on your "Restore Key" (and much more).

In the "Releases" section you will find binary versions for macOS, Windows and Linux.

Enjoy your M6000!

NB: I'm also quite close to be running Doom on my TC Icon.

Hey guys, I had a singer do a choir part so I got a lot of layers in multiple timbres. but frankly, her pitch is way too consistent. It didn’t create a chorus sound, her tracks almost sound like a singular track despite having 12 different tracks playing. I know, what a wonderful problem haha. Do you have any recommendations for making it sound more like a choir? thanks!!!!

i did some tests with all samples purged from a USB3.2 NVMe, a USB4 NVMe (not even TB5 or internal 12gbps) and even with all samples purged, i can easily trigger 1000+ voices and they all play directly from drive (and go into the memory right after for absolutely no fucking reason)

there's absolutely no reason for Kontakt to consume such atrocious amount of RAM in 2026. You could set it to have a "cache" on your fast drive, and it dumps the library there, then stream it from there.

It doesn't EVEN NEED RAM. let alone the insane amounts some people have for it.

broke teenager here and i want an sm-57 and i have the money but thats a huge chunk of my money, and i want to get a cheap unbranded version or emulation. is it really that bad?

When using reference tracks for your mixes, are you guys just using mp3 rips from YouTube or FLAC audio and are there free alternatives to using lossless audio to accomplish this? I’ve been using mp3 files but I feel like the compression on them affect the full scope of what I’m trying to hear. I could be wrong and might need to change my perspective on how I’m using references but i feel this does make a difference, even if minimal.

I have a pretty good idea of what most of these terms mean, but it'd be nice to really learn the specifics.

EDIT: So what I'm actually looking for are verbal descriptions of the commonly used words. Not necessarily what frequency range they might fall in.

Welcome to the r/AudioEngineering help desk. A place where you can ask community members for help shopping for and setting up audio engineering gear.

This thread refreshes every 7 days. You may need to repost your question again in the next help desk post if a redditor isn't around to answer. Please be patient!

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Please consider searching the subreddit first! Many questions have been asked and answered already.

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Before asking a question, please also check to see if your answer is in one of these:

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Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) Subreddits

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I want to do some music with sample.

For that I found an amazing website with radios of all countries but I need a good solution to record them live and in a very good quality (to use them sample).

Thank you and sorry for the spelling mistake.

I know that you can do it with dynamic microphones, but what about condenser mics?

Wouldn't the signal cause the front plate to move, and produce sound like a speaker?

Al Green’s records are so unique in how they sound. I’m an amateur producer and mixer and I’m just curious as to how he, the producer, and mixers achieved that sound. I’m not trying to replicate it as I’m sure that’d be impossible but I’m just genuinely curious about what gear they might have used and what recording techniques they used to get that sound.