Too Loud?

[NSGUITAR]

Is there such thing as too loud of a master?


This is by no means bragging, but a current mix I was working on, I threw voxengo span on the read the RMS level, and I got a level of -6.5!

I'm in no way part of the loudness war, but I know this is loud as hell.. There is no clipping, and it's a really good sounding master.. But to me -6.5 sounds wayy overboard.. What do you dudes think?

 

[arv_foh]

clipz

 

[BLUElightCory]

If it sounds good, then don't worry about it.

That said, I have a hard time believing it sounds good at -6.5. Or maybe I should say, if it sounds good at -6.5 RMS then it would probably sound better at -8 or -10.

 

[egan.]

I'm in no way part of the loudness war, but...I got a level of -6.5!

Sounds good=good.


....but the juxtaposition of those statements is a logical absurdity.

 

[NSGUITAR]

Sounds good=good.


....but the juxtaposition of those statements is a logical absurdity.

It's not really juxtaposition at all, in the context I used it in..

In order for it to be absurd, I'd have to be AIMING to get a -6.5 RMS read, thus making me part of the loudness war.. Which I could care less.

 

[gabriel g.]

I was in the same situation with the last band I did.
I decided to keep the loudness and after one 2 weeks I think it was a bad decision.
The kick for example doesnt have the impact I like (but which needs more lowend boost) which doesnt let you push a mix that hard.

I would back off to -7,5-8rms and reference with some of your favorite mixes.

Also dont forget sometimes, extrem low-level engery makes your rms extremly high but the subjectiv loudness isnt at all loud.

 

[DestroyTheColossus]

Also dont forget sometimes, extrem low-level engery makes your rms extremly high but the subjectiv loudness isnt at all loud.

+1

 

[egan.]

It's not really juxtaposition at all, in the context I used it in..

In order for it to be absurd, I'd have to be AIMING to get a -6.5 RMS read, thus making me part of the loudness war.. Which I could care less.

Your assertion would be more believable if the thread above this one wasn't one you started asking why people thought your mixes were "too squashed."Just b/c you didn't have a numeric goal doesn't mean you weren't aiming for as loud as possible. Honestly, since you've grown up in this era it's possible you actually prefer that sound. It isn't as good vs evil as people like to make it as many of the complaints started during an era when the L1 was IT.
Still, you can't accidentally get something that loud without trying to get it loud.

 

[John_C]

try putting a loud-mastered commercial track through and compare the RMS readings, i suspect it's an artefact of the settings on span