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Guide to Levels in Digital Audio


Holger Lagerfeldt

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Some of the most repeated questions on this and other forums are questions about levels in digital audio.

 

I've written this FAQ to address most of those questions and also some of the myths. The article requires that you already have a fairly good understanding of audio, so it doesn't deal with the most basic questions.

 

Download "Levels in Digital Audio" PDF

http://www.popmusic.dk/download/pdf/levels-in-digital-audio.pdf

 

It can also be found on my link page here

http://www.popmusic.dk/links-us.html

 

Contents

· Word Explanations

· Bit Depth when Recording

· A Word about Meter Values

· Levels when Recording

· Debunking some Myths

· Levels Matter with some Plug-ins

· How to Avoid Overloading a Plug-in

· How to Avoid Overloading a Bus or Master

· Levels when Processing with Plug-ins

· Levels when Outputting from a D/A Converter

· Mix Output Levels

· Normalizing

· Related Articles

Edited by lagerfeldt
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Levels when Outputting from a D/A Converter

When audio is output from the DAW to the D/A converter, the digital sample points are

reconstructed as an analog waveform in the D/A. The sample points do not appear exactly

on the peaks all the time which means that the actual analog waveform reproduced in the

D/A can be higher in amplitude, and potentially overload the output.

 

Interesting. I've neither heard nor thought about this before.

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Levels when Outputting from a D/A Converter

When audio is output from the DAW to the D/A converter, the digital sample points are

reconstructed as an analog waveform in the D/A. The sample points do not appear exactly

on the peaks all the time which means that the actual analog waveform reproduced in the

D/A can be higher in amplitude, and potentially overload the output.

 

Interesting. I've neither heard nor thought about this before.

Also try making a perfect low frequency (e.g. 50 Hz) square wave, using the test osciallator (with no anti-aliasing). Check the peak level.

 

Bounce it in/out of your AD/DA converter. Check the level and waveform again. You'll see it's peaking 3-4 dB higher now due to the Gibbs effect (overshoot/ringing).

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Hello Mr. Lagerfeldt,

 

I have been reading these forums quite a bit and especially your comments and they have been very helpful. I've also read your pdf's on levels and I know you've often said that putting a gain plug-in at the top of the master bus chain is the most effective way up reducing levels of a song (if there are other plug-ins on the master bus).

 

My songs have the following plug-ins on the master bus... UpStereo, Multipressor, and Averb...

 

Now, my songs don't clip at all, but they reach above -3dB once the multipressor is active. Is it still advised to use the gain-plug in to regulate the levels (without compromising sound quality?).

 

Thank you for your time, I'm just super paranoid and want to make sure my songs are the best they can be! THANKS!

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