Increase volume in the final Master. Gain plugin vs individual track fader increase

[globet]

Which is better? After Mixing and Mastering, the final output Stereo Out is sitting around -5dB. To increase volume, is it better to just add gain from the Gain plugin / AdLimiter or select all tracks with faders below 0dB and move all of them up at the same time?

[David Nahmani]

Just now, globet said:

To increase volume, is it better to just add gain from the Gain plugin / AdLimiter or select all tracks with faders below 0dB and move all of them up at the same time?

Assuming all tracks are routed straight to the Stereo Out and there are no plug-ins on the Stereo Out, the result is the same. 

If the routing is more complex or you have plugins on the Stereo Out then it's best to add a gain plug-in on your Stereo Out. 

[Dr.Socrates]

1 hour ago, globet said:

After Mixing and Mastering, the final output Stereo Out is sitting around -5dB.

I’m not a mastering engineer, but I think that some of them would suggest to rethink your mastering process if you still have a lower gain than you want after the mastering is allegedly done.