Author Topic: Squashed sounding master? (Read 12847 times)

Final Kindgom · « **on:** January 14, 2016, 06:50:51 am »

Assuming my mixdowns aren't complete trash, my masters lately have been utter shit. When I listen to them through the ASIO driver, everything sounds fine. When I switch to the primary sound driver, the volume lowers and the track sounds squashed. What do you guys do in order to prevent this? Is there something that I should be doing in the mixing stage that will help (besides leaving headroom, which I already do)? Thank you in advance for your responses.

Actium · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2016, 07:09:34 am »

The low end of your mix is the first thing to get limited, if you're doing a lot of limting and compression try removing some from individual channels. Unless you provide us with some info on your master bus it's hard to give relevant tips.

Final Kindgom · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2016, 05:45:32 pm »

I've got FL's native EQ (for cutting), multiband compressor, another EQ (for boosting), and a limiter.

calgarc · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2016, 07:27:47 pm »

try using multiband... a mix of compression and expansion. I tend to expand my highs and compress my lows. I also try and keep my compression to a minimum.

lopryo · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2016, 07:40:28 pm »

I'm not sure how you currently master, but I find that it's better to use a lot of subtle compression at different points throughout your mix, rather than taking a track with lots of dynamic range and slamming it into one compressor/limiter. find out which tracks and busses in your mix can get away with 2-3dB gain reduction, and make sure that none of the tracks have any stray huge peaks. that way, when you finally get to the mastering stage, the compressor and limiter don't have to do as much work, which makes it just a tiny bit more transparent. (although at the end of the day, the louder you want it, the more you have to compromise with some squashing)

manducator · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2016, 08:58:15 pm »

Quote from: Final Kindgom on January 14, 2016, 06:50:51 am

When I listen to them through the ASIO driver, everything sounds fine. When I switch to the primary sound driver, the volume lowers and the track sounds squashed.

I'm not sure if I understand your question. Do you mean that your music sounds different on another media player?

Can you explain which software/ media players you use? Could it be something about the settings from your players? Some use automatic makeup gain, for instance.

Final Kindgom · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2016, 09:27:54 pm »

@ manducator: In a DAW you can change whether the output comes through the laptop/computer's internal sound card or through an ASIO driver.

Quote from: lopryo on January 14, 2016, 07:40:28 pm

I'm not sure how you currently master, but I find that it's better to use a lot of subtle compression at different points throughout your mix, rather than taking a track with lots of dynamic range and slamming it into one compressor/limiter. find out which tracks and busses in your mix can get away with 2-3dB gain reduction, and make sure that none of the tracks have any stray huge peaks. that way, when you finally get to the mastering stage, the compressor and limiter don't have to do as much work, which makes it just a tiny bit more transparent. (although at the end of the day, the louder you want it, the more you have to compromise with some squashing)

So you basically automate the compression? And I'll have to give the gain reduction a try. Thank you!

lopryo · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2016, 09:34:20 pm »

Quote from: Final Kindgom on January 14, 2016, 09:27:54 pm

@ manducator: In a DAW you can change whether the output comes through the laptop/computer's internal sound card or through an ASIO driver.

Quote from: lopryo on January 14, 2016, 07:40:28 pm
I'm not sure how you currently master, but I find that it's better to use a lot of subtle compression at different points throughout your mix, rather than taking a track with lots of dynamic range and slamming it into one compressor/limiter. find out which tracks and busses in your mix can get away with 2-3dB gain reduction, and make sure that none of the tracks have any stray huge peaks. that way, when you finally get to the mastering stage, the compressor and limiter don't have to do as much work, which makes it just a tiny bit more transparent. (although at the end of the day, the louder you want it, the more you have to compromise with some squashing)

So you basically automate the compression? And I'll have to give the gain reduction a try. Thank you!

nah I didn't mean automation, sorry. I basically go through my individual tracks, like my drum bus, synth bus, leads, etc and apply compressors. on those compressors I just watch the gain reduction meter and aim for about 2-3dB, which is a very subtle compression, but these small changes gently reduce the dynamic range of your track to make it easier on your mastering FX

Kinesthetics · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2016, 06:44:09 am »

What you're hearing with the ASIO driver is pristine, unaltered audio. If it's sounding like trash in other software, it could be making it's own alterations to the sound. Broadband boosts in the bass end are a really common EQ make-up with some general software and audio drivers, to compensate for low-quality sound systems.

Final Kindgom · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2016, 06:51:20 am »

Quote from: Kinesthetics on January 15, 2016, 06:44:09 am

What you're hearing with the ASIO driver is pristine, unaltered audio. If it's sounding like trash in other software, it could be making it's own alterations to the sound. Broadband boosts in the bass end are a really common EQ make-up with some general software and audio drivers, to compensate for low-quality sound systems.

I'm listening to it within my DAW, I just switch between the ASIO driver and the internal sound card.

Kinesthetics · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2016, 11:38:55 am »

Quote from: Final Kindgom on January 15, 2016, 06:51:20 am

Quote from: Kinesthetics on January 15, 2016, 06:44:09 am
What you're hearing with the ASIO driver is pristine, unaltered audio. If it's sounding like trash in other software, it could be making it's own alterations to the sound. Broadband boosts in the bass end are a really common EQ make-up with some general software and audio drivers, to compensate for low-quality sound systems.

I'm listening to it within my DAW, I just switch between the ASIO driver and the internal sound card.

Your internal soundcard's driver might be the culprit.

If you're on Windows, right-click the speaker icon in the desktop notifications tray (bottom right of desktop toolbar), select 'Playback Devices', right-click whichever playback device takes over when you switch to internal soundcard, then right-click that and hit 'Properties'. Go over to the Enhancements tab, and un-check anything selected.

It's a really bad issue especially with RealTek drivers, which come with all sorts of adjustments set by default. Un-check any that are there, then try the audio again in your DAW.

Final Kindgom · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2016, 05:47:37 pm »

Good idea, Kinesthetics! I'll definitely try that and see if it makes a difference! I usually use a volume enhancement because the built-in speakers are booty $:-\$ and I always forget that they are still on when I switch to headphones

Author Topic: Squashed sounding master? (Read 12847 times)

Final Kindgom

Squashed sounding master?

Actium

Re: Squashed sounding master?

Final Kindgom

Re: Squashed sounding master?

calgarc

Re: Squashed sounding master?

lopryo

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manducator

Re: Squashed sounding master?

Final Kindgom

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lopryo

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Kinesthetics

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Final Kindgom

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Kinesthetics

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Final Kindgom

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