| Author
|
Headroom ......... ??
|
Psynaesthesian
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
30
Posts :
557
Posted : Mar 7, 2007 15:17
|
Greets folks!!
How would you define "Headroom" in technical terms?
How much is enough Headroom?
How do you incorporate sufficient headroom in a track?
How would you work on it if you don't have a graphic eq/band monitor?
Much Respect!!
B'om Shankara!!
  "... b'om ..." |
|
|
|
Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 7, 2007 18:42
|
As far as I know off the top of my head, 'headroom' is defined as the difference between the peak level of an audio file, and the maximum possible level possible for the media it's recorded on. For instance with digital audio, the maximum possible level is 0dBFS (deciBels Full Scale), so a sound which peaks at -6.4dB on the master output meter has a headroom of -6.4dB. This is also called the 'margin'.
If your track plays back without clipping the master outputs, it has enough headroom. For a whole track, I would say that 12dB is too much headroom.
Mastering - http://mastering.OOOD.net :: www.is.gd/mastering
OOOD 5th album 'You Think You Are' - www.is.gd/tobuyoood :: www.OOOD.net
www.facebook.com/OOOD.music :: www.soundcloud.com/oood
Contact for bookings/mastering - colin@oood.net |
|
|
|
ess765
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
25
Posts :
169
Posted : Mar 7, 2007 20:59
|
[quote]
On 2007-03-07 18:42, Colin OOOD wrote:
As far as I know off the top of my head, 'headroom' is defined as the difference between the peak level of an audio file, and the maximum possible level possible for the media it's recorded on.
This is not the correct classical headroom definition from audio theory, Collin. Although headroom its quite important for music production and live shows (and is always discussed in forums all ober the internet) people use to make a little mess with its concept.
Headroom - "is the difference between the nominal and the highest(peak) levels in a program."
What does it means nominal level?
Nominal level is the average level.
Example: classical orquestra live concert.
Classical musical concert.
Let s say that the average level of the orchestra playing is at 90dB (spl) and the loud peaks go up to 120 dB (spl). That represents a 30dB headroom.
Now let s say that the sound system is capable of only 20dB of headroom. For sure this audio will distort when reachin the peak level.
Many people at first would say that the sound system should be replaced...what s not true. You can lower the nominal level(let s say around 15dB) to create enough headroom to the concert.
Now let s go back DAW enviroments. .As collin said 0db(fs) is the maximum possible level for the audio not to clip. When you produce and mix your track, let s say that your nominal level is around -6dB fs.
What does this means -6dB fs nominal level??
means that the basic parts like your drums, bassline, percussion, synths etc on most of the track are reaching this level.
But when you add main leads, or explosion samples or any loud level parts, you ll reach a higher level(peak). Now Let s assume that the higher peak you ll reach is around -3dB fs. What does it means in your case here?
It means that your track has a total of 3dB diference between the nominal and the peak level.(Remember that dB is a ratio of 2 quantities, not an absolute value).
As 0dB Fs is the maximum level, your audio would not distort at peak level, once it would be around -3dB fs. But if you ll send your track to a master engineer, I d low the whole track(both nominal and peak levels) around -3dB so that your peak reaches around -6dB fs.
If you master your own track with presets plugins such as Ozone, you d reach something between -1dB fs to -0.3dB fs, which is a nice level, although it s not a professionally mastered track.
People use to define or think headroom as the difference between the peak level and the maximum sound level capacity of the system, which according to audio theory is not the correct definition.
Altough I usesd spl and fs examples here, I think I made my sael clear while making those comparisons....
I d recommend anyone here to read the audio reference book called "sound reinforcement handbook" by Gary Daves and Halph Jones.
That s from where these definitions come from.
Peace.
|
|
|
|
Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 7, 2007 21:39
|
|
Saf
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
210
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 03:18
|
Quote:
|
On 2007-03-07 20:59, ess765 wrote:
Nominal level is the average level.
|
|
Is nominal level a track's RMS value?
In your example tho I think -6dB would be too high of RMS value, so nominal probably isn't RMS..
Just thought I would ask anyways.. |
|
|
|
ess765
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
25
Posts :
169
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 06:24
|
Better saying: Headroom is the amount of signal amplitude range between the nominal signal level and the signal level at which clipping will occur. Headroom is expressed in dB.
Saf..my example is random concerning values. As I said it all depends on what are you looking for and what will you need to do to the track. will you or a anohter guy master?
The question is only that you shouldn t reach 0dB FS.
If I m not wrong people deliver tracks to master engineers between around -6dB fs.
I didnt understand your question..sorry. Nominal is the average level ...
RMS = root mean square. It s not the peak level, nor the average level, but it is rather obtained by squaring al the instantaneous voltages along a waveform, averaging the squared values and taking the square root of that number.
Although its similar to average it s not the same thing. When measuring through rms circuitry, the peaks won t produce sensible changes at the signal level at the vu meter while when measuring through peak meter (through ) the higher values would make the meter really oscilate in much more sensible way.
So, -6dB fs at rms meter might have peaks heappening but is not that close to 0dB fs.
Peace
|
|
|
|
Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 13:50
|
|
Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 13:57
|
So, to answer the original questions (from the standpoint of an entire track, rather than an individual sound in that track):
Quote:
|
On 2007-03-07 15:17, Psynaesthesian wrote:
How would you define "Headroom" in technical terms?
|
|
Headroom is the difference between the peak level of the track, and the level at which the track will clip.
Quote:
|
How much is enough Headroom?
|
|
Most mastering engineers prefer a track to peak with 6dB of headroom (ie. a peak level of -6dB), although as long as it doesn't clip it's fine.
Quote:
| How do you incorporate sufficient headroom in a track?
|
|
When preparing to do your final mix, reset the meters on your master output and run the track from start to end. When the track has finished, the meters will show the value of the highest peak level in the track. If that value is between -6 and 0dB, the track is fine and no adjustment is needed. If the value is over 0dB by a certain amount, move the master fader down by that amount + 6dB (to give a peak level of -6dB). If that value is less than -12dB, move the master fader up enough to give the track a peak level of about -6dB.
Quote:
|
How would you work on it if you don't have a graphic eq/band monitor? |
|
I wouldn't worry; this has nothing to do with peak level.
Mastering - http://mastering.OOOD.net :: www.is.gd/mastering
OOOD 5th album 'You Think You Are' - www.is.gd/tobuyoood :: www.OOOD.net
www.facebook.com/OOOD.music :: www.soundcloud.com/oood
Contact for bookings/mastering - colin@oood.net |
|
|
|
faxinadu
Faxi Nadu / Elmooht
Started Topics :
282
Posts :
3394
Posted : Mar 8, 2007 14:11
|
colin, what u explained to do with the master fader just lowers the master post-clip, the master wont clip but the wav is squared off... i think much cleaner is to look for whatever sound or combination of sounds is causing the clip and lower the individual channels, or refine their eqs until there is no clip.
The Way Back
https://faxinadu.bandcamp.com/album/the-way-back |
|
|
|
Mike A
Subra
Started Topics :
185
Posts :
3954
Posted : Mar 10, 2007 04:47
|
Quote:
|
On 2007-03-08 14:11, faxinadu wrote:
colin, what u explained to do with the master fader just lowers the master post-clip, the master wont clip but the wav is squared off... i think much cleaner is to look for whatever sound or combination of sounds is causing the clip and lower the individual channels, or refine their eqs until there is no clip.
|
|
Really? I never encountred this problem, both in SX2 and SX3.
|
|
|
|
Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 10, 2007 05:40
|
Quote:
|
On 2007-03-08 14:11, faxinadu wrote:
colin, what u explained to do with the master fader just lowers the master post-clip, the master wont clip but the wav is squared off... i think much cleaner is to look for whatever sound or combination of sounds is causing the clip and lower the individual channels, or refine their eqs until there is no clip.
|
|
In SX, the signal path is 32-bit float right up to the master fader. 32-bit is effectively unclippable since floating-point audio can contain levels above 0dBFS. If your mix clips, and you export your mix offline at 32-bit float you can just normalise the audio file and it will bring the level down!
NB. I'm not sure if this works if you use Logic as I don't know if it can do offline bounces at anything more than 24-bit.
Mastering - http://mastering.OOOD.net :: www.is.gd/mastering
OOOD 5th album 'You Think You Are' - www.is.gd/tobuyoood :: www.OOOD.net
www.facebook.com/OOOD.music :: www.soundcloud.com/oood
Contact for bookings/mastering - colin@oood.net |
|
|
|
faxinadu
Faxi Nadu / Elmooht
Started Topics :
282
Posts :
3394
Posted : Mar 11, 2007 07:13
|
|
RenderingRebel
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
293
Posted : Mar 12, 2007 16:34
|
I've come to find if i mix my kick around -11 and my bass around -10 (depends on the sound of the kick and bass) and i mix the rest of the sounds properly around it(so everything can be heard) my mix peak ends up about -2
I find this very handy becouse i dont have to touch the master fader.
Sillicon sound is doing my masters and asked for the tracks to be -2 or a little bit lower but not above -2
I think this is the headroom the mastering engineer needs to have enough space to pump up the sound.
oh and also a question
When i export my cubase project as 32 bit floating point it is nothing but noise when i try to play it back.
Is this becouse the program i use is not able to playback 32 bit? or am i doing something wrong
And if your mix is not clipping what is the adventage of floating point exporting? probably more dynamic range but if you mix already at -2 i figured that its not needed anymore(or am i wrong  )
|
|
|
|
Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : Mar 12, 2007 17:10
|
^^
Yeah its normal for 32 bit exports to sound like that, when you dither them to 16 or 24bit it sounds fine..
Your mix doesn't really have to clip for you to mix at 32 bit but if you can take advantage of more dynamic range then why not!
http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
|
|
|
RenderingRebel
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
293
Posted : Mar 12, 2007 17:13
|
Fuck just send all my 24bits to be mastered
ghehe, gonna send another dvd then ^_^
Alway out for the best possible sound ofcourse
But as logic doesnt support 32 bit i think its no use to resend them becouse johannes uses apple to master aswell
Anyway, im probably not gonna hear any difference |
|
|
|
