Enhancing Studio Monitor Volume: Tips For A Better Audio Experience

Studio monitors are an essential component of any recording setup, and optimising their volume levels is crucial for achieving the best sound quality. While it may be tempting to crank up the volume, it's important to prioritise the safety of your ears, as listening at high volumes for extended periods can lead to hearing damage and fatigue. A general guideline is to keep the volume at or below 85 dB, which is considered the ideal level for listening while mixing. However, this may vary depending on room treatment, speaker quality, and personal preference. It's also important to section, as different volumes can reveal new details in the mix. Additionally, it's crucial to understand the entire signal chain, from the computer audio volume to the interface and monitor controls, as each component plays a role in determining the final output volume. Proper gain staging and calibration techniques, such as using pink noise and SPL meters, can help ensure accurate and consistent volume levels. Ultimately, finding the optimal volume for studio monitors involves a balance between personal comfort, sound quality, and hearing health.

Adjust the volume on the back of the monitors

Adjusting the volume on the back of studio monitors is a straightforward process, but it's important to do it correctly to avoid any damage to the equipment or your hearing. Here are some detailed instructions and tips to help you increase the volume on your studio monitors:

Firstly, it is recommended to set the volume on your studio monitors to a comfortable level that allows you to hear all the details of the mix without straining your ears. This is typically around 85 dB at your listening position. If you don't have one already, invest in a sound level meter or download a dB meter app on your smartphone to accurately measure the volume.

Now, let's get into the steps to adjust the volume on the back of your studio monitors:

• Locate the volume knob or control on the back of each monitor. It is usually a dial or a knob labelled with numbers or markings.
• Start by setting the volume knob on your monitors to a lower setting, such as halfway between the minimum and maximum levels. This will be your starting point, and you can adjust from there.
• With your audio interface connected to the monitors, play some music or audio that you are familiar with.
• Slowly turn up the volume knob on the back of the monitors while listening to the audio. Go slowly to avoid sudden loud noises that could damage your hearing or the speakers.
• Adjust the volume to a level that feels comfortable and allows you to hear all the details of the mix. Remember that you don't need to turn the volume all the way up to get a good listening experience. As mentioned earlier, aiming for around 85 dB at your listening position is a good guideline.
• If you have multiple monitors, ensure that the volume on each monitor is set to the same level. This will ensure a consistent listening experience and accurate mixing.
• Once you've found a comfortable volume setting, make a note of the position of the volume knob so you can easily return to this setting in the future.
• If you find that you need to turn the volume up significantly or all the way to maximum, there may be an issue with your input volume. Check your audio interface settings and the gain levels on your interface to ensure they are set correctly.
• Additionally, consider using a desktop mixer or purchasing a better audio interface that offers pro-level outputs to manage your gain better.
• Remember that every component in your audio chain, from the interface to the monitor controls, affects the overall volume. So, make sure to adjust each component accordingly and find the right balance for your setup.

By following these steps and tips, you can safely increase the volume on the back of your studio monitors to achieve the desired listening level without causing any damage to your equipment or your hearing.

Calibrate your studio

Calibrating your studio monitors is critical to get the best experience in your listening environment. It helps your ears to become accustomed to a standard level of volume, which enables you to listen to sound in your environment more accurately. It also helps to preserve your hearing.

Positioning

Before calibrating your studio monitors, ensure that they are properly positioned along with your listening position. The physical orientation of your studio monitors and your mix position are crucial.

Set Levels

Set all the levels in your studio so that you are optimising every component. This step is not essential, but taking the time to properly calibrate your speakers can be valuable as it will give you a great starting point to fine-tune your mixing environment.

Speaker Calibration

The main purpose of speaker calibration is to ensure that a specific metered audio level in your DAW or on your mixer equals a predetermined SPL (Sound Pressure Level) in your studio environment. Proper calibration can help reduce unwanted noise, minimise the risk of damage to your studio monitors and ears, and ensure you hear the audio as accurately as possible.

Test Tones

Most calibration methods use test tones, specifically full-bandwidth pink noise. With full-bandwidth pink noise, every frequency band is present at exactly the same level, making it ideal for speaker calibration, room analysis, and acoustic measurements. You can purchase or download samples of full-bandwidth pink noise. Some DAW applications also feature a tone-generator plug-in that offers a range of test tones, including pink noise.

Acoustic Level Measurement

When calibrating reference monitors, the acoustic level or SPL should be measured from the mix position at seated ear height. You can use an SPL metering app on your smartphone or purchase an accurate SPL meter from an electronics store.

Angle the SPL Meter

Hold the SPL meter at arm's length, pointing it at the centre point between the left and right speakers, angled at 45 degrees to ensure an accurate reading. If using a phone, ensure that your finger or phone case isn't covering the mic.

Calibrate Right and Left Monitors Independently

Calibrate the right and left monitors independently to ensure that both are set to the same acoustic level. This will ensure that your stereo mixes are balanced and translate well across different speaker systems.

Calibration Methods

There are various calibration methods, and the best one for your studio depends on your mix environment, gear, clientele, and audio mixes. One common method is calibrating using the 85 dB SPL "Standard" Reference, which relies on technical data rather than subjective listening. This method ensures that when the output meters in your DAW or mixer register 0 dB, the SPL in your mix position is 85 dB.

Connect Audio Source to Studio Monitors

Connect the main outputs of your audio source to your studio monitors, with the left output going to the left speaker and the right output to the right speaker.

Adjust Input Sensitivity

Turn the input sensitivity of your studio monitors to the lowest setting. If you have any outboard processors (e.g., EQs, limiter) connected between the audio source and monitors, disconnect or bypass them.

Play Pink Noise

Play full-bandwidth pink noise at 0 dB through the outputs of your primary audio source.

Adjust Output Settings

Turn up the outputs of your primary audio source to their unity gain setting, where the signal level is neither boosted nor attenuated. This is usually marked by a "0" or a "U" on the device's level fader or knob.

Increase Input Sensitivity

If you cannot hear the pink noise, slowly increase the input sensitivity (volume) of your left speaker until the acoustic level of the test tone reaches 82 dB SPL. When both speakers play simultaneously, the overall SPL will increase by about +3 dB (85 dB).

Repeat for Right Speaker

Power down your left speaker and repeat the process for the right speaker, slowly increasing the input sensitivity until the acoustic level reaches 82 dB SPL.

Fine-Tune Speaker Placement

Stop the pink noise and play some familiar program music through your speakers. Fine-tune your speaker placement until the sound is balanced, and you have a wide sweet spot from which to mix.

Adjust for Room Size

If 85 dB is too loud for your room due to noise constraints or a small space, you can calibrate each speaker to 79 dB instead. The crucial point is that both speakers are set to the same SPL level.

By following these steps, you will be able to calibrate your studio monitors, ensuring optimal sound quality and a better mixing experience.

Use a dB meter app

To increase the volume on your studio monitors, you can use a dB meter app on your smartphone. These apps are designed to help you measure sound energy and noise levels in any environment, and they can be extremely useful in calibrating your studio monitors.

One such app is Decibel X, which is available on iOS devices. Decibel X turns your device into a professional sound level meter, helping you to detect harmful environmental noises and protect your hearing. The app has been pre-calibrated for Apple devices and offers various weighting filters, including ITU-R 468, A, B, C, and Z. It also features a powerful calibration system and real-time frequency analysis.

Another option is the Decibel Meter Pro app, which is a Class 2 accuracy sound level meter with a wide range of functionality. It can be used to calibrate audio equipment, avoid noise complaints, and even perform a hearing test according to WHO criteria. The app also includes a spectrum analyser with over 100 operating options, making it a versatile tool for audio professionals.

To use these apps effectively, you will need to decide on a target digital level for your studio monitors. This level will depend on the type of music you are producing and the size of your studio space. For example, if you are mastering audio for streaming platforms, you might calibrate to around -14LUFS, while club music might be closer to -9LUFS.

Once you have selected your target level, you can use the app to measure the acoustic sound-pressure level (SPL) produced by your monitors. Adjust the volume of your monitors until the app reads the desired SPL level. This process will ensure that your studio monitors are calibrated correctly and provide a more balanced frequency response.

Set the interface knob in the middle

Setting the interface knob in the middle is a great way to control the volume of your studio monitors and achieve the desired sound level. This knob acts as a "valve", controlling the amount of audio signal from your computer that reaches your monitors.

To set the interface knob in the middle effectively, follow these steps:

• Set the system audio on your computer to the maximum level. This ensures that there is enough audio signal coming from your computer.
• Adjust the interface knob to the middle position. This provides a balanced starting point for further adjustments.
• Use the knob on your studio monitors to set the volume to a comfortable level, typically around 85dB for average music levels. This will be your baseline volume setting.
• Fine-tune the volume by adjusting the interface knob. If the sound is too noisy or hissy, or if the output is too quiet, slightly lower the monitor volume and increase the interface volume. This gives you more control over the final output.
• Make minor adjustments using the computer volume controls or a dedicated volume knob. These controls are ideal for making small changes to the overall volume without affecting the settings on your interface and monitors.

By setting the interface knob in the middle and following these steps, you can achieve the desired volume level for your studio monitors while maintaining clear and accurate sound reproduction. This approach also helps protect your hearing and equipment by preventing excessive volume levels.

Set the monitor to 85 dB

Setting your studio monitors to 85 dB is a common suggestion for monitoring levels. This level is close to the more flat portion of the equal loudness contours, which help you get a more balanced frequency response. However, 85 dB may be too loud and overwhelming for most home studios.

To set your studio monitors to 85 dB, you will need to calibrate your speakers. First, turn the independent level controls on the back of each of your studio monitors all the way down and set your interface output to unity. If your interface doesn't have a unity level, choose where you want your output knob to be when you reach the desired calibration level and mark the spot.

Next, set up a track in your DAW with a tone generator to output pink noise. Pink noise is a tone that consists of every frequency band at exactly the same level, making it ideal for speaker calibration. Set the level to -18dbfs or -20dbfs if you want more headroom.

Now, you will need an SPL meter to measure the acoustic sound-pressure level produced by your monitors. Point the SPL meter at the centre of the speakers where your head would typically be, ensuring the meter is at about the same level as your ears.

Pan the pink noise all the way to the right so it's only coming out of the right speaker. Start turning up the volume knob on the back of the right speaker until the SPL meter reads 82 dB SPL. Power down your left speaker and repeat this step for the left speaker.

Finally, play some music you are familiar with through your speakers and fine-tune your speaker placement until the sound is balanced.

Frequently asked questions