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Beyond the levelLoudness, dynamics, sound
Same peak, different loudness
Two mixes reach the same peak level, and one sounds clearly louder. The difference isn't gain, it's the distance between peak and average: the crest factor.
Loudness vs. gain: why louder isn't just more level
Raising gain makes a mix louder by making everything bigger, peaks included. Shaping the peaks first lets you reach the same loudness with far less peak level. We measured both on the same full mix: same loudness, 3.3 dB apart at the peak.
