Back in ye olde days, a console with impedence-matched faders (Daven or Cinema Engineering or the
like) worked in 1/2-db steps if it was really good. Stuff from the 40's and early 50's was more
likely 1dB steps. Seemed like those guys could get their balance just fine.

Now, that said, 0.1 dB is audible in certain situations and if you have the tools to tweak something
by a minute level and it helps your mix, do it.

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message -----
From: "Marcos Sueiro" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 25, 2006 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] 0.1 dB


> Lou,
>
> I think we are saying the same thing. Again, I believe we are making these minute changes because
> we can; and esp. because these days we can recall many parameters. Musicians, producers and
> engineers --we are all caught up in this (hey, it's even sort of fun!).
>
> Consider tempo, for example, versus EQ. The former is unrepeatable (by human musicians anyway) to
> minute resolutions, while the latter is. I'd submit the former is far more important, but we
> change the latter, because we can.
>
> Marcos
>
> --On Saturday, March 25, 2006 10:22 AM -0800 Lou Judson <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Two responses:
>>
>> 1. I rarely deal with such small changes, so this is an extreme example.
>>
>> 2. The real life example came from a mastering session where I was the
>> mix engineer, not the mastering one. In a discussion between the artist
>> and the mastering guy, she asked for a change, he made one, she said
>> "Great! Much better. how much did you change it?" He said, "One tenth of
>> a dB." Incredulous, she asked him to toggle it back and forth, and the
>> change was real. I think it was EQ, low or high end response.
>>
>> I was just the observer, but we could all distinguish the difference on
>> his $6,000 Dunleavy speakers... I might not be able to hear that small a
>> change on my humble Tannoys.
>>
>> And it is not just software - a good pot can change minute levels, and
>> always have been able to, though some high end controls use 1 dB steps...
>>
>> Heck, I can totally not hear something if I am distracted - or if nearly
>> asleep, a tiny, block away sound can wake me up. It is all so
>> psychological!
>>
>> <L>
>> On Mar 25, 2006, at 9:58 AM, Marcos Sueiro wrote:
>>
>>> Lou,
>>>
>>> Although I am glad we have software that can change levels by 0.1 dB,
>>> when I get into that kind of minutiae in a project it is usually a red
>>> flag for "you're losing perspective". For example, I wonder how much
>>> air temperature and humidity change levels (not to mention things like
>>> mood change the artistic impact of a recording). I'd daresay more than
>>> 0.1 dB.
>>>
>>> One man's opinion.
>>>
>>> Marcos
>>>
>>> --On Tuesday, March 21, 2006 12:43 PM -0800 Lou Judson
>>> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks. I never said we *should* except when it counts. That's when
>>>> great
>>>> monitors make a difference!
>
>
>
> Marcos