So, How Loud Should You Mix? Frequencies sound the flattest at around 85 dB, and that's where many engineers like to work. But keep in mind, that number pertains to larger, professional mix rooms. If you're working in a small bedroom studio on nearfields, 85 dB can seem pretty loud.

The aimed true peak for mixing music can be the same as the peak loudness of -6 dB to leave headroom for mastering. The mastering engineer will, in turn, raise the true peak parameter as recommended by streaming platforms such as Spotify or Apple Music, to -1 dB, or -2 dB for louder songs.

We recommend following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines averaging no more than 70 dB. Headphones and earbuds can reach as loud as 100 dB or more, so a safe level is 50 to 60 percent of the maximum volume. This helps protect our hearing and allows us to listen to our favorite music for longer.

83 dB SPL is the SMPTE recommended level for mixing and mastering in larger rooms, like movie theaters. At levels around 83 dB SPL, our hearing becomes flat enough to make proper judgments about low and high frequencies in our music, and low enough not to be hazardous for up to eight hours on average.