Gain stage is a term in audio engineering. It refers to the exact point, during the audio signal flow, when the user can adjust the level of any audio signal. Gain staging is a process that helps you to manage audio levels to eliminate distortion and avoid unwanted noise. Usually, it appears when each component of the audio signal flow receives and transmits a certain signal within an ideal region of its dynamic range. In this equation, gain faders are responsible for making adjustments. You can find them on analog mixing consoles. In contrast, you can find virtual gain faders in DAWs.
Some Context on Gain Stage
A long time ago, when audio recordings first appeared, people always recorded the audio signal in high gain values. This process was necessary to avoid unwanted noise generated by the hardware equipment. Although modern digital audio technology has changed a lot, some engineers still follow the same process. Recording on high levels can have many disadvantages. For instance, it includes a lack of headroom. And a much less accurate performance of the preamplifiers when getting close to 0dB.
0dB: the Disaster
In the digital universe, 0dB translates into disaster. The ideal decibel value for recordings ranges between -12dB and -6dB. Within this range, the tendency of the headroom is pretty wide. I.e., the maximum level the user sees in the DAW’s input meter should never be beyond that specific range. When using DAWs, it’s essential to start the mixes employing either a trim or a gain plugin. This is the best way to introduce an accurate gain staging. By following this specific process, the user is able to adjust the gain of an instrument or a vocal when it is approaching the sweet-spot.
The user should know that the loudness of the recording does not determine the volume of the final mix. It’s also important to try to capture the performance with a good signal, try to prevent clipping, and make adjustments regarding the volume, the effects, the EQ, and the compression and limiting, in order to shape the individual sounds. In the end, the target is to achieve harmony within them. You should create a balance of all the tracks and make adjustments to the final mix. When adjusting the surround sound, it is possible to maximize the overall volume. In the end, the sound should be able to be played in any sound system.
