What does -5 db mean?

[speedyjuarez Premium Member]

Might be a noob question but I cant find anything on google on this.

What does the -0, -5, -10, or -15 db mean on test tones? or Why?

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[twizt3dfuc]

Best way I've always heard it in recordings is 0 is right at clipping. That's a terrible explanation but anything over 0 is a clipped signal. Ran into that helping my buddies make a album. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will stop in, maybe to correct me but I welcome it.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

Might be a noob question but I cant find anything on google on this.
What does the -0, -5, -10, or -15 db mean on test tones? or Why?

troll much

 

[speedyjuarez Premium Member]

troll much

Not sure what you mean?

 

[Slo_Ride 5,000+ posts]

fuggetaboutit im hungry

 

[speedyjuarez Premium Member]

The reason I ask because my DD1 says for Sq use -10db for loud use -5 when settings gains.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

dB: What is a decibel?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I'll make it easy for you

-10 db is for classic rock, corridos, heavy metal and sh*t with very low bass levels.

-5 db is for normal music top 100 music, dubstep, edm etc.

0 db is if you are going for burps, or bass enhanced music.

Each song will have different bass recording levels. the higher the negative, the weaker the bass in the song will be. Getting closer to 0 will be a very loud bass song. Usually decaf falls into the -2 to 0 db range of music. Youtube bass boosted junk from noobs will have a positive DB level which is basically pure distortion that will burn subs.

Kind of the reason why a lot of the newbs that listen to classic rock but got referred to the DMM method of tuning always end up dissatisfied because they are directed to use a 0 db test tone instead of one appropriate for their music library.

Here's a vid to find out what db level the bass peaks in your music library is, Leave on annotations

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

I was reading this last night, and it has a very in depth explanation of this: Setting Gains with an Oscilloscope (and a Spectrum Analyzer)

it's designed to aid people in setting gains with an oscope but the author does an awesome job of explaining the importance of the recording level that you're talking about, how your gains are set, and the importance of your EQ's boost and how it effects what 0db really is.

One thing I'd like to know though, while we're on this topic, is what level midrange and high frequencies are recorded at? I planned on using a 0db sine wave to set my sub amps gains and then I was wondering if I should also do that with a 1khz 0 db sine wave for my mids/highs amplifiers too - I have a feeling I shouldn't.