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Louder always sounds better: level match before you compare
Louder almost always sounds better to our ears, even when nothing else has changed. If one version is just 3 dB louder, you'll likely pick it. That's why every EQ boost, saturator and compressor seems to improve things. Match the levels before you judge any change.
How to do it
- Before comparing, set both versions to the same loudness.
- Use the output knob on your plugins so bypass on and off are equally loud.
- Compare with a loudness meter (LUFS), not by eye.
- Do quick A/B switches without looking at which is which.
- Pick the one that sounds better at the same volume.
Why it works
Our hearing is less sensitive to lows and highs at low volume. Turn it up and the bass and treble seem to fill out, which our brain hears as better.
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