• blinky
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-09-30
  • Posts: 100

Topic: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

Hi all, just a quick question here for anyone who uses or has used the combo in the thread title. My question relates to mixing. I record (attempt to) and mix kind of light rock kind of stuff...drums, organ, guitar, vocal, acoustic guitar etc. And during the mix I might have the volume set for the HD600's at say "0" when I'm mixing. The lufs of my song might be something like -24lufs, peaking at say -9 or -8 or something. Anyway, when I go to master I usually set the headphones at -6db on the Fireface controls. And I mix shooting for -12lufs or so for my matsered track.

So my question is regarding the Fireface control headphone level you use when mixing and or mastering. I'm not happy with my results generally and I'm just wondering if I'm listening too loud or too quiet or whatever.

Thank you

Fireface UFX II, Babyface Pro, Windows 10, Studio One 5
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2007-04-10
  • Posts: 9,784

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

That's quite unspecific, and possibly more of a topic for a general audio related forum like Gearspace, where you could discuss what exactly is it you are not happy with. I don't think it's a matter of the interface or the phones.

Regards
Daniel Fuchs
RME

RME Support's Website

  • blinky
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-09-30
  • Posts: 100

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

RME Support wrote:

That's quite unspecific, and possibly more of a topic for a general audio related forum like Gearspace, where you could discuss what exactly is it you are not happy with. I don't think it's a matter of the interface or the phones.

Sure, you are right. There's no issue whatsoever with the RME Fireface. It's a wonderful piece of gear. I just thought I'd have more luck asking such a question here since there's likely to be a lot of Fireface users all in one place here who have considered this issue before.

Fireface UFX II, Babyface Pro, Windows 10, Studio One 5
  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2013-12-25
  • Posts: 190

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

blinky wrote:

I'm just wondering if I'm listening too loud or too quiet or whatever.

Thank you

Play a reference track at a comfortable listening level. Play your own music at the same level. Compare.
No real need to get more technical than that imho.

Babyface Pro FS, MSI GS66, Studio One
  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,229

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

What's the problem with that, anyway? Just use a comfortable volume with which you can work well and not ruin your ears. There is no "right" or "wrong", except "much too loud" or "much too quiet". You should be able to hear that yourself.
Everybody has his working method, it's a creative process.

Loudness is being calculated by DAW/tools, completely independent of your monitoring volume. If you compare with a reference track, you might want to listen at the same monitoring volume to perceive the loudness differences with your ears.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14
  • blinky
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-09-30
  • Posts: 100

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

ebmmbongo wrote:
blinky wrote:

I'm just wondering if I'm listening too loud or too quiet or whatever.

Thank you

Play a reference track at a comfortable listening level. Play your own music at the same level. Compare.
No real need to get more technical than that imho.

Yes thank you. Good idea. You are right, of course.

Sometimes I wonder, for example when mastering should I listen with the volume quite loud or if like you said, I should listen at a comfortable level. And sometimes I think if I listen at a comfortable level then I won't get any idea of how the song/ mix is holding up at a strong level.

I know it's a question with no emphatic answer and I don't mean to be troublesome here.

Fireface UFX II, Babyface Pro, Windows 10, Studio One 5
  • blinky
  • AES/EBU artist
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2011-09-30
  • Posts: 100

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

ramses wrote:

What's the problem with that, anyway? Just use a comfortable volume with which you can work well and not ruin your ears. There is no "right" or "wrong", except "much too loud" or "much too quiet". You should be able to hear that yourself.
Everybody has his working method, it's a creative process.

Loudness is being calculated by DAW/tools, completely independent of your monitoring volume. If you compare with a reference track, you might want to listen at the same monitoring volume to perceive the loudness differences with your ears.

Yes, thanks ramses, you're right as well. Hope you are doing well. You're always extremely helpful.

Fireface UFX II, Babyface Pro, Windows 10, Studio One 5
  • ramses
  • DAW Mastermind
  • Offline
  • From: UTC+1
  • Registered: 2012-10-14
  • Posts: 13,229

Re: RME Fireface UFXII + Sennheiser HD600

You only need a certain volume for inspecting transients in styles of music, where those are important, same with bass.
But then you come to the limits of headphones.
Only solution here to maybe try magnetostatic phones like Audeze LCD-X.

Otherwise for deep bass and stuff you need an optimized room so that reflections to not over emphasize or kill frequencies
and monitors that are able to deliver.

For the more "regular" / more "uncritical" stuff mix and master in your phones and compare with reference tracks as you like.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14