cheap boombox, first time my mix has distorted

[shackrock]

So I always like to just push my levels a little harder than I should on my final Mix/Master (if you could call it that...ha). I put a hard limiter on it, usualy just Ozone's brickwall to -.1 db, and push it a little more just to get it louder. I know i know, it's not good practice - but this is after I've compressed and mixed to what sounds good, just always want a little more because the kids who come in INSIST on it, ha!

anyway, I've never ever ever heard any audible distortion on any system that my cds have been played on. But, a buddy of mine was playing some rap on a boombox outside (yes, as loud as it could get). It was some heavy bass Lil' John...and there was no distortion (it just sounded bad, obviously a cheap little boom box). I put my cd in it (rap, too) and it starts distorting like crazy. Ha! It's the first time I've ever heard any of my mixes do that. Of course, it was a cheap boombox and i'm sure the bass was the thing that was distorting it, but still... ha.

anyway, i guess that's why the proffesionals are better at it! ha.

 

[In Tune Audio]

I had this happen once when I first got started (Actually my story is identical to yours). What you need to check is each individual part of your signal chain. Even though the master output is not peaking, any clips in your plugins can cause this.

Example (Totally hypothetical) Say in your mastering chain you have (all plugins.) An EQ, Comp then limiter. Now, if your EQ clips, that clip will be passed to the next stage, and so on.

I know you couldn't hear it on your system, I couldn't hear it on mine either, until, it was played loud on a small boom box. Why that is, I can't tell you. But I do know that when I went in and fixed that problem, even though my master level, and average levels were just as hot, it didn't clip on the same boom box anymore.