Would some of you folks in the know please critique my understanding?

To use the K-14 system of metering, I would:

Playback pink noise and get -14 reading on my "Mains" meter.  I suppose at this point it doesn't matter if we're talking peak or RMS because it's pink noise, I would think peak = RMS.

Now, I adjust the gain on my monitors until I read 83dB SPL on my sound level meter at my listening position in the room, and leave the monitors there.

Now, when I mix, just using my ears, not relying too much on meters, I would tend to naturally gravitate toward getting my RMS values somewhere around -14 dBFS (83 dB SPL), because above that would start to get uncomfortable, therefore leaving me 14 dB of headroom for peaks, therefore I wouldn't need to use compression to reduce the peaks to avoid clipping, all for the desirable goal of maintaining the dynamics in my recording.

I listened to Bob Katz's CD Honor Roll and I really do like the sound of those recordings, which I understand to be significantly due to maintaining dynamics, not to mention the performances, and other recording/mixing techniques.

Thanks for your thoughts, opinions, and guidance,
Sam

You got it. But if you can stand 83 db SPL as your average mix level, you're a better man than I. I use the same process at 76db. It's at the low end of the flat part of the EQ curve for the average ear. If there is such a thing.
 
Except for the part about compression, you may still want considerable compression depending on the sound you are going after. This process doesn't eliminate the need or desire for compression, it just builds in some headroom for mixing.
 
Another approach is to make your tape saturation (tube sat, whatever) plugin kick in around -6 db so that it emulates what the old consoles use to do which is saturate toward the top of the scale. Hardware just got noisier and saturated at the top of the scale. Digital can't. This for a crunchy rock mix or R&B type thing.  Basically building your console in digital which is emulating hardware.

Thanks Middleman. Amen on that 83 dB. I just wanted to present it "by the book". I think I'll actually set it up lower too. 

See my additional comments I added above.

I saw the additional comments - I think I was there a split second after you finished.

Kewl.

Hey there jrfrogers A few other things to think about.  I work at mainly K -14 dB FS as well. Pink noise I have found is about -1db compared to the sine wave. A good test signal is a stereo interleaved wave with a 400 Hz or 1 Kz sine wave recorded so the very peaks of the sine wave are at - 14 db FS. I have uploaded a -14dB tone and pink noise on my Soundcloud and made it downloadable.

http://soundcloud.com/jeff-evans


You now need a VU meter to show you a 0dB VU indication while this tone is playing back at -14 dB FS. Good examples of VST VU's are here:

http://www.klanghelm.com/VUMT.html

The normal DAW meter is not great because it is hovering around some point well below unity. (If you are going to use the DAW make sure they are set to rms and peak) The VU can be used on tracks, busses and mains now so it should also be just reaching 0 dB VU on average music levels. These extra VU's are showing you the rms component of the signal and they are showing it high at 0 dB VU. The peaks won't effect the VU meter much so you don't have to worry about them. Let your DAW do peak metering as normal so you can use both and keep an eye on both.

After the sinewave calibration you will find the pink noise to be around -1 dB on the VU meter. This is more correct.

When making dB SPL measurements in your room make sure on a C Weighting. This is always left out. 83 dB or 85 for both monitors on is not loud. (Unless I am bit deaf) It is a very nice level. Monitoring for extended periods below 85 dB is dangerous. (only from a mix point of view, not SPL) You will be adding too much low and high end to make it sound right.

K System is about three things, choosing a dB FS ref level and putting your sine wave level there, 2nd, have a proper VU meter (or the BlueCat) as well that must have something to show you a full scale 0dB deflection on a scale while the digital level is at -14 db FS, 3rd keeping monitoring levels in your control room consistent.

If you change your K system ref level to either -12 or -20 dB FS then you have to adjust your room level to suit. (and your VU meters! You can set the K ref level in the Klanghelm meters) You don't have to stay at 85 dB SPL either. It is just a good ref level, more to do with health and safety issues. (It is also aligned to the dialogue level in a movie theatre) You can listen to your -14 dB K level ref at any volume you like. But 85 is very good and great for extended periods as well. Listening at higher volume exposes bass and reverb issues as well as other things.

You may wonder about the other K ref levels. K-12 is obviously 2 db louder than K-14 and for 16 bit only has been recommended. Also for broadcast as that is what the -12 level is called, for broadcast. But you need a little more care especially with tracking levels to ensure any peaks dont go over 12 dB. Analog limiter comes in handy here. But when mastering to louder rms levels, K-12 has only a little way to go. K-20 dB FS has that amazing transparent and most transient sound. Good for album tracks and pristine mixes. You can also master from -20 way up to loud mastering levels too but you have got further to go to get there. K-14 is a great overall ref level to work at. My Yamaha digital mixer puts out +4dBu (analog outs of course) at -14dB ref level with the sinewave peaks hitting - 14dB FS.

Monitoring for extended periods below 85 dB is dangerous

I'd argue that monitoring for an extended time at 85dB or higher is potentially damaging to your auditory system Jeff.


Even 83dB is too high in my environment.


76dB all the way here - it's perfect (for me)

What weighting are you guys using? (A Weighting is incorrect, it basically ignores the bottom end and will give a reading that is too low for music) Also don't listen to the sinewave or the pink noise at 85 db SPL. (even with a C weighting) That is quite loud. Listen to music that is just reaching your chosen K system ref level (on your meter) and you should find it is quite nice. But I do agree if you still feel the music test is loud then I may be a little insensitive. To me it sounds just nice and a nice level.

Couple of things. First, the SMPTE method that the K-System is based on is for "large" film mix rooms. The small rooms most of us have aren't suited for that level, as people have pointed out. It's just too loud.

For noise, the peak level does NOT equal the RMS level. The only signal where peak = RMS is a square wave if you're in Sonar (or an electrician :) ) or a sine wave if you're measuring according to the AES standard--which the K-System tries to follow.

When you're calibrating, you do one speaker at a time. Play the noise through one speaker, and set it to whatever level you're going to use. like 77 dBA SPL for example.

It's less important--particularly in a small room--to get your levels set to that specific SPL than it is to find the SPL you want to work with, calibrate your meters to it and stick with it.

So in my case, I have calibrated 77 dBA SPL so that Sonar's RMS meters show -17 dBFS RMS. That corresponds to -14 dBFS RMS on meters that follow the AES standard. So my mixes are at K-14 levels, with a mix room measured SPL that is quieter.