# Gain staging in hybrid setup

**URL:** <https://community.mwtm.com/t/gain-staging-in-hybrid-setup/16628>\
**Category:** Jon Castelli Mixing Billie Eilish\
**Created:** [July 5, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/gain-staging-in-hybrid-setup/16628 "2025-07-05T19:59:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steven\_Swift](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.mwtm.com/steven_swift/32/1948_2.png) [@Steven\_Swift](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Steven_Swift)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2025, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/gain-staging-in-hybrid-setup/16628/1 "2025-07-05T19:59:02Z")

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Hey Jon! Just curious, and might be a newb question. Do you have any tips when starting a mix in the box and what level of tracks do you like to use when gain staging? Is -18-ish really best when starting a mix and paying attention to keep it around there as you add inserts in the chain? And, after a mix before heading to the mastering stage, would it be advisable to keep the headroom in that same area before sending to mastering outboard gear, like the Xmaxx etc.? Just wondering what you find works.

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**Author:** ![Jon\_Castelli](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.mwtm.com/jon_castelli/32/2107_2.png) [@Jon\_Castelli](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Jon_Castelli)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 6:46pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/gain-staging-in-hybrid-setup/16628/2 "2025-07-08T18:46:05Z")

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Hi Steven! Not a newb question at all! I’d say -18 is pretty aggressively low for modern music. I just try to stay around -6 for individual channels and subgroups!

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**Author:** ![Steven\_Swift](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.mwtm.com/steven_swift/32/1948_2.png) [@Steven\_Swift](https://community.mwtm.com/u/Steven_Swift)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/gain-staging-in-hybrid-setup/16628/3 "2025-07-08T22:16:50Z")

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Sweet! Thanks for the info!

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**Author:** ![LAPRET\_Arnaud](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/community.mwtm.com/lapret_arnaud/32/1948_2.png) [@LAPRET\_Arnaud](https://community.mwtm.com/u/LAPRET_Arnaud)\
**Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 6:03am UTC](https://community.mwtm.com/t/gain-staging-in-hybrid-setup/16628/4 "2025-07-10T06:03:01Z")

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Hi Jon, thank you. Is it -6db LUFS momentary ?