Audio Glossary
Mastering
WHAT IS
HEADROOM?
Headroom is the gap between the loudest peak in your mix and 0 dBFS (digital full scale). Leaving 3-6 dB of headroom on your mix bus before mastering gives the mastering chain room to process — EQ, compression, and limiting all change level, and a mix that's already slammed against 0 dBFS leaves nowhere to work.
How much headroom to leave
Before you bounce a mix for mastering, pull the master fader so peaks sit around -6 dBFS (anywhere from -3 to -6 is fine). This isn't about the final loudness — the mastering limiter sets that — it's about giving every processing stage room to move the signal without clipping.
The most common prep mistake I see is a mix bounced with a limiter already slammed on the master bus at -0.1 dBFS. There's no headroom left, so the mastering chain either squashes it further or has to pull the level down first. Take the limiter off, leave 6 dB, and bounce clean. Every good master starts with an honest, un-crushed bounce.
Quick answers
HEADROOM FAQ.
How much headroom should I leave for mastering?
Leave 3-6 dB of headroom — bounce your mix so the loudest peak hits around -6 dBFS, with no limiter on the master bus. That gives the mastering chain room to process without clipping.
Does leaving headroom make my master quieter?
No. Headroom is about the mix you send, not the master you get back. The mastering limiter brings the final loudness up to target. Starting with headroom just means the master is cleaner and more dynamic.
Related terms
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