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What Is Gain?

Updated: Jul 30, 2023

You might have come across the term "gain" and wondered what it means. Gain is a fundamental concept in audio that refers to the level of amplification applied to an audio signal. In simple terms, it determines how loud or soft your audio will be. Gain is the amount of amplification applied to an audio signal. It's measured in decibels (dB), which is a logarithmic scale that expresses the ratio between two values.


Gain and Volume are, for our purposes, synonymous.



How Does Gain Affect Podcasts?

Gain plays a crucial role in determining the overall sound quality of your podcast. If your gain is too low, your voice will sound too quiet, and your listeners will have to strain to hear you. On the other hand, if your gain is too high, you risk introducing distortion, which can make your voice sound fuzzy, crackly, or harsh.

Ideally, you want to aim for a gain level that's loud enough to be heard clearly but not so loud that it distorts. A good starting point is to aim for a peak (loudest moment) level of around -6dB to -3dB. Maybe even lower if your cohost laughs really loud. This will give you enough headroom to prevent distortion while still being loud enough to be easily heard. Compression is a great solution to solving discrepancies in volume in your recordings. SOAP has multiple stages of compression and limiting built into it to solve this problem and help get professional results.


Tips for Setting Gain in Your Podcast

Here are some tips to help you set the right gain level for your podcast:

  1. Use a dedicated microphone - A dedicated microphone will give you better sound quality than using your computer's built-in microphone.

  2. Position your microphone correctly - Make sure your microphone is positioned correctly to pick up your voice clearly.

  3. Use a pop filter - A pop filter will help reduce plosives (low frequency distortion usually on P and B constants) in your audio.

  4. Test your levels before recording - Use your audio recording software to test your levels before recording to ensure your gain is set correctly.

  5. Monitor your levels during recording - Keep an eye on your levels during recording to ensure your gain remains consistent.

Gain is a critical concept in audio that affects the overall sound quality of your podcast. By understanding what gain is and how it works, you can set the right gain level for your podcast and ensure that your listeners can hear you clearly without distortion. Remember to test your levels before recording and monitor them during recording to achieve the best results.


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