What is gain staging?

Gain staging is the process of managing signal levels at every point in the audio chain to maintain optimal signal-to-noise ratio while avoiding clipping. Each piece of equipment or plugin has an ideal operating level — gain staging ensures the signal stays in this sweet spot throughout.

What level should I aim for at each stage?

In a digital DAW, aim for peaks around -18 to -12 dBFS at each stage. This leaves headroom for peaks while keeping the signal well above the noise floor. For analogue-modelled plugins, -18 dBFS corresponds to the nominal operating level they were designed for.

Why does my mix sound noisy?

Common causes: too much preamp gain amplifying the noise floor, recording too quietly then boosting later, or too many gain stages each adding a little noise. Proper gain staging means applying gain early (at the preamp) and maintaining levels through the chain rather than boosting a weak signal later.

Does gain staging matter in a 32-bit float DAW?

The internal processing headroom is essentially infinite in 32-bit float, so you will not clip internally. However, analogue-modelled plugins behave differently at different input levels — they were calibrated for specific nominal levels. Proper gain staging ensures plugins sound as intended.

AudioCalcs

Gain Staging Calculator — Signal Chain Optimisation

Calculate optimal gain settings through your signal chain to maximise signal-to-noise.

Input Signal Level

Preamp Gain

Plugin 1 Gain

Plugin 2 Gain

Fader Level

System Noise Floor

How We Calculate This

Signal Level

Level at each stage = Input Level + Sum of all gain stages up to that point

Signal-to-Noise Ratio

SNR = Output Signal Level − (Noise Floor + Preamp Gain)

Headroom

Headroom = 0 dBFS − Output Level

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.