What separates a pro mix from an amateur one? I uploaded 10 well-known tracks — from The Weeknd to Daft Punk — to MixDiagnose's AI analyzer to find out.
The results were surprising.
The Data
| Song | Artist | Score | Grade | LUFS | Crest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bad guy | Billie Eilish | 94 | A | -10.5 | 9.8 dB |
| Blinding Lights | The Weeknd | 92 | A | -9.2 | 8.1 dB |
| Strobe | Deadmau5 | 91 | A | -9.0 | 8.5 dB |
| Get Lucky | Daft Punk | 90 | A | -8.8 | 7.2 dB |
| Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 89 | A | -9.5 | 7.5 dB |
| Bohemian Rhapsody | Queen | 88 | A | -12.4 | 11.5 dB |
| Hotel California | Eagles | 87 | A | -13.2 | 10.8 dB |
| Money Trees | Kendrick | 83 | B | -8.2 | 6.0 dB |
| SICKO MODE | Travis Scott | 81 | B | -7.1 | 5.5 dB |
| Teen Spirit | Nirvana | 79 | B | -11.8 | 7.0 dB |
Key Findings
1. Crest factor is the #1 predictor of mix quality.
Every Grade A track has ≥7 dB crest factor. Every B-grade track is below 7. More dynamics = better score, even when the mix is loud.
This matches what mastering engineers have been saying for years: the loudness war killed dynamics, and listeners can feel it even if they can't name it.
2. Frequency balance matters more than loudness.
Billie Eilish's mix is -10.5 LUFS — quieter than Travis Scott at -7.1. But it scores 13 points higher. It's not about loudness — it's about balance.
The analyzer found a buildup at 300 Hz in the Nirvana mix (common in guitar-heavy music) and harshness at 4 kHz in some of the louder tracks. The A-grade tracks had no single frequency band dominating.
3. Genre-appropriate choices affect the score.
Trap and grunge intentionally sacrifice dynamics for vibe. Travis Scott at 5.5 dB crest factor isn't a mistake — it's the genre. But the analyzer flags it because it's objectively less dynamic.
The key is knowing when low crest factor is intentional vs accidental. If you're making trap, a B-grade mix might be perfect. If you're making jazz, it's a problem.
4. Old mixes can outscore new ones.
Bohemian Rhapsody (1975) scored 88/100. Queen's mix has better dynamics than 90% of modern releases. Hotel California (live) scored 87.
This is the loudness war in a single table: a 50-year-old mix out-scores most 2024 releases on objective metrics.
What This Means For Your Mixes
- Prioritize dynamics over loudness. Aim for ≥7 dB crest factor. If you're below 6, remove bus compression.
- Check frequency balance. No single octave should be more than 6-8 dB louder than its neighbors. The 200-400 Hz range is the most common offender.
- Don't over-compress. Every track that scored above 90 had healthy dynamics. The ones below 85 were squashed.
- Use reference tracks. Compare your mix against these songs. If your crest factor is 4 dB and Billie Eilish's is 9.8, you're over-compressing.
Want to check your own mix?
Upload your track to MixDiagnose and get an instant Mix Score (0-100) with specific issues flagged by severity. Free, no signup required.
You can also install the CLI:
pip install mixdiagnose
mixdiagnose analyze my-mix.wav
Fix your mix before you master it.
Top comments (0)