Gain Staging
See what an input level becomes after adding gain in decibels.
About Gain Staging
Adding gain in decibels simply moves the input level up or down on the same linear-in-dB scale. Consistent gain staging keeps peaks from clipping while staying well above the noise floor across every stage of the chain.
Formula
Gain Staging
Output = input + gain (dB)
- unity
- Gain of zero decibels that changes nothing
Worked example
With the default values below, Gain Staging returns Output Level of -12.0. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Input levelaccepts -120–0 dBFS
- -18 dBFS
- Gainaccepts -60–60 dB
- 6 dB
Results
- Output Level
- -12.0 dBFS
- Linear Boost
- 1.9953
- Unity?
- Trimmed up
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Gain Staging
- 3Output Level= -12.0 dBFS
- 4Linear Boost= 1.9953
- 5Unity?= Trimmed up
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Gain Staging calculated?
Output = input + gain (dB) Adding gain in decibels simply moves the input level up or down on the same linear-in-dB scale.
Why does Gain Staging matter?
Consistent gain staging keeps peaks from clipping while staying well above the noise floor across every stage of the chain.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 2 inputs: Input level, Gain. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.