The mastering blind test

Don't take our word for it. On the same mix and at matched loudness, compare two masters without knowing which one is Lexpi and which one is a leading online mastering service. You decide by ear. The method is open and the samples are downloadable.

Five tracks, two masters each. You judge, then we reveal.

Blind comparison

Lexpi against a rival service

5 rounds.

How is the test built?

Same source mix

Both versions in a round start from the same mix. You compare two masters, not two mixes.

Matched loudness

Each pair is matched to the same loudness, measured on the excerpt itself. No imposed loudness target: the louder one doesn't win by default.

Quality preserved

Lossless 24-bit FLAC excerpts, about twenty seconds, played as-is. Nothing is added or altered on playback.

Blind, then revealed

During the test the brands are hidden: Mastering A, Mastering B. Identities appear only at the end, with your score.

From mix to master

Four tracks, from the input mix to the Lexpi master. Measured, not claimed.

The level rises by about ten LU to release loudness, and the true peak is brought under a controlled, constant ceiling whatever the mix peak. The dynamic range stays wide (twelve to fifteen decibels): we raise the level without crushing.

What does a Lexpi master preserve?

Energy

Tightening the stereo image or correcting phase shouldn't make the level drop. What was there stays there.

Naturalness

The best master is the one you don't hear working: remove what gets in the way, leave the rest untouched.

Dynamics

Getting louder doesn't mean crushing. The level rises without clipping, within the ceiling specific to your track.

Adaptation

Every mix is different. The treatment adjusts to what's in your track, not to a single preset.

Clarity

Air and detail are restored after processing, not sacrificed for the sake of cohesion.

Our approach: why a good master doesn't draw attention to itself

Can I check for myself?

Download the excerpts and compare them wherever you like, in your software or on your reference headphones.

The verdict that matters is on your own mix

The blind test shows you the trend. The real answer is your track: mastered, auditioned, and paid for only if it convinces you.

Try on my track