So this is somewhat of a revisit of a previous questions about Mixing Cinematics for Iphone App. What I want to do because I have to mix with producers, director, and everyone and their brother who has invested in this project, they want to be able to check against earbuds. What I am thinking is dropping a 1k tone file on my iphone at -20. Then playing it with max volume on the iphone and measuring the voltage. Then taking that, it will allow me to set the max volume level control on the headphone preamp by measuring that voltage with -20 playing out of my daw. I match the voltages that way max headphone level will not exceed what the iphone can output.

Am I missing something major in my sleep depraved logic? I am hoping to mix using my reference monitors, but they want everyone to have the option to check against earbuds and I dont want to be able to drive the earbuds harder than the iphones capabilities.

I have not had the chance to look into impedance of the iphone/stock buds/my headphone amplifier. The idea just struck me a few minutes ago. Any thoughts?

  • Side note but related to your question (I'm in the middle of a remix for small speakers right now as well), do you have any reference for what the real tone of those little iPhone earbuds are? They're constantly falling out of my ears and their frequency response changes dramatically with every little nudge. It might seem like a no-brainer, but I basically never wear the stock earbuds and so it's got me stumped. How are you wearing them for mixing? – lucafusi Oct 21 '11 at 3:45

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