What's the Difference between Gain and Trim in Audio

People argue about trim vs gain. Here's the scoop.
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[@nicolasetcheverry4129]

Thank you so much for clarifying it so simply. I was getting confused with other videos

[@samatza]

Nice explanation David, thank you. I know this stuff may be basic but it's worth repeating because if it's wrong at the gain/trim stage you can't fix it down-line from there. Keep well mate, cheers from Oz.

[@kennethsmith5383]

This man js criminally underrated!

[@simamedia6601]

halo I really enjoy your explanation !!! please I had Q I am working my music mixing with presonus 24 sirens but I am not really happy reverb and delay . can you advise me about Soundcraft 22 mtk ?is it really big difference between both? or maybe I have to use lexicon external hardware effect ? thank for your help

[@straytracks2662]

Its David Wills "IN YER FACE"! Zoomed in! Remember Mackies mag that was so big it was "In Your Face"? I miss those days! I like to set the trim so that I can get all the faders close to unity. Of course in the real world all bets are off...ya do what ya gotta do.

[@raycochrane3971]

I started using Trim in Reaper after seeing this vid a couple of weeks ago - wow, life is much easier now.

[@jlink8186]

Thanks

[@newsonicwave]

Thnx!

[@ConstantinoOfficial]

Hi David ,ive enjoyed your tutorial dvds throughout the years since I was a kid, always the best! Ive always wanted to ask you- after trying so many of them,in your opinion what was the best of the all in one digital multitrackers? If you wanted to go that route instead of a computer daw, what would you choose?thanks!

[@ProAudioEXP]

Hi Michael! Thanks for the kind words :) I'm a fan of the Tascam DP series and also the Zoom R series. The R16/R8/R24 for example are not only great recorders, but also great audio interfaces and controllers. Plus they record to standard .wav files in their SD cards so you can easily record with them, then drop that card into any computer and just drag the files into any DAW. Nice to hear from you mate! D

[@ConstantinoOfficial]

@@ProAudioEXP thanks so much for replying! Thats good to know..i was eyeing up the vs2480, do you think the tascam beats that sonically?

[@PaulFisherMedia]

What does attenuation mean? What about analog mackie that says gain trim on the same knob

[@williambalestrini]

Attenuation is a fancy word for reduction. The faders on ALL mixers can be considered as Attenuators. If they are all the way up, no attenuation (or reduction) occurs and the signal passes through the fader without being reduced (or boosted). Then the fader is at the lowest spot, virtually ALL of the signal is reduced (attenuated).

[@natancopeincraft]

So if I am done with my mix and it sounds fantastic, but the volume is pretty low, and I want to get it a little bit louder for youtube, and other platforms, it's ok to just turn up the master volume right? That only affects the volume of the overall mix correct? I ask because my master volume is always at 100%, and then I turn it up to about 117%, and it still sounds great, but louder. I'm not fooling myself here am I? There isn't something I'm missing right?

[@BjorgenEatinger]

Yes. But it would be better to use a matrix, if your console supports it.

[@williambalestrini]

Sorry, but he didn't really explain the difference. Here is the difference... GAIN is controlling the ANALOG amplifier in the input preamp. TRIM controls the DIGITAL signal AFTER THE PREAMP. In reality they both accomplish the same function of getting a strong signal to the rest of the mixer. In my world, the only time I run into having a Gain AND a Trim is when I run sound for people with a Mackie DL32S. I leave the TRIM at 3/4 and only adjust the GAIN as needed. If someone else has a real world explanation different I would like to hear it.

[@artg7909]

🙃....so in other words, it is a puzzle. Depending on such and such. Not quite sure about that.