Intensity
One fader for how hard the master is pushed. What the number really controls, why 70 is the neutral point, and when to move it.
#Where it lives
Click the pill at the top left of the workspace (it reads something like v4 | 70%). The popover holds the engine version, the current engineer, the Intensity fader and the Prompt Mode switch. Drag the fader or use the arrow keys, then Save to render a revision with the new value. The same number is shown in the Revision Info panel on the right and in each A/B row.
#What the number does
Intensity is one fader for how hard the master is pushed. 70 is neutral: the master runs exactly as designed for your genre. Above 70 it gets louder and denser. Below 70 two things ease off together: the push comes down and the analog colour is blended back towards dry, all the way to 70 percent less colour at 0.
| Intensity | Push | Analog colour | Feels like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | maximum | unchanged | Louder, denser, less air. |
| 70 (Balanced) | as designed | as designed | The master as intended for your genre. |
| 50 | eased off | a little less | Open and natural, still competitive. |
| 30 | gentle | noticeably less | Gentle. Dynamics clearly preserved. |
| 0 | minimal | mostly gone | Almost transparent, mostly just safe peaks. |
#When to move it
- Harsh, crushed, or clipping? Ease it off a notch first and listen again before touching anything else.
- Jazz, classical, acoustic, ambient: 40 to 60. Dynamics are the point of these genres.
- Pop, rock, indie: 60 to 75. The default range.
- EDM, hip-hop, metal: 70 to 85, sometimes 100 if the mix can take it. Check the True Peak option too.
- Using Sophia? She pushes gently by design, so the same number lands softer than it does with Default.
#Intensity and prompts
Prompts move Intensity too. Words like "harsh", "clipping", "too loud" ease it off; asking for more push turns it up. A reference request resets it to 50 first. The value on each revision is what that revision was rendered with, so you can always read it back.
Is Intensity the same as loudness?
Not quite. The Loudness option in the Revision Suite moves the level in fixed steps. Intensity is the continuous overall push, and below 70 it also backs off the analog colour. They stack.
Why is Balanced 70 and not 50?
Because everything is tuned around 70. The fader gives you more room to ease off than to push, which is what most tracks need.