Matched A/B: stop choosing louder
Before judging tone, width or punch, remove the level advantage between processed and bypassed states.
Diagnosis
- Match perceived level, not only peak.
- Switch quickly enough to retain auditory memory.
- Test in context and at low playback level.
Decision
- Reject changes that disappear after matching.
- Keep changes whose musical effect survives matching.
- Log the chosen state before adding another processor.
Measurement boundary
Matched A/B does not tell you what to like; it removes one predictable bias from the comparison.
Common failure: Peak matching can still leave perceived loudness different on spectrally changed material.