Jazz Mastering Online — Wide Dynamic Range (−16 LUFS)

Jazz lives on dynamics: a quiet double-bass solo and a sudden fortissimo from the full ensemble need to keep their contrast, not get "flattened" by a limiter. Magic Master 2.0 takes jazz to −16 LUFS — noticeably quieter than commercial genres, because here loudness is sacrificed for a wide LRA (loudness range).

The engine applies minimal compression, preserving the natural micro and macro loudness swings of a live performance, while room/plate reverb adds the sense of an acoustic hall instead of studio "dryness." Target EQ works delicately, highlighting the natural timbre of acoustic instruments — double bass, piano, horns — without artificial brightness.

• Don't aim for pop-music loudness — a wide dynamic range is itself the artistic value of a jazz recording.
• Leave enough peak headroom: acoustic instruments produce unpredictable transients.
• The difference between dynamics and loudness is covered in detail in the article about the loudness war.

Also read: Dynamic Range and the Loudness War · What Is LUFS