I Paid 4 Mixers to Mix the Same Song... The Difference is Shocking

1 song, 5 mix engineers ranging in price from $75 to $1000...and I'm one of them!
Find out which one came out on top in this blind mix test.

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MY FAVORITE GEAR:

Computer / Interface:

Monitors / Headphones:

Microphones:

Preamps/Outboard:

Favorite Plugins:

Instruments / Amps:

[mansourbethoney]

You should give a shout out to the $75 guy. He's obviously new and could use the plug. I'd hire him

[jonr]

Mix 5 sounds like I'm listening through laptop speakers across the room

[DepressedCapitalist]

Mix 2 is, to my ears, by far the best. The scoop works very well and the "lack" of low mids and fat mid range enhances and gives more life to the other frecuencies. It sounds like a very conscious artistic decision. The synth line works wonders. The brightness in the 80's snare is spot on once again. Overall, the clarity and the "openess" of Mix 2 makes it a true winner for me.

[daniellloyd]

That $450 priced one is exactly what makes me do it on my own

[abhinavprabhakar]

Since someone in the comments wanted the timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:15 Mix 1

3:06 Mix 2
6:10 Mix 3
9:13: Mix 4
12:36: Mix 5
16:02 Ranking (2>3>1>5, 4 is Jordan)
25:47: Conclusion

[JoshuaMRichard]

Dude, I just want to thank you.

At an ungodly hour last night, I watched this video along with the "mastering engineers" one you did.

Something you said completely changed the way I saw this profession.

The moment you mentioned that there are people who are making worse mixes than I am and getting paid more - that was when I realized that I am more than capable of making money doing this.

Not to mention just doing it for other people at all scared the hell out of me.

You inspired me to take a step out into my dream and begin providing mixing services.

My perspective radically shifted because of you, in a way that I've never been able to see on my own.

Thank you.

[ErikSeverinson]

You did a great job planning and presenting this. There were a thousand ways to mess it up, or do it unfairly, and you navigated it super well!

[Osoch]

For my taste, Mix 2 is perfect.
I've always liked slightly scooped mixes more

[majorredbeard]

1:14 Mix #1
3:07 Mix #2
6:10 Mix #3
9:14 Mix #4
12:37 Mix #5
14:00 Comparison of sounds
19:12 Judging the mixes

[jessegrisham]

I preferred Mix 2 slightly, but the difference between yours and Mix 2 is honestly really down to artist preference - do you like it darker/warmer or slightly more energetic? We can't forget, we are serving the artist's needs when we mix.

[martyc]

My humble opinion 😅A few were lacking bass to match the drums. The song itself could have used a female backing vocal to break up the one vocal monotony. It was between two and four and listening on my JBL's it was hard to pick one. I used fiver once on a song I could not get the drumming down. Found a drummer from Italy and she knocked it out of the park. Another drummer on Fiver said: Don't you use a metronome? I said: It aint natural. 🤣😂If there is even a hint that they don't like the song or you, drop them right then. Subscribed

[williamfaith]

Mix 2 for me. The low end punch coupled with the top end sheen made it a clear winner. I also liked his kick drum sound, which felt appropriate to the style. Nice!

[gdofred]

While Mix 2 gets the nod, I do like your treatment of the bass better and also the intro pianos. Thanks for sharing!

[thomjohn]

Mix 2 sounds great.. vocals sit in the mix correctly, and the use of effects is spot on..

[kitchenspider]

Man, mix 2 was perfection. That snare was killer. The stereo field was so airy and open, it just had this clarity to it.

Hearing this comparison made me realize how much I like that crisp, open sound, particularly on conventional/vintage/rock instrumentation. Honestly, I think you can really only have one or two low-mid/mid-forward elements and even then, those lower bands need to duck a little for kick/bass and maybe even for a low-tuned snare in sections where you want a little more rhythmic groove or movement. I'm thinking like a deadmau5 type sidechain for edm or djenty chug guitars for harder rock and metal.

[jorgenlandhaug]

Mix 2 for me. It was the one i thought suited and served the song best, in my humble opinion:)

[CodyBarnette-GNARK]

mix 2 just had a great balance of the kick and vocals. i also really liked how nice the presence was on the ears. i think because of those few thing id choose mix 2.

[loganunknown]

I would like to see a studio room vs vocal booth vs closet filled with clothes and whatever else out there for us budget guys to see if you can notice any difference when vocals are compressed. Sm58 or sm57 mic?

[n]

2, 3, 4, 1, 5. Yes, 4 sounds tonally more balanced than 3, but the staging makes 3 more interesting than 4 and even 2. The guitar and piano are placed very well, add a lot of color and make an impact. I was actually close to picking 3 over 2. The drum fill before the chorus, I hear 3's toms go across left to right evenly 7:39 whereas 2's first two toms stay in roughly same spot before ending on the right 3:48 It's a shame the bass guitar on 3 is so thin. I don't mind the vocals up front. Adding fullness to the bass might even out the vocals in the mix.

[timbelgarde]

As soon as I heard Mix 2, I said, "That sounds like something from the radio. Boom." It just has THAT sound (whatever that magical sound is). The clear winner but yours is very close.