Mix Analyzer guide
Stereo Field Analysis
Read stereo width, phase correlation, and mono compatibility - and use width on purpose instead of fearing it.
What the stereo field tells you
The stereo field is how a mix spreads across left, right, center, and the sides - and whether it survives when those channels are summed to mono on a phone, a club PA, or a smart speaker. Here is the reassuring part from our data: the scary stereo problems are rarer than their reputation. Across the mixes we analyze, phase correlation stays positive, bass stays centered, and almost none lose real level in mono. The more common miss is the opposite one - playing it so safe that the mix stays narrow.
Width
How much content spreads beyond the center image.
Phase correlation
Whether left and right work together or cancel when summed to mono.
Mono compatibility
How much level and detail survive on a single speaker.
Low-frequency width
Whether the bass is centered or leaking into the sides.
What we see most often in real mixes
The data is encouraging: most producers already have the stereo fundamentals right. The real opportunity is using width with intent, not avoiding it out of fear.
The pattern in the data
- Phase stays positive - we essentially never see a mix that is out of phase.
- Bass stays centered - stereo low end, the classic punch-killer, is rare.
- Mono holds up - almost no mix loses meaningful level when summed.
- Only a small share push into very wide, decorrelated territory.
How to use width without breaking mono
Width is free impact when it is controlled and a translation problem when it is not. The rule is simple: anchor the core, widen the support.
Practical checks
- Keep kick, bass, and low fundamentals mono and centered below about 100-120 Hz.
- Put width on supporting parts - pads, doubles, ambience, effects - not the lead vocal or groove.
- Watch a correlation meter when you engage a widener, chorus, or Haas delay.
- Flip to mono often and listen for elements that drop in level or vanish.
The common problems - and how to fix each
When stereo does go wrong, it is usually one of these - and each has a clean fix.
Problem then fix
- Collapses in mono: back off short-delay or widener tricks and re-check the correlation meter.
- Stereo bass: mono everything below about 100-120 Hz with a mid/side or elliptical EQ.
- Too narrow: pan with intention and add width to supporting elements rather than the center.
- Lopsided left/right: rebalance levels and panning so energy is even across the speakers.
- Hollow center: use mid/side EQ to lift the mid for vocal and snare clarity.
What Mix Analyzer adds
You get the stereo picture in numbers - width, phase correlation, and how the mix behaves in mono - so you can open up with confidence instead of guessing.
In every analysis
- A width and phase-correlation read.
- A mono-compatibility score and an estimate of level lost in mono.
- Mid/side balance interpretation.
- A check on whether the low end is staying centered.
Frequently asked questions
Why should bass be mono?
Low frequencies carry little directional information, and out-of-phase bass cancels when summed to mono, losing punch. Mono low end also helps vinyl and club systems. Most engineers mono everything below about 100-120 Hz.
What is phase correlation?
A meter from -1 to +1 showing how similar the left and right channels are. +1 is fully mono-compatible, 0 is wide but partly uncorrelated, and -1 is out of phase and likely to cancel in mono.
How wide should my mix be?
Wide enough to feel spacious but stable in mono. Keep the core - vocal, kick, snare, bass - centered and widen supporting elements. Reference commercial tracks rather than maxing a width slider.
Why does my mix sound different in mono?
Summing to mono cancels out-of-phase content. If width came from short delays, choruses, or widener plugins, those elements thin out or disappear - a sign of phase decorrelation to fix.
What is mid/side processing?
A technique that splits a stereo signal into Mid (the left-plus-right center) and Side (what the channels do not share), so you can EQ or widen each independently - for example boosting vocal clarity in the mid while shaping the sides.
Should I check my mix in mono?
Yes. Many real systems - phones, single smart speakers, clubs, broadcast - collapse toward mono, and a mono check is the fastest way to expose phase problems before release.
Further reading
- iZotope Learn - 6 tips for widening the stereo image — Practical widening and how panned parts drop level in mono.
- Sound on Sound - Reading phase-correlation meters — How to read +1/0/-1 for mono compatibility.
- Sweetwater - How phase meters help your mixes — Using correlation meters while mixing.
- Sweetwater - Easy mid-side processing — What the mid and side channels are and how to use them.
- Wikipedia - Stereo imaging — Lateral and depth localization, good versus poor imaging.
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