Mikserisses

Mikserisses is a term that has emerged in certain online communities, particularly those focused on music production and audio engineering. It refers to a perceived issue or characteristic in digital audio mixing where the perceived depth or spatialization of sounds degrades or becomes less distinct. This phenomenon is often discussed in relation to the conversion processes within digital audio workstations (DAWs) and the inherent limitations of digital signal processing.

The term is not a formally recognized technical term in audio engineering. Instead, it is a colloquialism used by practitioners to describe a subjective experience. Some producers and engineers attribute mikserisses to factors such as aggressive use of certain types of compression, overuse of digital reverb and delay effects, or the cumulative effect of multiple processing stages in a digital chain. Others suggest it might be related to the bit depth and sample rate of the audio, though this is less commonly cited as a primary cause.

Discussions around mikserisses often involve sharing techniques to mitigate or avoid it. These typically include careful gain staging, judicious use of time-based effects, employing analog processing or emulation where possible, and a focus on maintaining the dynamic range of individual tracks. The concept highlights the ongoing pursuit of natural and immersive sound within the digital domain, acknowledging that while digital tools offer immense flexibility, they can also introduce subtle sonic artifacts if not handled with care.