A premium feature that increases loudness without introducing the audible distortion typical of standard clippers.

Watch mono compatibility: collapse to mono — if center vocals disappear, reduce widening.

While the "best" preset is subjective and often depends on your market, several community-developed presets are widely endorsed by pros and hobbyists alike.

This levels out the incoming audio. Whether a track is a quiet acoustic song or a loud EDM track, the AGC brings them to a consistent starting level so the subsequent processing stages work predictably.

A reliable, high-performance preset included in newer versions of Stereo Tool. ⚠️ Pro-Tips for Better Processing

A full preset typically includes:

Adjust your source volume or Stereo Tool's so the audio averages around -12 dB to -6 dB .

Select a factory preset that matches your desired vibe (e.g., "Amsterdam" for a full, loud sound). Click . Step 2: Adjust the Input Gain

Streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music) normalize to -14 LUFS. Radio and internet streams target . A full preset uses aggressive look-ahead limiting and clipper distortion to achieve commercial radio volume without destroying transients.

At its core, a preset is a "snapshot" of pre-configured parameters within the Stereo Tool software . These settings allow you to:

Too much stereo expansion on high frequencies can cause "swirling" or phase issues.

Stereo Tool is extremely sensitive to . Always calibrate so the Multiband gain reduction meters move between 3–6 dB on loud sections. If they never move, lower input. If they always hit 12 dB, raise input.