Among the many things that set modern, professional mixes apart from amateur ones is a wide stereo field. Stereo enhancement plugins can make vocals sound huge when the chorus hits, push synth pads to the edges of headphones, and add interest to rhythmic elements.

But widening without intent can lead to a disorienting mix that’s lost its character and detail. To avoid the traps many mix engineers fall into when manipulating stereo field, here are five widening mistakes:

 

Read more on the "5 Stereo Widening Mistakes," by Dan Dixon.