A/B Compare
Load two versions of a song and switch between them in sync, at the same perceived loudness. Hear what actually changed, not just which one is louder.
In this guide (6 topics) ▸
A/B Compare is part of Advanced Mode. Switch mode from the ⋮ menu if you don’t see the A/B button.
Start an A/B comparison#
- Open the library or a project.
- Tick the checkboxes of exactly two files, for example Mix v3 and Mix v4, or your mix and a commercial reference.
- Tap A/B at the bottom of the screen.
One file becomes Track A and the other Track B. Both play from the same position. The title bar shows [A] or [B] in front of the name of the track you are hearing.
Switching between A and B#
The info panel under the transport buttons shows both tracks side by side, with name, loudness (LUFS) and peak level.
- Tap the A or B box to switch. The active track is highlighted.
- Switching uses a short 50 ms equal-power crossfade, so there is no click and no gap.
- The playback position stays the same, so you hear the exact same bar in both versions.
Level Match (LM)#
Our ears are fooled by loudness: the louder version almost always sounds better, even when it isn’t. The LM button removes that bias.
- When LM is on, LiveMarks measures both tracks and turns the louder one down to match the quieter one. Nothing is ever boosted, so nothing can clip.
- The panel shows how much was removed, for example
LM -3.7 dBunder the louder track. - Tap LM again to hear the original levels.
Integrated or short-term?
In Settings → Level Match method you choose how loudness is measured:
| Method | Best for |
|---|---|
| Integrated (full file) | Comparing complete songs. One average value for the whole file, as used by streaming services. |
| Short-term (3 s windows) | Comparing tracks with a quiet intro or very different arrangements, where the loud parts matter most. |
You can also make LM switch on automatically with Settings → Level Match default. More background: What is LUFS?
Blind test: RND and HIDE#
Knowing which version you are hearing affects your judgement. Two buttons let you test blind:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| HIDE | Hides the real file names (on by default). The panel only shows “Track A” and “Track B”. The button lights up teal while active. Tap to toggle names hidden or revealed. |
| RND | Jumps to a random track (A or B), so you don’t know which one is playing. |
- Turn on LM so loudness can’t give the answer away.
- HIDE is enabled by default so you start blind immediately with “Track A” and “Track B”.
- Tap RND a few times, listen, and decide which one you prefer. Drop a quick marker if you want to remember a spot.
- Tap HIDE to reveal which mix or master you actually picked.
More on why this matters: The A/B Testing Guide.
Markers in A/B mode#
Each track keeps its own markers. Markers are added to the track that is currently playing, and the list title shows which one, for example Markers (Track B). The timeline shows the markers of both tracks, so you can compare where you flagged problems in each version.
The ⋮ menu has separate entries for each track: Track A Metadata, Track B Metadata, and Export Track A/B WAV with Markers (see WAV with Embedded Markers).
Different file formats#
For sample-accurate sync, both files should have the same format. If you compare a compressed file (MP3, AAC) with an uncompressed one (WAV), LiveMarks warns you and offers three options:
- Convert to WAV: makes a WAV copy of the compressed file for perfect sync (recommended).
- Continue Anyway: compare as they are. They may drift slightly apart.
- Cancel
The free version includes 5 A/B comparisons per day. Pro gives unlimited comparisons.