MusicGen & Stable Audio Mastering Guide (2026)
Most mastering guides for AI music focus on Suno and Udio. But MusicGen (Meta) and Stable Audio (Stability AI) produce output with different characteristics — and the same mastering approach doesn't always transfer cleanly.
This guide covers what's different about mastering these two models and what to adjust before you distribute.
MusicGen output characteristics
MusicGen outputs at 32 kHz natively in most public interfaces. This matters for mastering:
- Low-pass ceiling around 15–16 kHz — even on 44.1 kHz exports. MusicGen's training data and generation process rolls off content above this range more aggressively than Suno or Udio. Don't try to add high-frequency content back with EQ — there's nothing there to recover.
- Mid-heavy stereo image — MusicGen output tends to collapse toward mono in the low-mids (200–600 Hz). This makes it sound narrower on headphones. Gentle mid-side processing with a small boost to the side channel above 1 kHz helps without introducing phase issues.
- Dynamic range is lower than Suno — MusicGen tracks often arrive already compressed-sounding. Use lighter compression ratios (2:1 or less on the master bus) and let the limiter do more of the final loudness work.
LUFS targets for MusicGen
Because MusicGen output starts relatively compressed, it responds well to transparent limiting:
- Target around −14 LUFS integrated, the reference level most major streaming platforms normalize toward (verify the current number for each platform yourself)
- True peak ceiling: −1.0 dBTP
- Avoid heavy pre-limiting compression — it exaggerates the already dense dynamics
File export
If your interface offers a choice, export WAV at 44.1 kHz / 24-bit. If you only get 32 kHz WAV, resample to 44.1 kHz before mastering (use a high-quality resampler — most DAWs and audio editors handle this well). Don't distribute at 32 kHz directly; most distributors require at least 44.1 kHz — confirm your distributor's accepted formats.
Stable Audio output characteristics
Stable Audio produces 44.1 kHz stereo output by default, which is cleaner to work with. The main characteristics to account for:
- Wider stereo image than MusicGen — Stable Audio's stereo field is often wide enough that it can cause mono compatibility issues. Check mono fold-down before mastering and trim the stereo width if elements cancel.
- High-frequency resonances — Stable Audio sometimes produces narrow resonant peaks in the 6–10 kHz range. Run a spectrum analyzer over the output and notch any peaks above 3 dB.
- Tail artifacts — Similar to Udio, Stable Audio tracks sometimes end with an abrupt cut or a digital artifact in the last 0.2–0.5 seconds. Fade the last second manually before mastering.
LUFS targets for Stable Audio
Stable Audio output typically has more dynamic headroom than MusicGen:
- Target −14 LUFS integrated for streaming
- A light compressor (4:1, 2 ms attack, 100 ms release) before the limiter helps control transient peaks without squashing the dynamics
- True peak ceiling: −1.0 dBTP
AI detection: MusicGen vs Stable Audio
Both MusicGen and Stable Audio produce detectable AI signatures, though the profile differs from Suno and Udio:
MusicGen has a relatively distinctive spectral flatness signature. Its 32 kHz origin can leave reduced high-frequency energy above ~16 kHz even after resampling, which may contribute to a distinctive spectral profile.
Stable Audio sometimes starts at a lower baseline on major external AI detectors than MusicGen- or Suno-family output, in our internal testing (internal live measurement, 2026-05) — but results vary widely by detector and by track, and a lower baseline doesn't mean a track is undetectable.
Anti-AI processing applies the same pipeline regardless of source model — the spectral shaping and harmonic enrichment work on the audio signal, not the model metadata.
Distributor considerations
Disclosure requirements generally apply broadly to AI-generated audio rather than to a specific tool — but this varies by distributor. As of June 2026: we're not affiliated with any distributor, so confirm the exact distributor's current rules yourself, and note that clearing a disclosure or terms policy is a separate gate from passing an automated AI detector — both matter.
Check your distributor's current policy before uploading. Our AI music distribution guide breaks down the main per-distributor policy categories (with sources and the same caveats).
Quick reference
| MusicGen | Stable Audio | |
|---|---|---|
| Default sample rate | 32 kHz (resample to 44.1) | 44.1 kHz |
| Stereo width | Narrow (boost sides) | Wide (trim if needed) |
| Pre-master dynamics | Compressed | More headroom |
| HF ceiling | ~15 kHz | ~20 kHz |
| Target LUFS | −14 | −14 |
You can upload tracks from any AI model directly to Anti-AI Master's studio — the mastering chain and AI detection scanner work the same regardless of source.