Not sure how you could really compare mastering using MP3s.

There was a bit of discussion on this topic on the Mastering Web Board.

No list of equipment and no pictures of the facilites so it could be a basement operation or it could be world class hard to judge.

Anyone used them so far????

I know one thing - unless they were sending wav. files, I would never bother.

Not really ground breaking but if it works for him, great. Lots of places offer this.

Hello all,

i must join in here as i seen referes from here :-)

First hello to everyone on this forum!
My name is Lorenz and i am the founder and Chief Mastering Engineer at XARC Mastering.

To quickly answer up your questions;
Yes, and as many asked, we don´t have a equipmentlist online as we are a bit different and have our own opinion about these kind of things. However, we may decide to put these things up later.

We have Demos as WAV files online, maybe you didn´t see them.
In our Demos section at the foot of the Testimonials (the "get a before / after demo of one of his songs here" textes) there are .RAR files which contain the .WAV files.

Also be sure that we have a great "suprise" which well known musician just mastered his new single with us.
There will also be some interviews with us in the UK & USA, as well as some other music magazines worldwide, in probaly the february 2004 issues.

If you want to test us and are still not convinced i invite everyone of you to try our Free Trial. Byside you always get a demo when ordering mastering before making any payment and if you don´t like it, we don´t charge you anything. Of course this rarely happens.

Let me know if you have any other questions and if it is not a problem, please ask them over at http://www.xarcmastering.com/forum as we have a hard time to answer on all places where we are currently discussed on.

Anyway i am hoping on a great time with the recording.org forum community.

Best Greets and a merry christmas already,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

we don´t have a equipmentlist online as we are a bit different and have our own opinion about these kind of things. However, we may decide to put these things up later.

Everybody has their own opinion on what gear they use, and most respected mastering houses are very proud of the tools they have and are very open to list them for all to see and know. What possible valid reason could you have as to why you would hesitate to list the exact tools you have to work with? Appears to be very fishy to me.

Hello,

as i said we are not a "normal" mastering house, that´s the nature of our new business idea.

In the meanwhile i can tell you there are alot of artists including some big names that mastered with us and are more then happy, even without this list.
We don´t want and don´t need to showcase anything because we focus on what really counts - the sound & quality and perfection we give you and that many of our recent clients enjoy and respect.

Best Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

We don´t want and don´t need to showcase anything because we focus on what really counts - the sound & quality and perfection

Ya, ok. Sound quality & perfection are very depandant on the tools that are used to get those specific results. It is now obvious what is not normal about your business. Only those that are ashamed of what they are using and those who need to hide behind marketing gook would hesitate to provide potential customers with a complete list of the tools that they will be using.

In the meanwhile i can tell you there are alot of artists including some big names that mastered with us and are more then happy, even without this list.

And just who would a few of the very top/best of them be? Or is this yet another of your non-normal mastering busineess tactics to not reveal who you do business with?

Hey, if you really think people looking for top quality mastering services are that clueless to buy into your marketing based business tactics and it works for you, good for you. That kind of tripe doesn't tend to work very well or go very far here in USA where you find real professionals that do mastering work and don't need to hide behind a website.

Oh, and you might want to edit and hide that comment on the front page of the website where you reveal that you use and rely on KRK monitors, as that is a sure clue that I am on the right track...

Well Audiogaff.

I don't think this is the place for you to have it mastered, unless you have bad material with cracks and 50/60hz hum.
...or need harmonic enhancing... :(
...I'm wayting actively for the change and it will come one day Don Grossinger... :c:

Best regads.

It's not my meaning to criticise you Lorenz.
I'm just trying to draw a line between what Audiogaff and i do and what your firm is about, I belive it's two different things.

Not sure why XARC mastering is so secretive about their clients or their equipment.

I have seen this tactic before in other forms and I think it goes back to the days of snake oil salesmen that traversed the western frontier of America in the 1800s. They promised a lot of cures for lots of different aliments but what they were really selling was some herbs mixed with 100 Proof grain alcohol or worse.

If you are secure in what you are doing then spell out who you are doing it for and what equipment you are using.

You could be a basement operation masquerading as a legitimate mastering house or you could be world class. I don't understand your reluctance to come forward with facts.

It all sounds very fishy to me.

Take off the mask and prove yourself.

Hi,

i think the good thing is that we don´t need to prove anything in the kind of "who is better" like other studios do.
And he - potential customers from another mastering studio?
I can imagine you guys are upset about this as it could cost you clients, and we have to stand this, but that´s busines.
When we would list the equipment, exactly that what you said about "KRK" (btw, you are aware of their "Main" series?) would happen and there is no need for us to have that going on.
As i said, we consider putting this up later again, but right now we are totaly happy with the kind of clients we are getting trough our promotion.
Earlier this year in our "test-phase" we used to promote with pictures for some days and where flooded by all kind of gear-addicts telling us how super our equipment is and what nice tubes it uses, but they produced totaly bad music.
Since we removed this from our website, we are getting artists that really know what they are doing and care about the experience we have.
The best equipment in the hands of an unexperienced won´t guarantee you anything.

Guys, please understand, i don´t want any fight or whatever with you, just understand our point.
And if people are not taking up on our offer, then he, it´s more clients for you right?

Why don´t one of you mastering engineers send us a unmastered song you just finished mastering yourself and let us show what we can deliver?
Or are you trying to hide there? Wouldn´t that be the best to judge yourself?

Just contact me via email and we set this up quickly, then judge again if we are really that fishy. I think thats the fairest thing i can offer and that one of you should face after all this flaming about our services and would proove you more then any equipmentlist or whatever.

Best Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Wo is "he"?
Is it me?
If it is... I didn't write that..?!?

But your offer sounds very fair, you couldn't have written a better sugestion.

I'm gonna sen't you a recording soon...

No matter what reasons you give or how you justify it to yourself, You cannot gain respect or establish a good reputation as a true professional when you can only attract customers with words of marketing Bullshit. You cannot gain a customers trust with just Bullshit when you go out of your way to promote how good you think you are, how good you think your equipment is, how many top artists you claim to have worked for but then go completely out of your way to make up excuses and reasons why you won't reveal who you have worked with, hide what specific tools you use, and continue to mislead people without any facts to back up your claims.

I would advise all R.O readers to be very leary and for them to tell everyone they know to avoid people that use these kind of shady business tactics. Respected and trusted engineers that are proud of their tools and the people that they worked with, will go out of their way to promote those things and themselves. They would never try to hide and mislead using business tactics of Bullshit.

Well someone's going to have to keep us posted!

You made it, that´s what i call a real professional.

Almost forgot...for the record - I don't have a 'side' here, but I will say that I went to the site and checked out the before and after samples. I've heard many of these from a lot of sites and I will admit that the afters sounded better than any I'd heard elsewhere. This may mean nothing of course, but if that was the result on my music, I wouldn't care if they were in their basement with Soundforge.

Hi,

someone who finally sees what´s this all about in the end.
I find it funny that especially guys that are mastering engineers themself don´t like what we do - understandable but that´s life. Go with time or die.
Being proud of your gear is a cool thing but won´t help you anything if you can´t handle it.
As you may have seen on our site there is a "shootout" between some other mastering studios (to sad we can´t name them) that show very well that their great gear makes nothing.
It is so funny how people relay on their gear and think it makes the magic for them.
"Innovations" always disattracts the "but we have always done it this way" people, but that´s something we have and can life with!
Go ahead and tell people how shitty we are, the artists that know what we can do respect us and that´s all we could ever want.

Best Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Originally posted by Lorenz @ XARC Mastering:
Hi,

someone who finally sees what´s this all about in the end.
I find it funny that especially guys that are mastering engineers themself don´t like what we do - understandable but that´s life. Go with time or die.
Being proud of your gear is a cool thing but won´t help you anything if you can´t handle it.
As you may have seen on our site there is a "shootout" between some other mastering studios (to sad we can´t name them) that show very well that their great gear makes nothing.
It is so funny how people relay on their gear and think it makes the magic for them.
"Innovations" always disattracts the "but we have always done it this way" people, but that´s something we have and can life with!
Go ahead and tell people how shitty we are, the artists that know what we can do respect us and that´s all we could ever want.

Best Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Not sure which "mastering engineers" you are referring to BUT I have seen enough snake oil salesmen in my life who promise big things and then refuse to tell how they are done or what "magic" they are using. This is sounding more and more like a big scam with someone in a basement studio trying to impress the members of this web board.

Let me and others know what albums you have mastered for what artist and I will be happy to go out an purchase them and listen to the results of your work.

Fair enough????

You and your Oilsman!
I don´t get you, why can´t you go to our website, go to the Demos section and download the 2 .RAR files that will show you a before / after in full 16bit 44khz WAVE.
As it seems i already happened to impress one if you read a bit above.

Do you ask your car-repairing service what machines he is going to use to repair your car?
Must we put this lists online because everyone else does it - NO. Because we work and think different and don´t want to join this equipment war which is totaly sensless - that´s was a basic rule for us since our start.
Why would this be so important for you to see how we get there, if the results are statisfying - are you afraid that someone who doesn´t own a 100000$ compressor can pulloff something better with a 1000$ device because he actually knows how things work instead having 100000$ "magic-button" devices that are placebo?
There is all together so much overrated crap out there that people are going to buy for there money, not knowing how it works and what it does, but he it´s 50000$, it must be good and i must own it. It´s these audio-snob´s with the "i know it all and use gold-wiring" attitude that are going to buy this and don´t know what the device is actually doing.
I just remember back when Aphex Aural Exciter came out and was marketed with all BS slogans and all nonsense explanations on what it does - today they admit that it adds distortion and that´s it.

This discussion is getting so sensless at this point now.
Why not just accept our point and - PERIOD?
If you feel that everything is so fishy for you then why not go somewhere else where you are happy?

Forgive me for the harsh words, but i just found this cliche people here.

Very gently spoken,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

:) Lorenz, where are you located in Germany? I have spent some time there in Stuttgart.

The only way I could tell a REAL before and after is when it is something I have mixed, or submitted. So, a download sample means little to me. IMO, the gear disclosure is an important part, especially for mastering, where there is a relative standard in room, metering and precision.

I have heard good mastering done out of a house or basement. This type of mastering is more like spectrum and level correction. It will play OK on many systems, but lacks transparent quality, and fine detail.

You get what you pay for, I guess.

--Rick

Guys,

On-line mastering is a great concept and who cares what equipment is being used. If the end result sounds as good or even better than what's playing on the radio or in the clubs,then you have my business.

Record companies don't care what sort of equipment you use to make a hit.....as long as it sounds like a hit

And that what's counts..

Chow

Dear Rick,

sincerely i invite you to take our free demomaster and hear what we can do on your own mix.
If you like just contact me at lorenz@xarcmastering.com

And thanks daddychow, that´s what i was trying to say!

Best Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

See, it's working already. all this hype with what, nothing. Selling 101. You have my respect. I think you did the same thing on the webboard.

If you go to the website and look under services it's clear what he does. You can guess the equipment.

First up is load the file and denoise/decrackle/dehumm ect. Waves? Probably not Cedar.

Then: Dynamic enhancement. A compressor plug. Pick your poison.

Then: Harmonic enhancement. Something on the screen that looks old.

Then:Equalization. No snyde comments.

Then: Special old pre amp, EQ or compressor. Analog baby.

Then: Back into the box for the wide phasey sound and final squash.

Job done.

There is nothing to be secretive about. If you can get a great sound with resistor and a capacitor stuck in a tube of toothpaste, my hat is off to you.

The best equipment in the hands of an unexperienced won´t guarantee you anything.

Ya, that is correct. But the best equipment in the best hands is more likely to give even better results. I can now see by these kind of statements that you don't own great gear and you keep trying to justify why someone doesn't need great gear. Why? Because you don't have or use any of it.

Because we work and think different and don´t want to join this equipment war which is totaly sensless

No gear war is needed. If you are happy using crap gear, then why would there be a gear war? You would still use what you use no matter what was said - right? You don't mention what you use because if people really knew what you used, you wouldn't likley get any business. You don't need to list your gear on your website, tell us here. Could you really be so deeply ashamed of your gear that you won't even discuss your gear to us professionals here? I guess I would also be ashamed as well if I was in a cold, dark, damp basement with my Laptop/soundblaster, Behringer gear and KRK monitors.

We have Demos as WAV files online, maybe you didn´t see them.

Since you make some outrageous claims but yet reveal no facts, why should anyone believe the results of your demos on your website? We don't accept your points because you try so hard to hide the facts and it all appears to be nothing more than pure BS.

Let me and others know what albums you have mastered for what artist and I will be happy to go out an purchase them and listen to the results of your work. Fair enough????

I agree with Thomas. Disclose where I can obtain or buy something from one of these top artists and let me judge for myself.

Go ahead and tell people how shitty we are, the artists that know what we can do respect us and that´s all we could ever want.

Believe me, I will. And many of the artists that don't know you, will soon learn about you, and then you won't have them on your very short artist list as well.

Lorenz,

You never answer questions you just keep making more and more outlandish statements.

Why is is hard for you to answer one simple question that I raised before "Let me and others know what albums you have mastered for what artist and I will be happy to go out an purchase them and listen to the results of your work"

I am happy to tell EVERYONE what equipment I use, what artist I have mastered and if they need the information what software and computers I use to do it with. I am not hiding anything but you are hiding EVERYTHING. So fess up and answer the question...

Let me and others know what albums you have mastered for what artist and I will be happy to go out an purchase them and listen to the results of your work.

Is that so hard to do? Or maybe you have only mastered for artist that no one has ever heard of or their CDs are not available outside of Germany. In that case SAY SO.

This whole discussion is going nowhere fast I have too many other income producing things to do.

Hi,

if you would have look arround on my site and for example the about and demos section you would have seen this.
Anyway i find it just funny how you are trying to destroy my business - people like you are the ones i mentioned - and believe me i just can´t stop laughing about that.
I won´t further comment on this thread as it´s getting sensless and you start over and over again.

Happy christmas to all of you and good start into 2004!

Kind Regards,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Lorenz,

I don't believe anyone is trying to destroy your business. It's just that we are used to a certain degree of openness in our professional dealings.

When it seems to us that things are being obstructed or hidden, automaticly our "antenna" go up & an alarm is sounded. It would help your case if you were willing to give us the names of some of your satisfied clients. That builds credability with us.

We are professionals who value the trust we build between ourselves & the rest of the mastering community. We realize that there are many ways to master music. There are infinite combinations of gear used to master.

What we are looking for is an open attitude & assurances that make us satisfied that the work is being done in a professional manner. Or you can certainly continue to "hide" behind your statements (because that is what it seems like) and continue to do business in that way.

We would like to welcome you to our community here if you are straight with us & your perspective clients.

Hi Don,

as you know we are fairly new and just opened therefor i can´t show you a BIG list of course. But as you can read i worked for television and have done the mastering for a movie that has won a televisionprice for sound and video engineering.

Just atm i am not allowed to talk about the client who did work with us because of contracts that i have to take care of till January 2004 when the CD is probally (and because the "probally" i have to be quit right now) being released.

I can tell so far that this artist has been in business since the late 60´s and is named as the "father" of a specific genre.
Please give me the time till January and till everything is approved and you all will know it.

So far, Henrik has send me a unmastered mix which a friend of him mastered already and that i will master for him to compare and show what i can do.

Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Originally posted by Lorenz @ XARC Mastering:
Hi,

if you would have look around on my site and for example the about and demos section you would have seen this.
Anyway i find it just funny how you are trying to destroy my business - people like you are the ones i mentioned - and believe me i just can´t stop laughing about that.
I won´t further comment on this thread as it´s getting senseless and you start over and over again.

Happy Christmas to all of you and good start into 2004!

Kind Regards,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

No one that I know is trying to destroy your business.

People who do professional mastering are a fairly small group of individuals. They all cooperate here and on the mastering web board. People can ask questions and information flows freely.

You seem to be hiding something and I think that is why the hoax flags go up.

I have seen a lot of people on the web and elsewhere offering mastering who a)don't know what they are doing and b) are using semi-pro equipment and claiming they have found a new piece of equipment or software that allows them the edge to do a better job than anyone else.

For instance:

There is a person near my studio, who shall remain nameless, that kept advertising that he had a black box that he custom designed that would make everything sent though it sound warm and analog in nature. When it was finally revealed what it was it was sort of comical. He had two transformers from an old PA mixer that had a particular sound to them that this person thought sounded great and a pair of XLR connectors in and out. Anything that does not destroy the music is fair game but to call it a miracle black box is a bit much.

No harm meant to you our your business but trying to hide what you are doing does look somewhat suspicious...don't you think.

As to wanting to hear something in a purchased CD versus downloading it from your site I really want to know how the whole album is mastered not just one track.

Have a good holiday and we will look forward to you releasing the information in February of 2004 if you can.

Hi Thomas,

i did never mention i have a black box that makes everything sound right, i just told that i know what i am doing and work with a DSP engineer friend of mine to achieve some new processing techniques that i of course don´t want to reveal. And you know "if it sounds´s right, then it IS right" true?
It is still funny how you breaking things down to the gear someone uses and judge on that if it´s professional and good or not - with all respect someone doing this can´t have much of a clue.

I also wonder that someone here are playing the "Mastering Police" - i can tell you my clients love my work and that´s all that counts for them and for me.

I also offer it to you, send me a snippet or a whole song from you and i show you how i master. Now if you are going to refuse this, i definet. know what you are after at all!

Greets,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

and believe me i just can´t stop laughing about that.

Believe me, many of us can't stop laughing at you. You've become the biggeest joke on this forum in many years. No one in their right mind will ever take you or your business seriously. You accuse us of destroying your business, but if you really knew anything about the business your trying to compete in, you would be smart enough to know that it is you that is you destroying your own business by hiding behind BS that you can't back up or prove.

I feel pitty and am so sorry for you because you don't even have a clue how to be honest or have honor when it comes to being a professional. Like so many before you, you just spew BS and think that is all it takes to run a business, and I guess you can by preying on the novice and the stupid who don't know any better. Mabe you should go back and stick to mastering b-movies where it is obvious the tools or level of quality are not required.

All your comments here have proven and have shown that your not in the same league as real professionals and your reputation has already been runied before it has even began. The art and skill of mastering is not a place that you get ahead in by trying to mislead, outright lie and hide behind BS.

Hi,
I am not a mastering engineer and don't ever claim to be one, but I do enjoy well mastered albums. I do think that "album" is a key word since a part of the mastering process is assembling a coherent album that flows nicely and transparently from beginning to end. Problem is: A download comparison off the net is not very telling in that regard.
On the other hand, I will do favors for friends where I will "sweeten" there mixes and assemble them in Wavelab. They are friends of mine, I don't charge them (a cup of coffee is sufficient payment), I make it clear that it is by no means a real mastering job, and if the material is something that they plan to release in some manner I will suggest that they go for a pro mastering job. My friends dig what I can do for them and I will be the first to point out to them the shortcomings of my pseudo-mastering job even if they don't know the difference. Aside from my home setup, I've recently begun working elsewhere with some really good gear (not mastering, but video-post stuff) and I've found that good gear is justifiably expensive.
-Erik

Originally posted by AudioGaff:

and believe me i just can´t stop laughing about that.

Believe me, many of us can't stop laughing at you. You've become the biggeest joke on this forum in many years. No one in their right mind will ever take you or your business seriously. You accuse us of destroying your business, but if you really knew anything about the business your trying to compete in, you would be smart enough to know that it is you that is you destroying your own business by hiding behind BS that you can't back up or prove.

I feel pitty and am so sorry for you because you don't even have a clue how to be honest or have honor when it comes to being a professional. Like so many before you, you just spew BS and think that is all it takes to run a business, and I guess you can by preying on the novice and the stupid who don't know any better. Mabe you should go back and stick to mastering b-movies where it is obvious the tools or level of quality are not required.

All your comments here have proven and have shown that your not in the same league as real professionals and your reputation has already been runied before it has even began. The art and skill of mastering is not a place that you get ahead in by trying to mislead, outright lie and hide behind BS.

hehe Audiogaff, not taking up on my offer really shows what you are after - you stay on your snob´y point don´t let anyone tell you anything.

If you would have taken up on my offer for the Demo, you would have actually showed that you are not only trying to take me clients - but well i see what you are really after now.

Just notice that i don´t care about guy´s with a attitude like you - sitting in their studio and hiding behind their fancy look of their multi-thousand dollar equipment while trying to look professional. The real joke here is you!
Talking BS all the time while not even giving me a chance to show you what i can do - honestly i don´t even know why i waste my time with that.

The way you react each time again and again with the same arguments just shows me how poor you are - trying to take me clients and working against new and innovative way´s of business.

I have showed this thread to some clients of mine - as i have nothing to hide from them - that worked with me and they also found it funny that you insult me all the time while not even giving me the slidest chance to show you my end-product - THE thing that really counts.

It´s really funny how you trying to play the "mastering police" - but he, play whatever you want, i really don´t care about that.

Btw Audiogaff,

you might find it damn sarcastic that i did 2 DemoMasters today for 2 people that i got refered trough THIS thread that actually ordered the "fullversion" of them after this and with comments similiar to:

Originally posted by Michaelm:
Almost forgot...for the record - I don't have a 'side' here, but I will say that I went to the site and checked out the before and after samples. I've heard many of these from a lot of sites and I will admit that the afters sounded better than any I'd heard elsewhere. This may mean nothing of course, but if that was the result on my music, I wouldn't care if they were in their basement with Soundforge.

It just makes me smile that your tactic on stopping new business idea´s actually doesn´t work.

today for 2 people that i got refered trough THIS thread that actually ordered the "fullversion" of them after this and with comments similiar to:

Name them. I'll bet your lying about that too. That is about the only thing I can tell that you do do well.

You are the ultimate in avoiding a direct answer to every single question put to you. Then you turn around an accuse me of BS. Prove it. I've already proven you to be nothing more than guy who hides facts from his customers. You have yet to prove or verify any single thing you have claimed or stated as a fact. That is what I call fraud. You canot be believed or trusted.

It Doesn't matter how good of a job you do, I would NEVE do business with someone like you who lies, misleads and offers nothing more than BS. You may get a few wanker type clients here and there, but your tactics will never get any big name artists or recording labels to fall for your shady business crap.

Face it, your a complete joke and no mater how many low end clients you get, your cheseball tactics are not going to be taking any worthwhile businees away from me or anybody else. Truth talks, BS walks...

Audiogaff,

i would never consider again to proof me in front of such a offensive, ignorant snob and BS talking person like you.

You really show over and over again that you are not after the results i supply, but rather because i don´t fullfill your "basic rules" that - i say it again - i really don´t care about.

I suppose you wait till January and see yourself before you make any further conclusions basing on things you did not even hear and see yourself and even refuse them cause you want your "basic rules of this business" fullfilled.

People always try to stop innovations - but happily they don´t success.

I think it is a good point to end this sensless discussion as it leads to nothing more then me and you getting more angry about each other.

At least i proof being a more reasonably person than you and wish you and your family a merry christmas and come well into 2004.

Best Wishes,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Unfortunantly, this thread has turned away from audio.

Notice, no sensorship. Should have been locked for being an advertisement from the get-go.

Sebatron was called out for it...and he signed up, bought ad space and even got reviews and a distributorship out of it.

Perhaps it is time for Lorenzo and all the wads of cash he is making off this post to anny up and help RO.

No?

Hi Steppin,

i want just to point out that you hopefully noticed i didn´t start this thread and joined in after it was started.

I already considered advertising on recording.org and am sure i did send a mail asking for the rates at start of November but never got an answer? Not sure anyway, for some reason it looks it has "fallen trough".

Also i am not responsible for advertising anymore as we have Mojo Working International doing this since december.

However i def. have you on the "advertising list" for the future.

Kind Regards,
Lorenz @ XARC Mastering

Sebatron was called out for it...and he signed up, bought ad space and even got reviews and a distributorship out of it.

No, it was like this; He signed up, got a review, then Sebatron bought a banner ad and then Chris became a distributor. There is a big difference.

The fact is the Sebatron vmp is a great transformer based, tube mic pre, at the right price. Nothing else really matters.