O.K., I kinda have the hang of mixing (at leat I understand the principles of it) and I get pretty decent mixes. But now I need to learn how do mastering, but other than making my CDs louder and having that punch that commercial CDs have, I'm not even sure what I should be really be looking for, what I should be useing, the whole thing. Is there any online tutorials I should check out? Please keep in mind I'm not an engineer, I'm a musician (well not really, I make electronic music ;) ) Anyway, I'm using a Power Mac G4 with Pro Tools Digi001. I'm told that I don't need addtional software, what do you guys think? Any advice would be appeciated.
Comments
I think I'll follow your adivice. I did some research on the web
I think I'll follow your adivice. I did some research on the web on mastering houses, I only found one that specialized in electronic music (Corrosive Audio) but, is it important to find a mastering engineer that specializes in a particular type of music? What places do you reccomend? I was also looking to have my four song CD not only professionally mastered but also have a limited amount pressed professionally (about 1000 of them). Any suggestions appreciated.
Dex, Hope this helps to reinforce what Mr. Lambert says.. So
Dex, Hope this helps to reinforce what Mr. Lambert says..
So as a mastering engineer..I get a mix to work. First thing, you must alreay have a complete understanding of electronics and acoustics. The loudspeaker design (since it needs to sound coherent on all loudspeakers/systems) and understanding the physics behing all the loudspeaker designs and acoustic environments. Then, musically, you must be able to vibe with the intention. Mastering engineers gaols is to put EVERYONE amongst the musicians...while co esisting with the consumer electronics. A full working realum of the entire recording industry is in order as well...like what happens when your track hits Muzak satts, Radio airplay, consumer CD, so bozo remastering it to a different format down the road, High fidelity audiophile systems upwards of 300K for playback, and the lowly boombox from radio shack or walmart. It all has to Jell. It is a huge "mind undertaking" to fit proper artist, genre, and vibe into that entire box without compormising the vibe. Mastering engineers have thousands of hours of experience before they start to get the whole sequnce of events to fold togeather...now lightning is less that a mile away..I hear static coming through the tweeters with every close pop...so it is time to end this..before my sacred system is toast..(tropical south florida storm)
I understand what you guys are saying and I too realize that Mas
I understand what you guys are saying and I too realize that Mastering is an artform. But how would you guys have got into Mastering if someone would have told you that? No doubt about it, it takes a proffesional to get good results in a timely manner but anyone with enought interest and enought time can achive simular results with some of today's top-notch products (T-Racks, or even a freebee www.digitalfishphones.com) and MUCH, MUCH, MUCH trial and error. If you are working on your own music you can invest tons of time into getting a good final; if you are paying someone then it's different. I've created my own process with very good results. I'll create a cd with one song on it as many times as it will fit. Each version is created after changing compression settings, EQ cuts/ boost etc. I then will play that cd, every song, on every system I can get my hands on. Take it to BestBuy, try out some highend stuff, lowend, etc - taking many notes on what I liked and disliked about each track, etc. Probably my best test is to compare it against a CD that I have listen too almost daily since it's release, one of the best mastering jobs I've ever heard - Moving Pictures by Rush (Ludwig is a God). Now this takes many hours but each time you do it you build skills and before you know it - you can get good results in just a few hours work.
Thanks guys
Good for you!!! Something you may not be including though..
Good for you!!!
Something you may not be including though..
Never has one of my mastering jobs ever sounded the same as after it is glassed and relased on CD. Mastering involves compensating for that as well. For a test, I mastered something in T-racks. Sounded as good as my big stuff in here...right?? Wrong. The CD's that were pressed (by Sony) came back sounding like ass. No comparison to the master on the hard drive. Supposed to have been "no transfer changes" but you bet when they run a 1610 U-matic of your project..or an inferior skill glass mastering job, the differences are wholesale. It takes the really big guns to get your project to translate through glass mastering. Ask anyone who has sent out projects for 10K, 100K or even a Million pressings..if the production CD is as good as the Premaster mastering session. It NEVER sounds the same.
True mastering takes in that mastering aspect as well..sometimes I have to overshoot something to make it sound right on the glass-up. Knowing what happens in glass mastering is essential to knowing the direction of your final project. This is a key step of professional mastering houses. Having over 900 projects pressed up glass..It took a while to learn the varibles..but they certainly exist.
Now that the cat is out of the bag...going to get them pressed?? The one off (if burned) is not going to really show the problem..for it could be premaster spoofing. I always get a glass one off to compare to. This is the proof..then I remaster to fix those problems.
Now for a non-serious demo for buddys...t-racks is fine. It is not a replacement for using the (literally hundreds of stages)app"RO"ach that give the glass to premaster relationship its translation.
T-Racks is a nifty home studio device that will help many areas..but we mastering engineers actually go back to analog to get the real deal to happen. Involves many systems that we have control over...(with me..6 systems for years??)..unless you lived with the best buy system for months..it is sudo-judging at best. Glass-up has not been heard. Sux when you pay 4 grand for 5000 CD's and they sound like ass.
I hope this has shed some light on on of the "secrets" of proper mastering.
Glossary..
Original master is the mix
Premaster is what you do once mastering is finalized.
Master is the glass master (out of your hands)..unless you have a huge multimillion dollar duplication plant.
I would never tell you not to experiment. Thats what it's all ab
I would never tell you not to experiment. Thats what it's all about. I will say to put the quality of the project before your own desires. What I mean is if you are mixing a record for a band that wants to get a record deal It's in the bands best interest (and yours) to have it profesionally mastered. It makes you both look (sound) better. This is not a time to experiment its a time to make the most of your mixes and the bands talents.
If your serious about learning mastering. Do what all good mastering engineers did and thats intern or aprentice with someone who is great at it.
By the way if a place tells you they only master 1 kind of music, go some place else!
This directed at Bill Roberts. I'm new to mastering. I'm learnin
This directed at Bill Roberts. I'm new to mastering. I'm learning from a recording engineer who has now begun to specialize in mastering. He told me that the computer is the perfect tool for mastering. The reason being that with analog, every device that you connect in the signal chain generates it's own background noise. You keep adding background noise on top of background noise which creates more work for you in the end with noise reduction. In a computer, it doesn't matter how many plugins you add in a chain to get the desired result; if you know how to use them correctly, you don't add background noise. Give me your opinion on this. Thank you.
I'm not Bill so I won't try to answer your question. Except to s
I'm not Bill so I won't try to answer your question. Except to say that while all devices add some measure of noise to a signal, some of the classic analog ones have yet to be equalled in a software version, and their sonic gain outweighs the price of a little extra noise. Whether it is worth it is a judgement to be made by very experienced ears.
Which is how one gets very good at mastering. Recording engineers who've just begun to specialize in mastering may not have as much to offer a student as perhaps someone who has worked in a dedicated mastering-only facility with its rooms tuned by an acoustic engineer listening on a system that costs more than my parents' house and having mastered hundreds of projects over a period of years.
-kent
IF my accumlative noise floor is more than 10dB under the Origin
IF my accumlative noise floor is more than 10dB under the Original master...noise I am "adding" will not affect the signal in inappropriate ways. So far, the noisiest things in my system (I leave them out of the loop of course when mastering) is my Mic Pre's at -83dB The analog console with everything at 0 is -91dB sans mic pre's.
The digital workstation has many tools I use..but if my analog gear were to dissapear, my mastering would not be at it's maximum potential.
Cliche'
IF you want to go fast...you need speed rated tires and brakes!!
Ok, I follow the logic of it being more in my interest to work w
Ok, I follow the logic of it being more in my interest to work with somebody that has specialized at mastering for a long time. I'm in NYC. Can anybody recommend someone here that is a specialist and has a little extra time on their hands to teach me?
Also, If I wanted to put together an analog system that's really going to show a noticable improvement in performance over my PC; what name brands/components should I get that will not wind up costing me the price of a NYC house?
Or if it turns out that this solution is really too expensive for me at this time, are there any DIY kits or schematics for quality analog equipment out there?
This is for Bill: Now, you've really got my curiousity going
This is for Bill:
Now, you've really got my curiousity going about the difference between the hard drive master and the glass master. I would like you to share what exactly are all those variables that you've experienced and how to compensate for them in the process. At least try talking about the variables the you can in a text format. I know somethings you just can't write about; you have to actually hear the difference.
Also, If you can refer me to websites that discuss more of those difference variables, it would be helpful.
Is it a big deal ,in terms of money, to get a glass mastering facility to create a glass master for you, just to hear the difference?
You Wrote... Can anybody recommend someone here that is a spe
You Wrote...
Can anybody recommend someone here that is a specialist and has a little extra time on their hands to teach me?
You are here! Volumes of pages in the archives and questions are answered by many who are knowlegeable with different degrees of experience. This is the place.
You Wrote:
If I wanted to put together an analog system that's really going to show a noticable improvement in performance over my PC; what name brands/components should I get that will not wind up costing me the price of a NYC house?
Well if you cannot afford an SSL, Neve, MCI, Amek, or Sony..then look for a Ramsa. They are very workable and can bee modded with SSL parts (mic pres, eq's) as money allows. You will need to be competant in power supply design and implication. Snakes can be DIY...keep them short.
You Wrote:
Or if it turns out that this solution is really too expensive for me at this time, are there any DIY kits or schematics for quality analog equipment out there?
Go to http://www.bottlehead.com and look at the foreplay line amplifier. The tube stage can work wonders for your analog line stage..and it is a kit, adaptable to balanced connections..and less than 250 for the kit and a few mods..they have a dynamite forum as well. It is under "products".
Mine is dead quiet and very nice..but I use it only when I feel it is appropriate.
You Wrote:
Now, you've really got my curiousity going about the difference between the hard drive master and the glass master. I would like you to share what exactly are all those variables that you've experienced and how to compensate for them in the process. At least try talking about the variables the you can in a text format. I know somethings you just can't write about; you have to actually hear the difference.
Also, If you can refer me to websites that discuss more of those difference variables, it would be helpful.
Is it a big deal ,in terms of money, to get a glass mastering facility to create a glass master for you, just to hear the difference?
Depends on the x fer house and the care taken. Disk Makers sounds about 80% as good as the master...acceptible or not...it is common. BGrittle sound on highs, soundstage is closer together, blurry background instead of black velvet..etc.. It is not hi rez to use a transfer glass up house where you cannot be there supervision the x fer. On all important projects if the pay is right, I will supervise the process and even bring some of my own equipment.
Glass mastering (the glass mother is destroyed in the process) sets you back around 300 for a one off. Order 1000 for 800 or so bucks get your moneys worth.
Here is a "Bob" Link..
He does good work, so do I. [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.digitalp…"] Link[/]="http://www.digitalp…"] Link[/]
to: Bill Thanks for all the info.. You gave me a lot to keep
to: Bill
Thanks for all the info.. You gave me a lot to keep me busy for a while. Also, I got to see your picture and your mini-bio on at enjoythemusic.com
Some questions though: Why put up with the aggravation of having an outside mass production house make your glass master with little to no supervision? Why doesn't your company create the glass master itself and give it to a mass production place instead?
Simply, because it cost 14 million dollars to facilitate glass m
Simply, because it cost 14 million dollars to facilitate glass mastering; got an underwriter for me? Of course my burned CD's to me are superior to the copys that I have had pressed. Many people do not (distrubution) take works seriously unless they have been reproduced by a replication (pressing not burning) facility.
I forget the number but somewhere I read that only 4 such facilities are in the USA. Comanys like disc makers send them out...as they are a middleman.
To bill: The CD replicator houses are asking for material to
To bill:
The CD replicator houses are asking for material to be submitted to them in the DDP format. As I understand it, this format eliminates all error when they rebuild the audio on their end.
So, why are the glass masters still poor quality in comparison to the harddrive originals?
Also, do you know of any PC based software titles that can create DDP 1.0 , 2.0 and CRM 1.0 (a.k.a. DDP 2.1) with out having to go out and buy another DAW?
Am I supposed to be paying to be a member of this website? I was
Am I supposed to be paying to be a member of this website? I was locked out for a few days and I kept running up against this posting that said there was an upgrade to the servers or system and that it would really be appreciated if the members would start paying for being on this website.
Currently, I only do a few albums of restoration jobs a month and I'm using these Edirol (a.k.a. Roland) MA-10D monitor speakers. The speakers have a headphone output jack whose audio sucks. I don't have it in the budget right now to buy a second set of monitors. The audio from the speakers themselves sounds good. Should I send the speakers back to Edirol and have them modify the headphone circuit but not be able to do any work for anybody in the mean time or should I do a DIY on that circuit?
I'd really like some feed back on this:
I ran across a review on the web by a mastering engineer who specializes in classical music. He was promoting a three piece monitoring system: two passive speakers and an external amp. The manufacturer was Now Hear This (NHT) and the bundle costs $1,800.00. The engineer said that he had not heard as much sonic detail in speakers costing over $10,000.00 which were in pro mastering studios. Would speakers like these be good for other types of music?
Also, I'm confused about this issue: I have this recording engineer friend that told me that when I monitor music I should be listening to absolutely linear sound which translates into NO subwoofer allowed. Yet I'm jumping around the web to different mastering websites and I'm seeing postings by pro engineers that advocate having a subwoofer. One of these two opinions has to be wrong. I want to hear exactly what is on the CD or vinyl LP. Nothing less and nothing more. If that NHT review "sounds" like BS can I get some guidance as to a good pair of monitors under $1K?
Hi friends! I live in the south part of Brazil and
Hi friends!
I live in the south part of Brazil and own a small digital recording studio, where I record, mix and also master my own jobs. I do nothave the best equipment in the world, but I believe that gifted ears, vocation, technical knowledge can ceratinly help you achieve good results. Although bein far from the great places, I am happy to have been in Guitar Player Magazine and MTV Brazil either.
I confess I have a lot to learn and I am alays "bothering" the big guys on here so as to learn a little bit more. Besides, buy some books like the mastering engineer´s handbook by BOB Ow. and take a serious look at nice sites like this.
My equipment: an 02R, an 01V, some DATs, EFX, PT 24 on a G4 800, nice mics, moniot Ones (!!) for recording, editing and mixing.
For mastering I use Waves, Digidesign and TCplug-ins My work might not have the sound of a big album mastered with Manley, Avalon, etc etc and recorded through an SSL but it has its space in the middle of s much stuff.
I suggest the younger guy here to keep studying and researching a lot, as it has been what I have done .
To my bigger brothers on here I would like to ask..
a) how do you deal with HPF in the mastering section? I know this is very subjective and depends on the work style but seems that under 37 hz no much is too important and also it makes your CD play better on cheap systems/speakers not so stressed. How do you guys face this kind of problem?
b) stereo image. For example, I use PAz and S1 imager from Waves bundle. What is the deal between stereo enhacement and phase issues? One song of my Cd (soon to be released) was showing some antu-phase problems on that waves stuff. I summed into mono on my 02R and verified that It sounded different from other songs I had just checked.
c) If possible, would I send any of you an mp3 of 4MB just to have a quick evaluation of my job?? it would really be nice to learn a bit from you, if I am not disturbing your precious time.
Thanks for any support
Nice week!!
Alécio Costa - Studio Digital Performance
br.geocities.com/studiodigitalp
studiodp@terra.com.br
:p :tu:
Send it baby! audiowkstation@aol.com If that does not work
Send it baby!
If that does not work, upload to the critique forum..I will d load from there.
Cool deaL!
I think you may be a little confused bill. I asked for six thin
I think you may be a little confused bill.
I asked for six things to be answered and none were by anyone:
1. provide catalogs/websites that feature pro mastering equipment.
2. If CD replicator houses ask for material in DDP/CRM why is there still a difference between the glass master and the hard drive original?
3. Give me some PC software titles whose output is DDP/CRM files.
4. Should I fix my headphone jack circuit in my monitors or stop working and send the speakers back to the manufacturer?
5. Are NHT speakers really as good as or better than pro mastering facility speakers?
6. Should I be using subwoofers when I monitor and if so how do I adjust them correctly?
I never mentioned sending you any audio file but if you want I can send you a promo file that plays on windows media player. It shows the before and after of my denoising and remastering.
Alecio Costa of Brazil did however say that he wanted to send you an MP3 file.
Bill, I think you might be a little confused here. I poste
Bill,
I think you might be a little confused here.
I posted about six topics which I didn't get a response to from anybody:
1. I asked for catalogs/websites on mastering equipment.
2. The question "If CD replicator houses ask for material in DDP why is there still a difference in audio quality?"
3. Give me some PC software titles that create DDP/CRM files as output.
4. Should I fix the headphone circuit on my monitors myself or stop doing work for people and send the monitors back to the manufacturer.
5. Are NHT speakers as good as or better than pro mastering house speakers?
6. Should I be using subwoofers while I'm monitoring and if so, how do I adjust them?
Not once did I mention anything about sending you any file but Alecio Costa of Brazil did want to send an MP3.
I can send you a file that plays on windows media player showing the before and after of me denoising and remastering two segments of two songs from 78rpm records if you'd like.
Bill I think you may be a little confused. I posted about six
Bill I think you may be a little confused.
I posted about six topics and didn't get a response from anybody on them:
1. provide catalogs/websites of mastering equipment
2. If Cd replicator houses ask for material to be submitted in DDP/CRM why do the glass masters still sound different than the originals?
3. Give me some PC software titles whose output is DDP/CRM files.
4. Should I fix my headphone jack circuit on my monitor speakers or stop my work and send the speakers back to the manufacturer?
5. Are NHT speakers as good as or better than pro mastering facility speakers?
6. Should I be using subwoofers when I monitor and if so, how do I adjust them properly?
I never once said anything about sending you any audio file but if you'd like I can send you a short promo that shows the before and after effect of my restoration and remastering technique. Alecio Costa from Brazil however did say that he wanted to send you an MP3.
Sorry man..I have been catching a 20 hour work day here..and doi
Sorry man..I have been catching a 20 hour work day here..and doing some things that tke a ton of time. My apoligies.
I will answer these questions sometime wed night..just caught up in fiscal year BS. Biz stuff..
hang in there !! Please?)
Thanks for understanding Man..
Hey Guys! Just got back a copy of a project that we just fin
Hey Guys!
Just got back a copy of a project that we just finished and it sounded "like ass" as Bill so eloquently put it. Where can I send it in the future to prevent these problems? The specific symptoms: my kick disappeared (and just about everything else below 75Hz), and a problem around 8KHz being a LOT louder than what I had sent off. It sounded like they put it through an HPF and gave it a little "presence/sizzle". I'm honestly embarrassed of it, and don't want to see/hear this happen again.
I appreciate you spilling your guts Bill! I'm convinced that I just need to suck it up and send my projects off to be mastered. How much do you cost? :)
Dude where are you?? I just left NW Arkansas (did not really wan
Dude where are you?? I just left NW Arkansas (did not really want to..divorce)...I will be glad to take care of you...some serious monster stuff I started when I left. Damn.
Get in touch..I can make it vibe, guranteed. (especially since I lived up there and that DOES make a difference) You know what sucks? Every fucking engineer up there. They had the worst rooms, speakers, and Mackies. PLUS they had no clue of 20 years of the big time or transalation. I was there for 3 years...the last week I had a years worth of gigs beating my door down..friggin good ones too...such a shame...but they will find me (I hope)...put the damn word out..I am here!!!
email is audiowkstation@aol.com.
Send me a sample, I will show...also look at my forum here..critique...it is working...
Glad to se ya my Brothers!!!!!!
I posted about six topics and didn't get a response from anybody
I posted about six topics and didn't get a response from anybody on them:
1. provide catalogs/websites of mastering equipment.
>>>1st.. Sorry it took so long..friggin working Man..
>>>>What mastering level you want? Post, pre, cut. press or x fer?
>>>>>All of it? damn..it is very complex. Give specific nature..
2. If Cd replicator houses ask for material to be submitted in DDP/CRM why do the glass masters still sound different than the originals?
>>>>>>>Simply because care in trasfer is not maintained..I hear it simply because I have extreme precision listening stations..and also rely on other listeners for final eval as well. we take a poll on all major situations/issues. I also have the final say.
3. Give me some PC software titles whose output is DDP/CRM files.
>>>>>>>>>>Since those formats are outside of any of the *exclusive* ways I do my mastering, I simply have no comment. Those who do , please extrapolate!
Should I fix my headphone jack circuit on my monitor speakers or stop my work and send the speakers back to the manufacturer?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>First of all, if you have technical problems with your equipment, or have/don't have an on board (your) in house technician/repair shop, send all situations and issues to qualified repair staff of the manufacture.
5. Are NHT speakers as good as or better than pro mastering facility speakers?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>"Now hear this speakers" (NHT) are consumer devices, not to be confused with professional devices used for professional control and monitoring. Different dynamic standers are invoked between Pro/consumer designs. I have both. I know. Leave it to the pros, and leave it at "that".
If you want to learn intracate loudspeaker design parameters, their are 600+ links on web search, as many as 20 of my personal friends are loudspeaker designers as well as myself..(26 years now) See Vance Dickason as the first most complete source. (Author) Web search, books, lessions.
6. Should I be using subwoofers when I monitor and if so, how do I adjust them properly?
First of all..have full range monitors. If you cannot afford that, use two subs in stereo.
Monitoring a professional mix in stereo with a mono sub is absolute Inaccurate and "insane"
No need to have Left cellos/right typani in a sigle cone..phase? insane X200
5.1 engineers actually use two subs..all engineers will not deal with a single sub...but consumers "have to" in surround...thank you community for not bitching, ot knowing enough.
Are you an enginner in a studio..or learning?
Or trolling?
My Info should be vast enough here to keep you thinking for a while..you think? Or you can do it with the pros.
Learners start here..
http://www.audioannex.com
beware..they are there.
Engineers start here:
http://www.fullsail.com/
I started before schools were avaliable..As I was quite active in the early 70's/
Oh BTW..I was a professor 12 years ago at the last link...
thank you.
Enjoy.
Some strange things have been happening when I post. I just noti
Some strange things have been happening when I post. I just noticed one of my posts got repeated twice. I usually exit all the way out of the site to see if one of my posts was actually taken. For that one, when I did that, I didn't see it take so I entered it again.
To answer your question, I'm learning on my own with some help from audio engineer friends. I'm reading all the material on all the mastering websites on the net. I'm also slowly buying pro equipment as I go along.
The school option simply isn't an option. Too many bills to pay off currently.
Thanks for the information Bill.
"trolling" hmmm. I detect some hostility there. Have I done something to annoy you Bill?
No Dude no hostility at all..but their are folks that like fucki
No Dude no hostility at all..but their are folks that like fucking with us here..and I wanted to make sure that "it" is flat in it's place. So sorry I used that post as an example of nature. And my Man, I know you are sincere..just got to watch your back sometimes.
Example, you know how much it cost if someone discredits someone anywhere on the web?
In the Millions. I have lost 3/4th of one due to the web and misimformation.
We have to make our point clear and on point. No Offence intended. Just did not want someone starting anything dude..
Hard to explain..email me off line if you want to know more..hope you don't want to...but I will explain. Take my word for it..nastys' lurk.
All Okay here..
I think I counted DIY 4 times in the above. :D Do you
I think I counted DIY 4 times in the above.
:D
Do you guys know how much I love DIY !
:w:
apart from that ... just keep chatting amoungst yourselves as it has been very interesting so far.
I have had second runs of the same CD from the cheapie duplication deal and the CD's come back different.
You get that.
It's still cheaper than getting vinyl and wouldn't go back.
I'm sorry to hear that that sort of thing happens. Maybe they a
I'm sorry to hear that that sort of thing happens.
Maybe they are influenced by Howard Stern's type of humor.Yes, I do want to know more about it. Since it's my plan to get more involved in this field I want the big picture. Have you put your email somewhere handy or do I just send it to your company and that it be fowarded to you?
I was interested in buying a back up drive to output DDP/CRM files to. I found a company called CYBERNETICS.COM. They make a 8MM drive (CY-8705) that accepts SONY 112 & 160 meter tape and also Exabyte 112 & 160 meter tape. They say that with Reed Solomon ECC and other onboard error recover procedures this drive yields a bit error rate of less than 1 in 10 to the 17th power - the best in the industry.
Is this the drive that is used in the mastering industry? Is the tape size also what is accepted by CD replicator houses. Is the tape size sufficient to cover the amount of data for an average album of audio?
Are you guy's grasping what Bill has been telling you ? This is
Are you guy's grasping what Bill has been telling you ? This is pretty much the way it comes down.
Buy the way Bill ? To my knowlege, there are 4 company's in "California" that do the glass. (I do not know about the rest of the planet). .. and this being my 1st time on this forum, I think that you guy's owe Bill a big "THANK YOU" for taking this time to try and explain all of this mastering stuff. Thanks Bill. Myself, I am always trying new and different ways to purify my sound. I will be doing some writing on how too, on a regulare basis.
I love to design studio's and the building there of... You should too. You will be spending a lot of time in there experimenting with all of these so called PERFECT MONITORS.
MONITORS: This is an important subject. My favorite monitors ar
MONITORS: This is an important subject. My favorite monitors ar Dynaudio. The dual woofers really rock if you can afford 4 or 5 grand !
In my experience AUDIX makes the coolest- flatest monitor around for under $600.
They are built like a tank too.
If you want to pick up a pair, I usually drop ship them from the factory for $480. but that may depend on what State you are in.
So... "BILL" ?
Have you come across the new FURMAN IT reverse osmosis power conditioners ? It has made a big difference in everything that I do.
P.S.
My new web-site http://www.beyondmastering.com
to Bill: You mentioned earlier about speaker design, I think
to Bill:
You mentioned earlier about speaker design, I think you said you used to do it yourself and you recommended Vance Dickason's material.
I did a search on him on the net. While I find his 6th edition book interesting, I didn't get the sense that he was addressing building the $10k,$15k and up speakers found in pro mastering facilites. I'm interested in building these types from scratch. Can you recommend an approach to getting the right information and parts to accomplish this?
My advice is to take it to someone who is a mastering engineer.
My advice is to take it to someone who is a mastering engineer. It's not as simple as running your songs through a box and out comes the proper mastering version. If you really care and are serious about your music use the talent of engineers to make your music sound it's best.
There are articles to help you understand mastering. But it's like learning to mix or paint, they can only do so much. Without working with an experienced engineer you are not goiing to get the best results.
If you want to try and master it yourself there is plenty of mastering software and hardware tools available that you will find in any Mix or EQ magazine.