Using a preset is your problem. If it doesn't sound right, then it's not right. If your mix sounds good, then you need to look at what you are doing in the mastering process that is making it sound bad. there are too many variables and too little info to give you any meaningfull info. more info please.

Okay, I've made a list of the stages I go through on the BR-1600. Forgive my lack of terminology use please!

01) After recording the song on various tracks, I place the fader levels to obtain a good mix.

02) Master fader is set in the middle of the 'black' positon area.

03) All individual tracks are bounced down to track '9/10'.

04) Track '9/10' normalized.

05) On the mastering section, I used the preset 'V01 Mix Down' - no other changes are made. The book mentions keeping the track and master fader level just below the point at where they peak on the display.

06) I then record the mastered version, and burn to a CD.

Like I mentioned in my first post, everthing seems fine when being played through the BR-1600, even the mastered track... though playing the CD sounds like it was recorded 'too low', with it being too 'messy' and lack of detail. If there's something specific you think would be worth me looking back on that I haven't mentioned, please say so and I'll attempt to be more exact! Again, sorry for the simplicity in termanology.

Have you tried burning a CD of just the mix without the mastering stage to see what it sounds like? The level will be low, but does it sound the way you want?

BR-1600

Darren, I"ve got the BR-864 and I know all the programing on these units are the same so try this!!!
#1 Make sure your input level are up" check your input levels on your display when recording tracks.
#2 Go into the mastering kit and adjust your levels, ie: comp, reverb. delay ect:. Make sure the ones you use are on.
#3 And I would say the most importent, what about your monitors? I first had some cheap monitors and after I upgraded to some nicer monitors it made a world of differance on what I was sending to disk. Hope this helps.

Brock

Michael Fossenkemper wrote: Have you tried burning a CD of just the mix without the mastering stage to see what it sounds like? The level will be low, but does it sound the way you want?

Okay, I've just tried this and it sounds much closer to what I want, though like you anticipated it is a little too quiet and lacks the 'punch' or 'gloss' I get through listening to a mastered version through the BR-1600.

Re: BR-1600

Brock wrote: Darren, I"ve got the BR-864 and I know all the programing on these units are the same so try this!!!
#1 Make sure your input level are up" check your input levels on your display when recording tracks.

Yep - I push the levels as far as I can go without clipping.

#2 Go into the mastering kit and adjust your levels, ie: comp, reverb. delay ect:. Make sure the ones you use are on.

Not quite sure what you mean here... I thought you adjust the comp, reverb etc etc in the mixing stage, since you can't alter indivdual tracks after mixdown?

#3 And I would say the most importent, what about your monitors? I first had some cheap monitors and after I upgraded to some nicer monitors it made a world of differance on what I was sending to disk. Hope this helps.

Oooh, now this is where you're gonna shoot me... I'm using a decent pair of headphones at the moment as I don't have any monitors... though I figured it's got to at least sound good though a pair of headphones too right?!

Cheers guys.

What's next guys?

a good set of monitors?

and amp?

maybe a treated room?

I"ve tried mixing through headphones and what I thought was a good mix really sucked once I put it on disk.So I bought a set of monitors I thought were good enough.WRONG!!!. There are some things you can skimp on but!!!, don"t skimp on monitors. You can"t mix what you can"t hear.
Good luck,
Brock.