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Hi friends..

I think it is already time to leave junior school, project days where I do everything with pluins, digital console and PT.

I do not want to sell one kidney, but which would you recommend me as a "pro" entry gear for more serious mastering?

I just do not want to be seen as "one more guy playing mastering stuff with plugins.."

would it be a nice stereo compressor, a high end analog eq, a 2 track a/d d/a?

which one would be, why and what would be the price?

Many Thanks
Alécio

Comments

audiowkstation Thu, 11/28/2002 - 11:51

Hiya Alécio!

Hope this day finds you well and do not be too lonesome.I am by myself this day (me and the Doggie) and cooked one heck of a feast that will last many days to come. Watching Emmitt Smith run the football also...

Serious mastering goes back to the analog stage.

Many techniques to do this.

Klark T. EQ's are good for entry level eq as they have very narrow bands that do not interupt each other.

I have had my hands on a Requisite unit:

[[url=http://[/URL]="compressors">http://www.requisit…"]requisite[/]="compressors">http://www.requisit…"]requisite[/]

That is very transparent but the cables you use for it must be very high quality (kimber or cardas) and short or you will hear the cables.

Analog console is simply a unit of taste. Fat mastering through an SSL, Neve, Euphonics, and a few others is preferable to what a daw can do.

I do mastering in hybrid mode. I use the workstation and the analog gear to achieve the results I want.

YMMV of course and you do not have to break the bank or sell kidneys to get into good solid analog mastering in conjunction with your workstation. Sometimes running your mix through what many pros would consider junk may get you where you may want to be. It is not the price but the useage. I did run a marching band through a Behringer Autocom once because with the settings I used..nothing else actually would give me the desired results.

It is a game Alécio, and dirty tricks. Play it to get maximum results without maximum money is what I say do. No set way of doing it. Try what you currently have in analog and make sure your wires are top flight. Look at the differences and see if you have a piece of equipment laying around you may want to try. You may be in for a surprise!

Michael Fossenkemper Tue, 12/03/2002 - 06:21

My suggestion would be to try some different things to see what you would like most at that time. You probably have something in mind that you would like to improve, so go with that instinct and try a few different things until you find what your looking for. At first, don't consider cost, just find the best things you can get your hands on to see what it can do for you, then figure out how to buy it once you found it. sometimes you don't know what your missing until you hear it.

joe lambert Thu, 12/05/2002 - 06:07

Hey,
Tough question. because one piece of gear is just the start. I'm looking at our console as I write this to think about what it would be. At the very least to anything worth while. You will need a very good compressor and a very good EQ. I don't like to limit the list to just what I like because you may find something you love.

It also depends on the style of music and how it was recorded and mixed. For example I lean toward cerain gear when I'm working on a jazz piece. But if I'm doing a heavy rock band that was tracked to tape, mixed to half inch I would usually have a different aproach.

My point is to be able to work on many styles you will need choices. You don't need every piece of gear for every session. You do need the right ones for the right sessions.

I know everyone has been looking at advertisements for thes magic boxes that do everything. But I'm sorry to say they don't. Not very well anyway.

Alécio Costa Thu, 12/05/2002 - 14:56

Hey Bill, Michael, Joe!!
Many Thanks!

The "other friends group"has been suggesting me something from Crane, I really do not know yet, budget shall talk at last.

I have some nice results with PT stuff, but I have to admit that I am many light years behind you!
LOL

Anyway, Generally I use Power Dither, Q10, L1, TC Master X. for sequenced stuff, electronic, pop, light Rock they are fine but not for Bossa Nova, Samba or more acoustic stuff. They sound too mechanical, no matter threshold, attack times and so..

Do you think I shall achieve a big leap going to Waves Master bundle with these Linear phase stuff or is it just a reinvention of C4 with some new flavor? should I wait and go Crane?

I never Imagined that a KLark Eq would do it fine with mastering.

I use the 02R, I am starting to get tired of it, I realized its compressors suck, that is why I still use my old good analog dbx166A compressors. A little noise but you still feel some breathing.

Hope to hear more from ya!
Thanks again! :c:

KurtFoster Sun, 12/22/2002 - 10:16

Sebatron,
Please don't do this here at RO. I am sure you are aware of the term SPAM and this is a classic example of it. Unabashed self promotion. Adding insult to injury is the fact that you did this on three threads. If you keep this up you will be prevented from being able to log on to RO. If you have some type of information to contribute or a question you are welcome. But please stop trying to push your mic pres. If you would like to advertise here at RO we would be glad to serve you. We can set you up with an advertising banner. This would go a long way towards establishing your company here and afford you some leeway in mentioning your products on forum. I am reporting this post to the moderator of this thread... Fats (moderator at "Small Steps")

KurtFoster Sun, 12/22/2002 - 11:59

ACB,
Go get drunk and have a happy barf-day! :s: Your so young and I'm sooo old!
I hate you (no, not really) .............. "Old" Fats th' geezer!
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"Getting old isn't so bad when you consider the alternative!"...... Mark Twain