Mastering - Any recommendations?

pauly

Fractal Fanatic
HI all,
For years, I've used a mastering studio over in Nashville. I sent them a wav file, they send one back in a 24/48 format that sounds too good to be me :)
However... After a few years I just sent them a job, and they came back saying 'we dont do 48khz any more - just 44.1.

Bummer - I liked the work they did - but moving forward - Have any of you got recommendations for mastering that sound silky smooth and don't cost the earth?

Thanks
Pauly
 
While I'm still a long way from getting an album recorded, the question of mastering is one to which I don't yet have an answer; so I too am interested in recommendations.
 
Usually, when I do a demo for my bandmates, I'll use Superior Drummer and play bass and guitar. I apply Ozone's "Cd Master" preset to the whole thing and apply a Neutron preset to the individual tracks. Sometimes I'll let Track Assistant give me a nice custom preset for my track. That's it.

Before the album is released, we'll have the tracks professionally mixed and mastered.
 
Hi again,

It's just for listening, however my studio is all 48k and (get ready for unwanted arguments) in MY opinion 48 k sounds better.
I'm aware of mastering presets and have a bunch of them, however I always enjoyed someone else having the expensive equipment and comprehensive knowledge a true mastering engineer needs to possess. Yes - I can make a track louder, and maybe even better - but a real mastering engineer makes it shimmer and shine and sound... umm... expensive!

Guess I might have to revisit my opinion and dig out those plugins. Bugger.

Thanks
Pauly
 
Hi again,

It's just for listening, however my studio is all 48k and (get ready for unwanted arguments) in MY opinion 48 k sounds better.
I'm aware of mastering presets and have a bunch of them, however I always enjoyed someone else having the expensive equipment and comprehensive knowledge a true mastering engineer needs to possess. Yes - I can make a track louder, and maybe even better - but a real mastering engineer makes it shimmer and shine and sound... umm... expensive!

Guess I might have to revisit my opinion and dig out those plugins. Bugger.

Thanks
Pauly

Mixing/Masting plugins have come a LONG way. Definitely worth checking out.
 
Strange that they do not accept 48k, tough business to be in mastering nowadays as Ozone is pretty user-friendly and for most non-critical records or records you don't expect to get more than max $500 -- so you might as well master with Ozone and get decent to good mastering results.
 
Hi again,

It's just for listening, however my studio is all 48k and (get ready for unwanted arguments) in MY opinion 48 k sounds better.
I'm aware of mastering presets and have a bunch of them, however I always enjoyed someone else having the expensive equipment and comprehensive knowledge a true mastering engineer needs to possess. Yes - I can make a track louder, and maybe even better - but a real mastering engineer makes it shimmer and shine and sound... umm... expensive!

Guess I might have to revisit my opinion and dig out those plugins. Bugger.

Thanks
Pauly

I also run my own productions in 48khz - for a lot of reasons. So I get that. Although I don't have expensive equipment and or the comprehensive knowledge a true mastering engineer needs to possess - I do make some mastering - mostly of my own stuff.

I use software - but not AI/presets - I'm old school and trust my ears. For better or worse. ;)
But I would also encourage you to try it out yourself. You don't have to use stuff like Ozone. But I am in the camp with whatever that works for you - that is the right thing.

Also remember that the better the mix - less you'll have to do in mastering. That is an advice I have gotten from one of the best mastering engineers here in Denmark (and the world for that matter).
 
We used Paul Logus at PLX Mastering for our last album (CD and LP) and the new single. He's great, well priced and turns stuff around quick.
 
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