| There are a couple reasons why it's a good idea not to go too crazy with 2-buss processing.
First, and probably most important, the final level that a track needs to be at will vary for different applications and contexts. A compilation with other artists could dictate something very different as would a video track or even a single or different location in the final sequence. Turning something up only to have to turn it back down again adds unnecessary distortion that almost always makes the final product sound smaller and more "digital" in the bad sense.
Second, I've found that every time you process an audio signal, it becomes more fragile. Processing is an important part of our work however the secret to great sound is often doing the processing right the first time. I totally agree that important creative decisions should never be left for mastering, or for that matter for mixing, however subtile adjustments that you know are going to require touching up in mastering should probably be left alone so that they only need to be done one time within the context of the whole album or any future compilation. At some point, the sound quality is always going to break. It's best if that doesn't happen in a broadcast processor before people get to hear it and decide whether or not they want to buy the album.
The real issue is not doing anything to the 2-buss that might legitimately require undoing in the future. A mix is always a major investment in time and/or money. A client deserves to be able to earn money from their mixes in as many different ways as possible in the future. Exactly where to draw the line between mixing and mastering can also be expected to be different for every recording. The important thing is leaving your mix with some legs. |