Boston area Mastering suggestions?

[John N]

I've searched the threads and looked in the Mastering forum, but they all seem to lean strongly towards the high end. As much as I'd like my project to sound as good as possible I need to keep the Mastering end a little less than the best - just like all the equipment it was recorded on!! (yeah I know that could make for an argument FOR the best mastering but...)

So if anyone has had good experience with a local, reasonable mastering studio please let me know...

I've looked at Sound Mirror, M Works, Peerless and Specialized Mastering - so far Specialized seems the most reasonably priced @ $85/hr for attended sessions.
Some of these places have a 'drop box' for eMastering which is much more economical but then that opens up a plethora of other places - if I'm not attending and I'm e-filing the songs I might as well be sending them to anywhere.

A friend of mine has had his last CD mastered by the studio that recorded it which was Wellspring Sound up in Acton and I think it sounds pretty good. They are not a dedicated mastering suite but have good equipment and reasonable rates at $55/hr

I'm of a mind to attend for a number of reasons: lots to learn, don't want to completely relinquish control and there are a couple of tricky fades and crossfades I want to conduct.

thanks for any info....

[Chris Lago]

Pm sent.

[climber]

my friend Randy Roos does mastering out of his studio in Ashland, NH. it's about 2 hours from Boston and he is very reasonable. he does remarkable work. here is a link to his studio:

Squam Sound : home - Squam Sound - Recording Studio, Music Production, Audio Services - New Hampshire

check out his work.

[John N]

Right now I'm leaning towards Specialized mastering in Framingham. If anyone knows of any reason pro or con about them please PM me.

thanks

[John N]

Originally Posted by climber

my friend Randy Roos does mastering out of his studio in Ashland, NH. it's about 2 hours from Boston and he is very reasonable. he does remarkable work. here is a link to his studio:

Squam Sound : home - Squam Sound - Recording Studio, Music Production, Audio Services - New Hampshire

check out his work.

to attend the session that would be about a 3.5 hr drive for me, but thanks for the info. Nice studio and great location!

[rwR]

New Alliance East Mastering - Boston/Cambridge Massachusetts USA

[BostonBassist]

Make sure you actually hear a couple of recordings done by the actual mastering engineer at these places, although you have a target price in mind, different engineers at the same studio will impart different techniques and certainly different ears to the same project. As well, although a mastering house may be cheaper by the hour, it may take them longer.

That said, I have worked with Jeff at Peerless and can't recommend him enough. I have also heard mastered recordings from one of the other studios you mentioned that I thought was very amateur.

Something I always tell artists I work with: "Don't skimp on mastering. Don't skimp on mastering. Don't skimp on mastering."

[BudgetMC]

Check with Strewnshank!

[Jeffguitar]

There are a million guys out there with mastering software on their computer, you probably have some too, but I would go with the best you can afford if your project means a lot to you. If you can find someone with a real mastering room, with real monitors and a good room, the difference will be amazing. A real mastering setup costs many thousands of dollars and can give you astounding results, so don't go cheap on mastering.

[TML]

M-Audio

[Chris Lago]

why do you need to attend the session? 90% of mastering projects are unattended, because it gives the engineer less distraction. Better results too.

[Quonset Hut]

At least check out Jay Frigoletto

Mastersuite

[Jeffguitar]

Nice list of gear. That's a pro mastering setup. There are a million guys with mastering software on their computers, but I would say this guy would give you worlds better mastering.

Originally Posted by Quonset Hut

At least check out Jay Frigoletto

Mastersuite

[Dubster]

+1 for New Alliance East, specifically Nick Z. Affordable, does a nice job and listens to what you want and don't want. I've had stuff worked on at M-Works, Peerless & Specialized - all nice people, all did pretty good, but I really came away feeling good about what Nick did and it was considerably less expensive. Good luck.

[Harvey Gerst]

Originally Posted by Quonset Hut

At least check out Jay Frigoletto

Mastersuite

A big on Jay; he always does a great job on anything we send him.

[strewnshank]

+1 for Jeff and Jay.

[Heartfelt]

Originally Posted by chrislago

why do you need to attend the session? 90% of mastering projects are unattended, because it gives the engineer less distraction. Better results too.

Chris has big sunglasses. Perfect for mastering.

[goldenlotus]

Waltz Audio is great.. highly recommended.

New Alliance is also good. Printed an album to tape there, came out great!

M Works is very good too.

[Jeffguitar]

Originally Posted by Heartfelt

Chris has big sunglasses. Perfect for mastering.

And don't forget he has some foam on his walls. Just breakin your balls a bit Chris. Someday you'll be the old codger on here havin fun with the youngsters.

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by Jeffguitar

And don't forget he has some foam on his walls. Just breakin your balls a bit Chris. Someday you'll be the old codger on here havin fun with the youngsters.

Somehow I knew Heartfelt was talking about me (I put him on my ignore list).

I know haha, it's normal that after writing so many posts in such a short period of time, people will try to bust my balls on here
Nobody knows it here, but my left arm is actually recovering from elbow tendonitis... Physio, all that jazz, at least GS cheers me up... The inflammation is just painful.

[kinganalog]

www.peerlessmastering.com

[John N]

Originally Posted by Dubnick

+1 for New Alliance East, specifically Nick Z. Affordable, does a nice job and listens to what you want and don't want. I've had stuff worked on at M-Works, Peerless & Specialized - all nice people, all did pretty good, but I really came away feeling good about what Nick did and it was considerably less expensive. Good luck.

Somehow I get the feeling that NA is more geared to a heavier rock thing than what we're about, could be wrong - just the vibe and the names on the client list.
Need someone who can balance electric and acoustic in a more rootsy rock folky way...

[thenoiseflower]

Peerlessmastering.com
Jeff is the most talented guy in town, and had the nicest room too. tho he is also the most expensive I believe. his work reflects the lack of shortcuts taken in his approach and equipment.

newlliancemastering.com
Nick Z is great, and has a heavy handed style that works GREAT with rock music. he certainly makes the most of what he is given. and reasonably priced too.

Soundmirror and Mworks are both legit mastering studios too, no complaints. I have only had one project at each of these shops, but I wouldn't hesitate to push work to them again.

Specialized has some good credits, but other than that I'm don't have any experience.

I have no experience with Jay, soon maybe

You are doing the best thing for your music by deciding to get a pro master.