Digital target printing question

[MichaelPatrick]

I'm curious what digital target devices pro MEs use to terminate and print the output of mastering chains?

I may get laughs for this (not being a pro ME): I usually print a Cranesong HEDD @ 96 to the SPDIF IN of a Tascam HDP2 recorder. Finally, I copy files from the CF card to the computer to resample/requantize and edit a master CD.

I've often thought the HEDD's clock would sufficiently control the HDP2, making the recorder a simple bit catcher. While it sounds good to me, I do wonder sometimes if a slave digital printing recorder can alter the sound?

[24-96 Mastering]

Originally Posted by MichaelPatrick

While it sounds good to me, I do wonder sometimes if a slave digital printing recorder can alter the sound?

If the recorder is set to slave to the converter's clock, then no (assuming clock jitter is within real world bounds and sync isn't lost), because the storing device does not store clock, i.e. timing of the bitstream, only the bits themselves.

The signal you listen to while recording (if you monitor from the digital recorder's analog output) is a different story of course -quality of DA comes into play and jitter clock may well play a role there. So for audio accuracy, monitor from the Crane Song, for sync-lost/dropout control, monitor from the Tascam.

[MichaelPatrick]

Robin,

Thanks. That's comforting to know. I monitor Cranesong AES out -> Benchmark DAC1.

What do you print to?
I wonder if MEs have any standard or favorite recording target devices?

[24-96 Mastering]

Originally Posted by MichaelPatrick

Robin,

Thanks. That's comforting to know. I monitor Cranesong AES out -> Benchmark DAC1.

What do you print to?
I wonder if MEs have any standard or favorite recording target devices?

I print either to the DAW that plays the audio (Wavelab) or a separate DAW (Sadie).

My favourite recording target device would, by default, be the DAW I play the audio with, simply for workflow / convenience (analog loop). Otherwise, I don't care, as long as the recorder reliably records anything the converter throws at it.

[MASSIVE Master]

What do you print to?

The machine with the PQ editor.

[Jerry Tubb]

Originally Posted by MichaelPatrick

What do you print to?
I wonder if MEs have any standard or favorite recording target devices?

Target = my (Mac) DAW, to either Sonic soundBlade or Pro Tools HD software.

I think most MEs print to their DAW these days, rather than to an external device.

Some do a loop on the same DAW, others use two DAWs, a source and destination.

JT