Sugestions about my chain

[Veseli]

Hi all !

I wanna see what more experienced mastering people would say on my mastering chain.

I'm doing more and more mastering for local bands and need any advice concerning use of a gear I have at the moment.

My last signal chain while I was working on the electronic record has gave me the best results so far. (the results I'm happy enough with, not just the clients)

Here it goes :

Playback from ProTools M-Powered through M-Audio ProFire Lightbridge (ADAT interface) at 96 KHz, 24 bit, (if mixes are natively in this resolution, otherwise I don't upsample them).
Mix goes through several AUX tracks with only EQs,
almost always its a TC Electronics Powercore TC EQsat,
and sometimes Abbey Road Brilliance Pack for highs,
Pultec Bundle for Lows and Mids,
Then it goes out through SSL XLogic AlphaLink AX Converter into analog,
In same rack with AlphaLink I have my only A class analog thing and its Portico 5042, Line Driver and Tape FX, it makes a sweeter sounding EQ in highs and nice warmth in low end.
Then it goes back in AlphaLink and ProTools and there on another AUX track I welcome it with compressor plugin or mostly multiband compressor - limiter TC Electronic Powercore MD3 Mastering plugin. I use Sonalksis MultiLimit and Izotope Ozone too sometimes.
Difference is only when I master with stems, then I send each stem separately to my Allen&Heath GL2400 Console as summing amp only, (no EQs are applyed from it) and then it goes to Portico.

Wonder if anyone would do something different with this combination which is not a serious mastering chain (not to mention the speakers Genelec 1030A) but thats all I have to work with right now.
Im building a 33609 clone but still halfway there.
And any suggestion about stereo analog EQ I can find in price range 1,500 usd which is suitable for mastering I will appreciate it.
(my tip for now is AMS Neve 8803)

Cheers !

[Edward_Vinatea]

Originally Posted by Veseli

And any suggestion about stereo analog EQ I can find in price range 1,500 usd which is suitable for mastering I will appreciate it.

Most ME's on this forum would want also to know if you are going for adding more 'color' and 'vibe' or 'transparency'. IMHO, more color and vibe for more than $1500 should be expected {save some $$ for that}

Regards,

[Veseli]

Originally Posted by Edward_Vinatea

Most ME's on this forum would want also to know if you are going for adding more 'color' and 'vibe' or 'transparency'. IMHO, more color and vibe for more than $1500 should be expected {save some $$ for that}

Regards,

Thx, well I'm looking for some EQ which will "marry" nicely with 33609 clone.
I'm building it with tendency to sound closest to original (I put original Marinair trafos etc...)
So thinkin' of that 33609 will color the sound smoothly I should be looking for something maybe more tranparent for EQ no ?