Current Popularity Of Analog Mastering?

[inlinenl]

100% analogue .... no doubt ...

[Table Of Tone]

95% of the time I run 100% analog!

[strdsk]

Long live analog

[24-96 Mastering]

97% of sessions go through the analog chain (archiving / classical / pure authoring / charts compilations / surround work not counted into that number).

[Riccardo]

About 95/97% analog here.

[jayfrigo]

As with others, almost everything sees analog at some point (percentile in the high 90's). Occasionally I'll stay all-digital (outboard, not plug-ins only) for a classical project, film score, or something else that for whatever reason seems to work better with digital-only.

[Powder Kutz]

Not surprised with all the analog, but i am curious how you all have come into possession of your gear. Analog=$, not that digi is all that cheap either

Yours? Studio's? Rented? mostly new? mostly used?

[Andy Krehm]

Originally Posted by Powder Kutz

Not surprised with all the analog, but i am curious how you all have come into possession of your gear. Analog=$, not that digi is all that cheap either

Yours? Studio's? Rented? mostly new? mostly used?

Took 12 years of mastering before I could afford to build my dream studio (2004) and about 2 years after that to complete the minimum pieces of gear I felt I should have to cover all the styles of music that I master.

At this point, there could always be some additions but if I never get around to it, I am satisfied!

[MASSIVE Master]

Originally Posted by Powder Kutz

Not surprised with all the analog, but i am curious how you all have come into possession of your gear. Analog=$, not that digi is all that cheap either

Yours? Studio's? Rented? mostly new? mostly used?

Slowly and surely - It's just business expenses like any other business. I have a few pieces I found used, mostly new, some built from the ground up, some (the tape deck, for example) refurbished.

That said - $$$-wise, piece-by-piece, the analog gear is small change in relation to the monitoring chain (as it is with nearly any facility). Going all-digital doesn't curb that one...

[Thor]

>90% analogue here, as others.

Although when I need the Weiss EQ, nothing else can touch it.

About the only digital that gets used with any regularity is digital limiting, but even there I find myself using it less and less.

Still, even with the digital gear, it's almost always the analogue doing the real work

Someone asked about film, which we do now and again. As Chris pointed out, film has much greater dynamics (they're usually shooting for suspension of disbelief, which doesn't work well with hypercompression....). The few major film mixers I know run their sessions in ProTools and work for the most part ITB. Some might have a few choice pieces of analogue outboard, but in general it's all done digitally.

As far as surround mastering goes, the top tier rooms have analogue gear (Bob Ludwig, Airshow, Galaxy, etc). Having only recently made the transition to 5.1 here, we make due with digital for the most part, or do 3 separate passes of analogue when nothing else will suffice.

Cheers,
Thor

[William Bowden]

Mostly analogue here as well, I do use a digital eq very often and sometimes the weiss compressor and a bit of stuff in Sequoia.

As for the gear I've bought it over the last 10-20 years and my studio is at the bottom of my garden. I'm a true 'back-yard operator'

The King

[finetuner]

Originally Posted by Powder Kutz

Not surprised with all the analog, but i am curious how you all have come into possession of your gear. Analog=$, not that digi is all that cheap either

Yours? Studio's? Rented? mostly new? mostly used?

Step by step, starting with the best ADC you can afford.
Without that, esoteric/hi-end analog gear will be a waste of money better spend on monitoring f.i.

No matter how, the quest for your personal ideal setup is ongoing and is all (or, say 97%) what Gearslutz is about.
It's a curse ...

A few used pieces but mostly new as it's very important to have distributor's backup.

[macc]

Originally Posted by Powder Kutz

Not surprised with all the analog, but i am curious how you all have come into possession of your gear. Analog=$, not that digi is all that cheap either

Yours? Studio's? Rented? mostly new? mostly used?

Used, new, whatever. Paid for by hard f#cking work, 2 jobs, long hours, running instead of getting the bus, unnnnnnnnntold tuna sandwiches, etc etc

Moving (very slowly) into DIY too, got a rolls royce eq in the works which is going to be pure tastiness, relatively cheap for what it is (will be) too.

[finetuner]

Originally Posted by macc

... got a rolls royce eq in the works which is going to be pure tastiness, relatively cheap for what it is (will be) too.

mmm so you did like the Gyraf better as a doorstop after all ?

or bribed someone for Fairman schematics...
anyway, i'm sure you'll keep us posted on that project..

[jdg]

im more interested in that tuna sammich recipe

[24-96 Mastering]

Originally Posted by jdg

im more interested in that tuna sammich recipe

I second that.

[Ben F]

Originally Posted by Powder Kutz

Not surprised with all the analog, but i am curious how you all have come into possession of your gear. Analog=$, not that digi is all that cheap either

Yours? Studio's? Rented? mostly new? mostly used?

I started as an assistant, got some more clients, worked two jobs and slowly built up an arsenal. It's a bit easier for me as I have a business partner so the equipment is combined in the one mastering studio.

One good thing about scrimping for gear is the satisfaction of buying it, learning it inside out, and generally becoming good at your profession with what you have. Even reading the "congratulations" bit in the manual. Unfortunately most high end gear doesn't have that bit, it's just "right you know what this is, lets get to work."

[krytikal1]

99% Isopropyl Analog here

K

[jayfrigo]

Originally Posted by MASSIVE Master

That said - $$$-wise, piece-by-piece, the analog gear is small change in relation to the monitoring chain (as it is with nearly any facility). Going all-digital doesn't curb that one...

The biggest expenditure for an established facility is usually the room itself.

[StephenMarsh]

I stay analog with rare exception.

As for the question about Soundtracks and Score albums - I do a ton of both (Valentine's Day and The Hangover were both charting as of last week...if you'll forgive the blatant toot toot) - for the score albums, most composers tend to prefer a little lighter compression- more of a theatrical listening experience with plenty of extension on the bottom and air up top. They all vary - some like lots of squeeze and on the right type of score - it can really work taking a more 'pop' approach - some it would destroy. Depends on the material and the client (old story) but I'd say it would be correct to say most score albums are compressed less than pop records, sometimes considerably so and Soundtrack albums, which tend to have more pop tracks - are generally hotter.--Steph

[George Necola]

I just imagined an attended mastering session and the mastering guy is fiddling with digital knobs.. I would feel pissed.. somehow. maybe I am too old to understand the perfection of digital plugins.. but that's just me..

[Thor]

Let me just say you've never fiddled with a digital knob before you've fiddled with a Weiss.

It's the best unit I've ever used ergonomically and sonically, and it's digital. However, it is exceedingly transparent (i.e. no sonic signature) so gets used more for fixing stuff/surgical moves than as a broad stroke vibe or colour tool.

Cheers,
Thor

Originally Posted by George Necola

I just imagined an attended mastering session and the mastering guy is fiddling with digital knobs.. I would feel pissed.. somehow. maybe I am too old to understand the perfection of digital plugins.. but that's just me..

[macc]

Originally Posted by finetuner

mmm so you did like the Gyraf better as a doorstop after all ?

Not at all, still enjoy using the thing very much indeed. Just need something 'clean' to go along with it, it can be a bit much.

bribed someone for Fairman schematics...
anyway, i'm sure you'll keep us posted on that project..

It's a stereo controlled, all-switched Sontec clone with Forssell JFET 993 output opamps. Two in fact, one for me and one for Ben (streetbeats on here). Had to get custom Elma switches made, which just arrived this week, the boards are all done by the wonderful Igor K, I 'just' have to do the final calculations for the gain and freq steps, buy the resistors, solder them and throw it all in a box.

Which will only take 5 minutes of course

[macc]

Originally Posted by jdg

im more interested in that tuna sammich recipe

Tuna. Bread.

[Thor]

Ick.

Look, if you've got fresh tuna you might as well make som sushi or sashimi, don't bother with bread. One of life's finer moments, fresh tuna right from the ocean straight to the plate.

If the tuna's in a can, well it's way too dry to put on bread!

Try mixing with mayo, a touch of (dijon) mustard, fresh ground pepper, sea salt, 1/2 a finely chopped spanish (red) onion, one finely chopped celery stalk, maybe a bit finely chopped red bell pepper (paprika to some) and a dash of cayenne chili powder. Blend until well mixed. Spread on (buttered) bread. A slice of tomato and/or some crispy lettuce (even avocado) will make it that much better.

As with anything else in life, the key is finding the proper balance between the ingredients. Too little mayo and it will end up dry, too much and it just tastes like mayo (fat, ugh).

Just a suggestion. Might as well enjoy life while you can....

Cheers,
Thor

Originally Posted by macc

Tuna. Bread.

p.s. home made mayo is very easy to make, tastes way better than what you get in the market and is cheaper!

[macc]

Did you really just write all that in response to a joke?

MEs... always with the geeking

[Thor]

Originally Posted by macc

Did you really just write all that in response to a joke?

MEs... always with the geeking

Well, between waiting for the DDP delivery to finish, and my experience with the UK approach to food...

Let's just say I had some time to waste.

Enjoy your sammich

Thor

[mischa janisch]

98% analog - only compilations stay digital where there are only volume adjustments...

[finetuner]

Originally Posted by macc

...It's a stereo controlled, all-switched Sontec clone with Forssell JFET 993 output opamps...

Cool.

Originally Posted by macc

...Which will only take 5 minutes of course

Just like Thor's recipe

[Masterer]

Originally Posted by Thor

Try mixing with mayo, a touch of (dijon) mustard, fresh ground pepper, sea salt, 1/2 a finely chopped spanish (red) onion, one finely chopped celery stalk, maybe a bit finely chopped red bell pepper (paprika to some) and a dash of cayenne chili powder. Blend until well mixed. Spread on (buttered) bread. A slice of tomato and/or some crispy lettuce (even avocado) will make it that much better.

A squeeze of lemon is nice too. You need a little acidity to cut through all the fat.