What "system" do you guys focus on mastering for?

[audioaddict]

As someone who owns a nice high end home system (and also headphones), high end car system, as well as nice Shure earbuds for portable use I am exposed to different levels of quality on a daily basis....but all of them good.

However, since most people do not own much if any high end audio, I'm guessing the mastering for mainstream releases are aimed towards low budget systems that cannot take advantage of true full range capabilities, great dynamic range, etc.

Are you guys mastering for certain setups most of the time, or do you just try to make the best sound on your own rig and then press that up?

[UnderTow]

Originally Posted by audioaddict

As someone who owns a nice high end home system (and also headphones), high end car system, as well as nice Shure earbuds for portable use I am exposed to different levels of quality on a daily basis....but all of them good.

However, since most people do not own much if any high end audio, I'm guessing the mastering for mainstream releases are aimed towards low budget systems that cannot take advantage of true full range capabilities, great dynamic range, etc.

Are you guys mastering for certain setups most of the time, or do you just try to make the best sound on your own rig and then press that up?

You can't aim for lower quality setups because they are all different and have different flaws. The only thing you can do is try and make it sound as good as possible on the best system available to you,

Alistair

[Jerry Tubb]

Originally Posted by audioaddict

Are you guys mastering for certain setups most of the time, or do you just try to make the best sound on your own rig and then press that up?

Naturally we shoot for good universal translation on all systems.

90% listening on my big Dunlavy's in Studio A,

5% on my little Fostex mono, and 5% on Grado headphones.

That usually covers it.

Later as quality control, I'll browse around on iTunes and check a few of our masters on the MacBook.

JT

[audioaddict]

OK great, so a great high end setup would be fine then!

[huejahfink]

Music mastering - I aim for the sky

Multimedia mastering - non musical vids and clips destined for online use, I almost always optimise for small PC speakers / laptop speakers.

[lucey]

Originally Posted by audioaddict

Are you guys mastering for certain setups most of the time, or do you just try to make the best sound on your own rig ...

The goal is one great sound ... that works on any/all systems, any compression schemes, etc.

The monitoring system you use is your window to that larger world, not the end goal in itself.

[jackthebear]

Aim high.....and then some....good mastering is about good translation across the widest variety of playback systems.....where the the shortcoming of that device should be the only flaw.....

[MOTTOsound]

Originally Posted by jackthebear

Aim high.....and then some....good mastering is about good translation across the widest variety of playback systems.....where the the shortcoming of that device should be the only flaw.....

Couldn't agree more.

Think of it another way. Data Compressed audio will get better and better over time, perhaps to the point soon where, for audio, we'll not need mpeg at all. That would be one veil lifted. The next would be the earphones and playback material. Could we have another hi-fi revolution where we see mastering engineers such as us busy doing HQ remasters??

[Joe_caithness]

Originally Posted by jackthebear

Aim high.....and then some....good mastering is about good translation across the widest variety of playback systems.....where the the shortcoming of that device should be the only flaw.....

I like this analogy a lot, the idea that IF there is a problem, it can only be the system, it's the ultimate aim.

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by SafeandSound

My system is simple and it really works :

Sound better than the other mastering studios for a lower rate.

Say Whatttttt?

[strdsk]

I also have many listening systems...some better than others. The only thing I can tell you is that I listen "flat only" for years now. No EQ added at all on any system. If anything I may cut the highs a dB. By doing this, I'm training my ears to listen to each system as uncolored as possible. The unadded EQ is the only common thread all these systems have. Environment, gear, and all is always different so not weaning my ear to favor hype is the very best I can do I feel.

[PBM]

Originally Posted by SafeandSound

Maybe you mis-read, Tom:

I think Tom's point - very succinctly made - is that your post seems to have rather little to do with the OP's question or the rest of the thread.

Maybe you misread the OP.

[manman]

I think I was having a happy moment, read the topic title and stormed in.

I think you said what you had to say, you meant that you use PMC and Dynaudio to achieve translation.

I totally understand, since you have expensive PMC and PMC sound rocks, you have a right to say that your studio sounds better than other mastering studios.

In fact some masterings studio have poor acoustics.

[Ben F]

Originally Posted by SafeandSound

My system is simple and it really works :

Sound better than the other mastering studios for a lower rate.

Always modest.

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by SafeandSound

I think I was having a happy moment, read the topic title and stormed in.

"Happy" in this case means "drunk." And "stormed" means "stumbled."

Just thought I would translate for everybody.

- c

[huejahfink]

My system is simple and it really works :

My willy is bigger than any other guys.

[jackthebear]

Originally Posted by huejahfink

My system is simple and it really works :

My willy is bigger than any other guys.

We have a King Willy.......so there!!!

[Red Mastering]

90% - main system
about 5% - cans
and 5% - laptop build in speakers,
it's rather just last stage checking, not judging

[Red Mastering]

Originally Posted by huejahfink

My system is simple and it really works :

My willy is bigger than any other guys.

Show it to Us!!!!

[huejahfink]

Sorry, no free previews!

[PBM]

Originally Posted by huejahfink

Sorry, no free previews!

Quality and experience?

[Red Mastering]

Originally Posted by PBM

Quality and experience?

or rather thickness, roughness and......footage

[UnderTow]

Originally Posted by SafeandSound

Jokes aside, I offer my time and high level of experience at a rate which is very low, I openly allow people to hear my mastering for free to help them decide who to go with and I have had many jobs I am very proud of recently because of this.
...

There are people with far less experience and know how online charging much more for less ability.

Even after it has been pointed out that this is not what the thread is about, you keep masturbating in public. Stop it.

Alistair

[Stereophonic]

Originally Posted by UnderTow

Even after it has been pointed out that this is not what the thread is about, you keep masturbating in public. Stop it.

Alistair

That's a keeper!

[PBM]

Originally Posted by UnderTow

Even after it has been pointed out that this is not what the thread is about, you keep masturbating in public. Stop it.

Alistair

Very apt Alistair: the spectacle is sort-of fascinating, but then becomes demeaning for the poster and rather disgusting for all. (And you start might to wonder what's wrong with the exhibitionist's sex life).


Cheers,

Eric

[Surbitone]

My method is simple and it really works: I try to make sure I don't come across as an arrogant schmuck with an inferiority complex; that way, my clients don't leave me. thumbsup

[WBM]

Originally Posted by Jerry Tubb

Naturally we shoot for good universal translation on all systems.

90% listening on my big Dunlavy's in Studio A,

5% on my little Fostex mono, and 5% on Grado headphones.

That usually covers it.

Later as quality control, I'll browse around on iTunes and check a few of our masters on the MacBook.

JT

90% on Lipinski with a pair of subs, (to bad, not that lucky to have a set of Dunlavy)
5% on a set of Fostex 6301 avocet switch mono, stereo.
5% Alessandro headphones when I do the MP3.

[Jean Doe]

I take the following approach. The music I master needs to work on every type of system. Of course that means it will play back better on some and worse on others. In my experience the style of the music dictates on which type of system the music should sound its best. Dance music obviously needs to sound good on a big PA so it needs dynamics, punch and maybe a bit less highs etc. A TVC needs to come through in the clearest possible way on small crappy built in flatscreen speakers so it often calls for a more compact low end and less dynamic range.

Most of the time I'll be monitoring on the Focal Twins with the sub as I know how they translate and only switch of to the NS10s and my small Phillips Multimedia speakers towards the end of the process.

[Silver Sonya]

I still say I called it with "drunk."

- c