Favourite UK mastering engineers?

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kingtoad
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Favourite UK mastering engineers?

Post by kingtoad » Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:21 pm

I wasn't sure exactly which section to post this in, so apologies if it's in the wrong place.

In a couple of weeks I'll begin mixing on my biggest production project to date. It's my first full album as a producer and we want to get it mastered well. I know a few places but I'd like to garner the opinions of any UK-based tape-opers as well.

I'm based in Leeds, so the closer to there the better but anywhere in the UK would be do-able.

Budget stretches from ?250-?500 for the album, so we're looking at mid-range places really but I would think there should be some good MEs for that price.

Thanks in advance,

Tom xxx

kingtoad
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Post by kingtoad » Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:24 am

No UK boarders? Pity...

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GarryJ
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Post by GarryJ » Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:06 am

Are you recording to hard disk or tape?

I'm in a similar situation (currently mixing first full-blown project), after a fair bit of looking around, at MEs both in the UK and the US, we decided we're going to go with Carl Saff in Chicago, who's well within that price range and very well regarded by many here on the board.

kingtoad
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Post by kingtoad » Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:07 am

Hard disk, so a foreign ME would be an option (my band mastered their album with Ed Brooks at RFI in Seattle and the results were great, so I would be tempted to go that route. I would probably rather attend the session though - there are a lot of segues, outros ect and the sequencing of the album will have to be very precise. I could provide detailed instructions, but I think an ideal situation would involve both me and at least one member of the band attending.

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Dr Rubberfunk
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Post by Dr Rubberfunk » Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:32 pm

Was lucky enough to have my first album mastered by Miles Showell at Metropolis - we did 6 vinyl EPs over a period of 2 years and then the album, I learnt a massive amount from him in that time. (inlcuding, but not limited to; the 'Disco Eye-Q' system, half speed cutting, and the fact that 'Kind Of Blue' was always a quarter tone sharp on the A-side, cos the tape machine was running too slow at the session! :D) Lovely bloke too, not sure if he'd fall within your budget - Metropolis were traditionally fairly expensive, and I haven't worked with them for 4 or 5 years now ...
http://www.imastering.co.uk/engineers/miles_showell

Second album and related vinyl releases were mastered by Chris Potter at Alchemy
http://www.alchemysoho.com/html/alchemy ... engineer4a
who did another great job, and again, was very generous with his time and knowledge.
I've got a feeling that Alchemy are not fully operational at present and that Chris is working elsewhere, but I could probably track down a contact number for him if you wanted ...

Also had vinyl cut done earlier this year by Nils at The Exchange, another great job by him too, and he's the engineer of choice for my label on all their vinyl mastering ...
http://www.exchangemastering.co.uk/

I hear good things about about Optimum in Bristol, but I don't know any of the engineers personally ... http://www.optimum-mastering.com/

Hope that helps a bit anyway! :)

kingtoad
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Post by kingtoad » Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:56 am

Thanks!

I'm pretty sure Metropolis would be out of budget, I think their typical album rate would be over twice out maximum. I've been lucky enough to get stuff mastered at Alchemy in the past (Ray Staff was my favourite but we used someone else as well, can't remember the name). I'm fairly sure it's closed down though, I think a lot of the staff have moved to metropolis.

I'll check out those other places, thanks!

Tom xxx

jx
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Post by jx » Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:25 pm

Hi Tom,

the only local(ish, to you) one i would wholeheartedly recommend is David Brewis,.

he's based in Sunderland (Tyneside). He mastered Field Music, The Week That Was, School of Language, B>E>A>K, a few other things.

He doesn't really do it as a job, but if he likes something, he can be persuaded, and his rates are waay cheap.

PM if you'd like contact details.

TapeOpAl
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Post by TapeOpAl » Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:57 am

Electric Mastering (www.electricmastering.com) and Streaky Mastering (www.streakymastering.co.uk) might be within budget and do good work - tell them Al from Tape Op sent you!

kingtoad
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Post by kingtoad » Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:38 am

Thanks Al, that's the kind of thing I'm looking for. Some good CVs at both those places.

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