masterlink vs. cd burner

[aurelialuz]

it's come to a head, we need some sort of cd-making machine. i just can't bear the cassette anymore. i don't want to go with a computer cause i'm just not into it, so that leaves these two options.

i just can't figure out if i need the added functionality of a masterlink. we're doing mostly our own stuff with some stuff for other people here and there, but mostly this is going to be for reference cds. i still plan to do mix-down to our 2-track otari so i don't really intend for this to be the main mix machine.

is there substantial functionality that you masterlink guys get that i couldn't get with a standard burner?

thanks,
alex

[Electricide]

well, the masterlink has the internal Hard drive, which allows you to store all of your audio files and arrange them into playlists, or virtual cds. You can keep 16 virtual cds. Then you pop in a blank, select which cd, and hit the create button. This way you can keep and burn different orders, or maybe one cd with the slow tracks and one without, or whatever. Or one cd for each band plus a compilation cd. Plus you can burn a file as a high resolution (24/96) data disc, for archiving purposes. Later on you pop it back in and extract it back into the audiofiles list. This happened all the time at the studio, for comparing mixes and crap. I think that you cna even import those into Pro Tools HD3/002 sessions as audio files.

If you're not going to have your rough mixes or finals stored in a computer, then I think the HD is an extra feature. It also has a normalizer, some eq, and other stuff which isn't great, but helpful for sending bands home with a good idea. You can also put fade outs, fade ins, and cropping. But the cropping is destructive, so be careful

[I'm Painting Again]

I was working with an engineer and he used a masterlink to make masters but does not use the converters on it..too harsh..instead he goes through the waves L2 limiters converters in to the masterlink..great sound..but thats pricey..the way I think you want to do it the reference disks will sound significantly different from the actual master..are you mixing to the otari and then to the burner? I think that will sound more similar.

[aurelialuz]

yeah, i'd do my mixes to the otari, then use the burner for giving people cds, taking mixes around to different stereos, etc. i'd probably most often use the burner for roughs; anything that was going to get mastered would just get handed over on 1/4".

alex

[squizo]

i used to go from my studer to a stand alone tascam burner and get decent results....but then, like you, i also wanted a masterlink based off the info i was reading on it...but $800-$1000 was kind of a bite.... i asked my mentor (jim Vollentine) a much older (haha) more experienced engineer, what he thought i should do....he recommended i take an old PC i had ....load up a copy of cool edit pro (i use the old original) buy a Echo Mia balanced soundcard ....and a cheap behringer parametric eq and chain it Studer-EQ-soundcard all nice and balanced....and burn it as hot as you can....with or without the eq in (just listen) ... maybe bump the 20k a few db or bell curve down to flat at 8- 10k to push the transients a bit...even if you clip the meter when you listen back you shouldn't hear any distortion ...

so i sold my tascam burner for $450 and bought the sound card and EQ....and was shocked at how much more power my mixes had....it still doesn't make too much sense to me but it works like a champ compared to my old studer to tascam scenario and it cost me less than half of what the masterlink runs and i feel like i have more control?

but thats the illusion

dont get me started on the 10,000 dollar mastering secret ....it costs just a little more than a masterlink and talk about illusion!!!!!

[I'm Painting Again]

Please tell the $10,000 mastering secret.

[Chim]

I would not get the Masterlink for just burning copies... You have to play the music into the hard drive and then burn the cd itself. Takes longer than just burning... If you just want to get a quick copy at the end of a session, the masterlink might not be the way.

But then again you would have a copy on the hard drive until you erase it. And you can change the track order. The EQ is not that usable, but the gain, compressor and limiter can help fine tune the levels....

[cgarges]

I would not get the Masterlink for just burning copies... You have to play the music into the hard drive and then burn the cd itself. Takes longer than just burning... If you just want to get a quick copy at the end of a session, the masterlink might not be the way.

Yeah, but all it takes is a need for more than one copy and you've saved yourself lots of time if you;ve got a Masterlink.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Electricide]

A masterlink just posted in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum. There are two internal hard drive sizes for the masterlink....i don't know if he has the larger one.
Also, there are version updates online, I think, to fix early bugs. Find out what version he's on.

[aurelialuz]

i really appreciate everybody's input on this, it's a great feeling to think out a problem and really figure out what i *need* as opposed to what i want. the masterlink is cool, but i think the cdr is the answer. i know in my head that the computer is actually the best of all worlds, but at the end of the day i just can't get into it. some day maybe.

thanks again everyone.

alex