looking for *pure analog* mastering house

[daved]

By 1990 mastering moves between tracks had gotten so complex you really HAD to have 2 chains... it's physically impossible to change all the settings of just the EQ (forget compressors and limiters, which blessedly didn't change much back then) even with 2-3 second gaps.

In 1980 smaller places and replicators like QCA didn't always need this, as most projects of the day were better-mixed, more consistent track-to-track than later eras. So the expectations on the ME were less, as a result of all of these limitations.

Today, with lots of DIY artist-recorded/mixed projects, and bedroom studios, the demands are much greater. To work entirely in the analog domain today would definitely take an A/B chain as described. The quality of mixes is all over the place, while gaps are shortening as we move to a "singles" or "shuffle" playback era. You can't stop playback to reset your processors, so you need 2 of everything, assuming you can get a lookahead somewhere else.

[ott0bot]

Check out SAE Mastering here in Phoenix. They do vinyl in house from 2-track and I'm pretty sure there isn't any digital in the signal flow.

Here's a link: http://www.saemastering.com/VinylMasteringFormats.php

They've done alot of great records....tons of Thrill Jockey stuff like Tortoise and Sea and Cake. Great results from what I hear.

[themagicmanmdt]

gotcha.

[coniferouspine]

LOL I'm not sayin' anything, but I think I might know who this project is.

[djimbe]

Check out SAE Mastering here in Phoenix. They do vinyl in house from 2-track and I'm pretty sure there isn't any digital in the signal flow.

Here's a link: http://www.saemastering.com/VinylMasteringFormats.php

They've done alot of great records....tons of Thrill Jockey stuff like Tortoise and Sea and Cake. Great results from what I hear.

My buddy had his latest release mastered for vinyl at SAE and it sounds great. I mean, I know that record cold...all it's little mix flaws and everything...but when the needle hit the groove for the first time the whole work became new again. It wasn't all analog though, because while we mixed through my A80, the final tracks that went to the ME were all digital. I don't know about their other chain options.

but yeah. Solid work from SAE. My partners in Califone have had vinyl done there too...