Equipment List

The following is a list of the equipment which we use for mastering. Additional equipment is listed on our recording page.

Analog Processing:

  • Dangerous 2-bus LT (analog summing amplifier)
  • Manley Massive Passive Vacuum Tube 4 band equalizer
  • Manley Mastering Tube Variable MU Compressor/Limiter
  • ManleyTube Stereo Pre-Amp
  • Nightpro EQ3-D Mastering Equalizer with "Airband"
  • Pendulum PL-2 JFET/MOSFET Analog Peak Limiter
  • Prism Sound Maselec-MEA-2 Masters Series equalizer
  • Tube-Tech SMC-2B Vacuum Tube Multiband compressor
  • Requisite L2M Mark III Tube Mastering Limiter/Compressor

Outboard Digital Processing:

  • Digital Domain K-Stereo Processor, Stereo enhancer, expander & equalizer
  • T.C. Electronic Mastering 6000 featuring MD3, MD4 (complete M/S Processing), Brickwall 2 and Reverb Licences
  • Waves L2 Outboard Ultramaximizer, peak limiter / volume maximizer & dither/noise
  • Weiss DS 1-MK2 Compressor / Limiter / De-esser
  • Weiss EQ 1-MK2 Dyamic & Linear Phase Equalizer

Computer-based TDM Digital Processing:

    • Note: In the mastering process, it is our usual practice to rely on our Class-A outboard gear. With the exception of digital limiters, plug-ins are rarely needed but can sometimes provide the right sound for a track or can be automated to fix problem masters. We also have a huge assortment of other TDM Plug-ins which can be occasionally handy for special effects.

Tape Deck: Recorder/Playback/Layback:

  • ATR Services (Mike Spitz) Custom Remanufactured 1/2" Ampex ATR-102 with stock (Flux Magnetics Mastering Series Head ) and Aria Electronics (Flux Magnetics Mastering Series Extended Response Head)
  • Dolby 363 SR/A Noise Reduction w/350 modules

Converters:

  • LavryGold DA924 (digital to analog converter)
  • LavryGold AD122-96MKIII (analog to digital converter)
  • Weiss DAC1-MK2 (digital to analog converter for room monitoring)

Monitors:

Non active monitors are powered by a Bryston 3B SSTamplifier

Software:

  • Sonic Studio SoundBlade (mastering/assembly software with DDP reading and creation - Sonic Studio was formerly Sonic Solutions)
  • Pro Tools TDM 7.2
  • WaveBurner Pro with POW-r dither, Logic Audio
  • Spectrafoo Signal Metering and Analysis (software based phase scope, bit scope, ultra-accurate metering, and real time frequency analyzer, etc.)
  • Toast Titanium Data Back-Up

Computers and Hardware:

  • Macintosh G5 w/2.5 dual processor w/ 2 gigs of RAM
  • Plitron 8894-X00-00 Isolated Power Distribution Unit (Isolation Transformer & Balanced Power)
  • Pro Tools | HD 2 Accel Digital Audio Workstation (HD Core, Accel Card & two 192 i/o)
  • SurgeX surge protector

Board:

  • No Board or Patch Bay! "Point to Point" patching for all analog gear.
  • Analog cabling used for analog gear is exclusively Requisite Cable
  • Frontier Alphatracks Motorized Midi Fader Controller (for manual fades and abilty to mute and unmute simultaneously to easily compare mix to master channel)

Digital Sample Rate Converter/Interfaces:

  • Dangerous Monitor ST (studio monitoring interface and speaker switcher)
  • LavryGold Digital Optimizer 3000S (real time sample rate converter/dither & noise shaping)
  • Tascam IF-AE8 (digital transfer of Tascam 8 tracks-->Pro Tools)
  • Wave Editor with iZotope 64-bit Sample Rate Conversion and M-Bit dither
  • Z-Systems z.8.8

Analog Transfer:

CD-R Writers:

  • Various Plextor compact disc writers which write red book standard CD-Rs and support CD text & ISRC Codes

Digital Tape Recorders:

Cassette & CD Players:

  • Tascam 122, 3 head deck w/XLR i/o
  • Sony CDP-CE275 CD player with digital output

Turntable:

  • Technics SL-1210MK2SE (variable speed with strobe, plays LPs, 78 & 45 rpms + most of KAB's Upgrade Mods
  • Ortofon Cartridge CC PRO S30
  • Creek Phono Pre-Amp OBH 18

Patch Bays & Wiring:

  • Analog cabling used for mastering is exclusively Requisite Wire
  • Analog mastering gear is connected point to point (no patch bay) and is configured on an as-needed basis
  • Digital cabling is Apogee and Requisite
  • 3 custom AC cables by Requisite on the "playback/record" devices.

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