SH Spotlight I'm asked stuff: Favorite mastering engineer, best BOSTON CD, best TRAVELING WILBURYS CD, etc..

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Oct 3, 2018.

  1. agentalbert

    agentalbert Senior Member

    Location:
    San Antonio, TX
    @Steve Hoffman

    I often hear that most modern rock releases (say 1990's forward) are wrecked in the mixing stage and so there is no point in audiophile labels releasing them. Is this true? And if it is for most recordings, aren't there still plenty with good mixes that could be done? I really like what you did with the two Rage Against The Machine releases for Audio Fidelity, and was sooooooooo looking forward to hearing "The Battle Of Los Angeles".
     
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  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Case by case basis. I like to think that there is some good, lifelike sound in every mix regardless of age.
     
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  3. g.z.

    g.z. Senior Member

    I believe it would have been definitive. Oh, well.
    Thanks, Steve.
     
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  4. DPM

    DPM Senior Member

    Location:
    Nevada, USA
    Was that for DCC or Audio Fidelity? Those would have sold by the bucket loads.
     
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  5. Bob Dobalina

    Bob Dobalina Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    "Pipeline" by the Chantays on the first version of "Surf Legends and Rumours" sounds INCREDIBLE, thank you - why did it disappear from the later pressing(s)?
     
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  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    That was for DCC. We wanted AFTERMATH, BUTTONS, SMR, BB, LIB and we were very close. What happened was a legal quagmire that the bosses didn't want to deal with.

    Almost got the BOWIE catalog for one million but we didn't have one million sitting around so Ryko got it.
     
  7. CDmp3

    CDmp3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    America
    Is The Band (brown album) still your favourite album (or one of your favourites?)
     
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  8. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Downey Records/Wenzel's Music Town said they owned it and they did, but only for Southern California. Dot owned it for the rest of the country and the world. DOT became ABC which became MCA which became UNIVERSAL and they had the rights.

    So, we scrapped it. They didn't ask us to but we did anyway. Didn't want to make trouble. They let us keep BOSS by the Rumblers on there (same distribution deal as PIPELINE) after a plea from the original band members.
     
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  9. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    A perfect album, yes. Hard to beat.
     
  10. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    It's nice, but an actual modern compilation would have been much better. Legal problems prevented that from happening, sadly, so we settled for the old Greatest Hits.
     
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  11. douglas mcclenaghan

    douglas mcclenaghan Forum Resident

    Brilliant understated response.
     
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  12. g.z.

    g.z. Senior Member

    You play a few instruments.
    Does that aid in your mastering/engineering projects?
     
  13. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Well, yes, I know when something is in tune or on pitch, I know what a cymbal is supposed to sound like, and an acoustic guitar, piano, etc.
     
  14. g.z.

    g.z. Senior Member

    I'm biased. I love the old Greatest Hits album.
     
  15. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    The old Guaraldi album was originally limited by the amount of time on each side of an LP. A modern compilation could use all of the digital space for twice the number of great songs.
     
  16. g.z.

    g.z. Senior Member

    Great songs is right. That would have been nice.
     
  17. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I'm still in shock that Geoff E. died. I had a conversation with him two days ago. Came as a real shock to me (and most of us).

    A sad loss.
     
  18. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I was wondering how you think streaming and the changing CD market is going to effect the future of remastering projects, especially on independent or audiophile labels. I worked with Real Gone Music this year on a old Living Stereo Christmas album from John Klein, A Christmas Sound Spectacular, and if we had not hounded Sony Music for a couple of years, it probably would not have been remastered and released on CD this year in its original stereo incarnation for the very first time.

    Whats scary to me is Sony Music was the one company that RGM had a really good track record with in the past, but this year they got real tight with their cooperation, so to speak. Universal Music, from my understanding, has always been harder to deal with on gaining copyright clearance for release to independent labels. Do you have any theories on what is going on with the majors new found stinginess, particularly in this day of shrinking CD sales?
     
  19. Mylene

    Mylene Senior Member

     
  20. g.z.

    g.z. Senior Member

    Which mastering project was the one that you tweaked the most times
    before you finally deemed it worthy of release?
    The one that really got under your skin.
     
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  21. Willowman

    Willowman Senior Member

    Location:
    London, UK
    Is Dylan’s Greatest Hits vol 3 going to get the gold treatment any time soon?
     
  22. Tim Albertson

    Tim Albertson Forum Resident

    Location:
    Forest, VA
    Hey Steve, Thanks for all the great mastering work you do, for hosting this forum, and for this thread - such a cool idea. This is a great and unique place, and I know there are many who appreciate it.
     
  23. jdlaw

    jdlaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    Hi Steve, what is your preferred version of the following albums (a few of my all time favorites):

    -Rolling Stones - Aftermath (UK)
    -Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin 1
    -Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
    -The Doors - The Doors (DCC?)
    -Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (DCC or AF?)

    I know you may have given your opinion regarding these albums in the past, but opinions change.

    Thanks!
     
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  24. 9 Volt

    9 Volt That cat's something I can't explain

    Location:
    L.A.
    Steve, I've read every single thread ever posted on SHF about this topic and I'm still confused.

    So once and for all: In your expert opinion where should Astrud's voice CORRECTLY be on Getz/Gilberto? Left or right? Where is it on your Ampex 350-2 transfer? It's logical to assume that your CD-R has the proper channel orientation.

    I'd really like to know the answer to this question before I die. Thanks in advance for your time!
     
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  25. All Down The Line

    All Down The Line The Under Asst East Coast White Label Promo Man

    Location:
    Australia
    Greatly appreciate your time Steve to even scan my message.

    If you were pulling Stones vinyl to play are there some titles whereby you would specifically have an automatic go to pressing?
     

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