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. Tim Lookingbill

    Tim Lookingbill Alfalfa Male

    Location:
    New Braunfels, TX
    Then we'll religate you to official thread bumper since I'ld forgotten this entire thread existed until someone bumped it.

    The host appears to be too busy to answer your question which I wouldn't blame him for considering how difficult it is to make something old sound new in the audio realm.
     
  2. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    It wasn't my question, I just repeated it because the original question was buried underneath a drawn-out argument that shouldn't have been started in the first place.
     
  3. konut

    konut Prodigious Member. Thank you.

    Location:
    Whatcom County, WA
     
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  4. Tim Lookingbill

    Tim Lookingbill Alfalfa Male

    Location:
    New Braunfels, TX
    Good work, konut, finding Steve's quote at page 56 out of now 113. Just wish there were easier ways of finding information long forgotten in such long threads where often I have to ask myself..."Have I already posted this?... I feel that I have but I can't remember if it was in another thread on the same subject but different title.

    Makes me glad I don't participate in Beatles discussions. Afraid I'ld feel like I've got dementia.
     
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  5. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    I've read through this whole thread twice and had no memory of that. Interesting! I'd still be interested to know if other works in the same genre are compared, what are the normal trends and pitfalls to avoid, etc. – or, what I suspect is the answer, just do it and make it sound good.
     
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  6. konut

    konut Prodigious Member. Thank you.

    Location:
    Whatcom County, WA

    It was pretty easy since I asked a very similar question and had only posted once in this thread.
     
  7. Cast Iron Shore

    Cast Iron Shore Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    "It's all in the mastering" goes for all formats in my experience. There are CDs that sound much better than their AAA vinyl counterparts and it's nice to have a noise floor that is no more than tape hiss.
     
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  8. Vinylbeast

    Vinylbeast But does it sound good?

    Location:
    Central Illinois
    I was a Master Control Operator at a TV station that ran multiple channels...I have that same dream too! Dead air=Dead meat!
     
  9. JakeKlas

    JakeKlas Impatiently waiting for an 8-track revival

    Location:
    United States
    I left a radio station news director job 25 years ago and I still have the “going on air with no news copy” nightmare about four times a year. It’s the former job that keeps on giving. <sigh>
     
  10. onm3rcur7

    onm3rcur7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Perth, Scotland
    @Steve Hoffman,

    Hi, I am confused regarding Bad Company - Straight Shooter on CD.


    I've seen you said (in ,2007 and 2008) the original master tapes in their possession up until a few years ago...
    Is there a good version of Bad Company Straight Shooter on CD?
    Bad Company CDs - comments on different versions of Bad Co and Straight Shooter?

    But then (in 2011) you said that Barry worked with 3rd generation tapes.
    Is Steve working on a Bad Co. Straight Shooter Gold CD for Audio Fidelity? *

    Did you discover something in between those years, perhaps whilst doing your remaster for Audio Fidelity?
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2022
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  11. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Bad Co. people have the masters in the UK.
     
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  12. InStepWithTheStars

    InStepWithTheStars It's a miracle, let it alter you

    Location:
    North Carolina
    What's your approach to mastering songs whose actual mixes have deficiencies in specific ranges or instruments? Two that come to mind are "Susannah's Still Alive" by the Kinks and "Almost Saturday Night" by John Fogerty, both of which seem to have been mixed with barely any bass guitar at all. Would you try to restore at least some of what's missing, or would you just leave it like it is since that's the way the mix sounds?
     
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  13. onm3rcur7

    onm3rcur7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Perth, Scotland
    @Steve Hoffman,

    So I listened to this CD today (Secret Treaties - Blue Oyster Cult - Audio Fidelity, red book layer only) on my Philips 360 CD both using the coaxial connection to my yamaha as701 and using the Philips DAC too.
    Speakers are the Silver Audio Monitor 200.

    I've noticed the album has some high frequencies here and there that are more prominent when listened through the Yamaha DAC but are also on the Philips DAC. I can only imagine that this is part of the recording. Some of these frequencies are quite tingling in the ear, reminds me of when I go wide open with tone and treble pick up on my Fender Blues Junior.

    Was the tape like that?

    *Edit:
    Looking at this post of you I guess this album always suffered from it? I am asking because I never heard this Blue Oyster album before. I just jumped straight into your version for my first listen of the album so I have no reference to compare it to... Blue Öyster Cult Secret Treaties, mastering it to enhance the way it was actually recorded & mixed.
     
    Last edited: Jan 5, 2022
  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    IF you read that, you got the entire story..
     
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  15. yasujiro

    yasujiro Senior Member

    Location:
    tokyo
    @Steve Hoffman,

    When you did AP Fantasy 45 vinyl, was it you who pick up the Pablo titles?
    If so, what was the criteria to choose them? The sonic or the popularity?
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2022
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Chad always picked everything.
     
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  17. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    Recently got Basie 88 from the Fantasy 45 series - really great sound.
     
  18. JFSebastion

    JFSebastion Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maricopa Arizona
    In your realm of experience, what can you say good or bad about Promo Copies?
    And what if any you own and love.
     
    phillyal1 likes this.
  19. webmatador

    webmatador Friend Of The People

    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    @Steve Hoffman,

    What's the deal with the alternate mix of "Bad Moon Rising" on the 4-track EP you and Kevin Gray did for Green River?
    BTW, fantastic job.

    Are there any other oddities from that Creedence series?
     
  20. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    I mixed those in true stereo especially for Chad. But they originally came from earlier Creedence releases and a quad issue. They suck, don't they? That's because my mixing had to include the "spirit and sound" of the quad versions but in stereo. I'd just ignore 'em.
     
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  21. webmatador

    webmatador Friend Of The People

    Location:
    Austin, TX, USA
    @Steve Hoffman
    Wait, you were tasked with mixing "Bad Moon Rising" to sound like the quad mix (which is fascinating but doesn't totally suck)?
     
  22. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Yes, a stereo version.
     
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  23. MGM

    MGM Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego
    Forgive me if this has been addressed before (searched but didn't find):
    - Suppose a master tape has been used many many many times over the years, but not the safety tape. Could the safety tape actually be a better source of sound quality than the master?
     
  24. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Yes, in certain cases it is a life saver.
     
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  25. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    But, I should mention, that the master tape that was in the worst condition I could salvage by just a few bars of music using the safety. 98% of it was from the master. "MOONDANCE" album..
     

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