"Soundstage" question

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by jligon, Feb 25, 2002.

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  1. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    That ole term "Soundstage." It's amazing, now that I have a good listening room, how different the soundstage can be from CD to CD of the same title. Pet Sounds for example. DCC=huge. Capitol CD release=in a box.

    How is the "soundstage" managed when remastering a CD. I guess I just can't imagine what determines one CD's soundstage vs. another.

    I've learned that tone is only one varible to use when judging a CD. That's all I used to concentrate on but there's a lot more to it than that. Soundstage, for example, may not be as immediately apparent.
     
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    My trick is to master for tonality, and then the soundstage "cues" that trick your ear into thinking that something live is happening, fall into place.

    Tonality to me is the single most important factor in a good mastering job. Soundstage improvement is an added benefit.

    One could ask, "How can "Pet Sounds" have any soundstage? It's mono!"

    Well, if you have a good system that is resolving to the max and has a pleasing tone (to you), even a mono recording can have wonderful soundstage depth and lifelike traits. Just check out any DCC Miles Davis mono Gold CD.

    Any recording that involves some open mic bleed can cue your ears to the fact that something "real" is happening, in stereo or in mono. Most of the music in "Pet Sounds" is slightly off mic,bouncing around the studio walls Phil Spector style. A good reproduction of that album will throw out "live" cues even in mono. Neat, eh?
     
  3. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    By "tone", you mean frequency balance? That's my interpretation.
     
  4. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

  5. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

    Thanks, Steve, That's what I thought you were always referring to.

    Except, what do you use as your frame of reference with tone? The original tape? And, what about hardcore cases like the Mamas & Papas? I take it there you just used your best judgement?
     
  6. jligon

    jligon Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Peoria, IL
    Re: Re: "Soundstage" question

    Awesome! Thanks!:)
     
  7. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    There's the rub, Grant. What do I use to choose tonality? My ears. It's the tonality that I like my music to have. If it's on the tape, good. If it isn't, I try and create it. You all seem to like my choices, but it really comes down to a "sound" that I personally enjoy.

    Another mastering engineer's choice of tonality might not be the same as mine of course (to put it very mildly).:eek:
     
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