C4 then L2?

[foleym]

I am looking to move into the "mastering" arena for my own CD's. People seem to like
the combination of C4 and/or L2.

The C4 is strictly EQ correct?
Is the L2 then used for the overall stereo compression?

[[Benjamin]]

A good multiband compressor (such as the C4) can be a good tool, but it's not always the answer. It can creates problems of it's own, most notably, it can be hard to get a solid lo-mid/hi-bass area, you may even get resonance problems in the crossover areas.
A multiband compressor that is used more than lightly can also smear, also resulting in lack of solidity. I'm not saying "Don't ever use a multiband compressor".

What I'm saying is:

Test which gives you the most satisfying results, and do it often, ideally on each track until you get to know the advantages and disadvantages inherent in each process, because "the best choice" can vary from track to track.
Compare using a multiband compressor on your mixes with using a traditional (wide Q) eq and a regular compressor (in any order you like). You can use an L2 or other limiter to bring up the RMS if the music (by clamping peaks, thus decreasing the dynamic dept) but beware of distorsion, clipping or lifeless sound. And so on.. (this is one long story)

From time to time you may fins that something is "in the way" for you when mastering. Those things are often easiest to solve by going back to the mix and correct them there, thereby avoiding too much "black voodoo" in your self-mastering. Remember that Mastering is all about the overall sound and what impression you want to convey to the listener, it's not about details or mix.

Lastly, two basic principles:
1. Less is more (Question yourself when your doing something drastic, find reference)
2. Remove rather than add (If you want to increase the lows and the highs, what could be easier than decreasing the mids)

I'll keep the rest to myself images/icons/smile.gif If your serious about learning this black art, what could be better than to sit-in with a pro? Even if it means spending money on sessions, it'll be well spent. If you believe that you would do self-mastering as a must, rather than as a joy, calculate your own costs and compare it to taking your material to a professional mastering house. That, too, would be money well spent.

Ben

[Mark Haliday]

Although I have a C4, I am still highly suspicious of multi-band compression, a most effective way to wreck a mix !
Think of it as a graphic eq where you replace the faders by compressors. Needless to say that we are not in audiophile country anymore... I suppose it can do miracles on boring mixes, but personnaly I have yet to be convinced...
On single instruments I find the MC2000 by McDsp much more user friendly
As for L2, this is something else altogether A *great* tool as it enables you to optimize your output level by limiting peaks very effectively (and with no audible artifacts as long as you are not trying to squash things to much).
It it also an excellent tool to go down in resolution say from 24 to 16 bit, with good dithering and noise shaping.
If you are working in 24 bits sessions, you can afford mixing without excessively loading the mix bus, and then make up the gain and go to 16 bit with L2 so effectively it is almost impossible to hear the difference. I love it.
As for the C4, test before you buy !
Have fun
Mark

[germ]

for what it's worth.

Whilst doing whatever your doing re eq & comp/Limiting. -Force yourself to listen to what you are trying to master as quietly as possible. Reference against other material as often as you wish, But the louder time the speakers are honking for, then the shorter time you have for your ears to be objective. Also you have less chance of your ears 'compressing' against the high SPL. So you can then create flatness or pumping effects or whatever you wish for more accurately.Of course listen to the track at higher levels but not for too long.

mm-K?