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Old 02-04-2004, 07:22 AM
stevegalante stevegalante is offline
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Default Mixing for mastering / TL mastermeter

When I mix in my studio and master in a mastering suite I just bounce to disk in SDII format (I'm still using this in my sessions), in two separate mono (.L and .R) 24 bit files, then I simply burn a data-cdrom with those files, obviously not mentioning I bring with me various mix versions, session data and files, etc. In this case all the program optimization (comp, eq, cut, leveling, etc.) and conversion (to 16 bit, dithering, noise shaping, etc.) is done in the mastering suite, so I'm not adding anything on my master fader in the ProTools session. Recently though I tried to put a TL Mastermeter (maybe some of you have used it) on my session's master fader and saw a lot of peaks (reaching max 1,5 - 2 db) both in the normal program and the oversampled simulation. If I put a level controller (like the Waves L2 or the Inflator) before the MasterMeter and put the level 'ceiling' to 0 or - o,1 db then the Mastermeter doesn't show any peaks in the program (i.e. the leveler works !) but still many on the oversampled simulation. I'm always talking about 24 bit / 44KHz sessions.
What would you suggest in a similar situation, considering it's not safe to use a level controller on files I'm going to deliver to a mastering suite ? Simply to lower all levels ?
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Old 02-04-2004, 09:11 AM
Nika Nika is offline
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Default Re: Mixing for mastering / TL mastermeter

OK, the facts are simple - you are clipping the D/A converters in some capacity because your levels are still too hot, even though traditional meters don't indicate this to you. You have three choices:

1. Accept that fact, determine that you can't hear the distortion, and leave your files the way they are.
2. Turn down your levels the amount that MM indicates you are exceeding 0dB by.
3. Put a compressor/limiter on and squash it just a bit more until the levels don't exceed 0dB.

Nika.
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Old 02-04-2004, 11:24 AM
davip davip is offline
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Default Re: Mixing for mastering / TL mastermeter

Also remember that the mastering engineer needs a little headroom to work with. The mastering engineers I've asked like to see files with peaks around -2 or -3.
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Old 02-05-2004, 12:48 AM
stevegalante stevegalante is offline
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Default Re: Mixing for mastering / TL mastermeter

Quote:
OK, the facts are simple - you are clipping the D/A converters in some capacity because your levels are still too hot, even though traditional meters don't indicate this to you. You have three choices:

1. Accept that fact, determine that you can't hear the distortion, and leave your files the way they are.

mmmmmhhhh... I don't like that !!!

2. Turn down your levels the amount that MM indicates you are exceeding 0dB by.

about this, as far as I know I could either lower just the master fader or all the tracks, right ? The effect should be the same

3. Put a compressor/limiter on and squash it just a bit more until the levels don't exceed 0dB.

This is unsafe if I have to deliver this material to a mastering suite

Nika.
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