But after that comes the monitoring chain, the room and the gear selection. Every piece of gear at MASSIVE Mastering was carefully chosen from some of the greatest mastering gear available. Some stock, many modified, some one-of-a-kind -- All exceptional in function and uncompromising in quality.
PRIMARY MONITORING CHAIN: - Custom built and based Tyler Acoustics (by Ty Lashbrook) Decade Series D1 reference speakers (crossovers by Danny Richie) fitted with Seas tweeters in 2022
- Bryston SST Series and Emotiva XPA Series (Gen 3, Gen 1) amplification
- Controller: Crane Song Avocet monitor control system / monitoring D-A
- "Reality Reference" monitoring chain including Tyler Acoustics Decade Series D4M reference monitors, custom-voiced here at MASSIVE
- 2x Dorrough Electronics 40-D Series PPM / crest / loudness metering
- NUGEN Audio VisLM-H loudness metering
ANALOG OUTBOARD Includes:- Custom parametric EQ (a.k.a. at the moment: MES-351MS) based on the DR-MQ5 Massenburg / Sontec MEP250 clone - 5-band, Elma switches, mid-side capability, +/-5dB in .5dB steps.
- Rupert Neve Designs P2MB (Portico II Master Buss Processor)
- TK Audio TK-lizer Baxandall mastering EQ with Kirkwood precision sum/difference matrix
- Crane Song STC-8M Class A mastering compressor / limiter with HPF side-chain mod
- “SS-oweL” Stereo Compressor (Custom unit based on the SSL4044E/G buss compressor with added MCI 416 transformer output)
- The "M5" (Massive Mastering Magical Mojo Manipulator)
DIGITAL INTERNAL AND OUTBOARD PROCESSING - Highlights:- Extensive digital processing by Algorithmix, AOM, Brainworx, DFP, Eiosis, Elysia, Eventide, FabFilter, Izotope, Nugen, Slate Digital, SPL, SSL, Steinberg, TC Electronic, Tokyo Dawn Labs, UAD, Voxengo, Waves (SSL GMBC, Restoration, Kramer Tape, Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain, etc.) Black Box Analog Design’s HG-2, Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A VK Special ‘Red’ Edition, Hendyamps "The Oven" and more
- AM-Suite (Native to the Samplitude/Sequoia family)
- Weiss “Gambit Series” DS1-MK3 digital compressor / limiter / de-esser
- Elastique Pro time-stretch / compression algorithms
- DBX Quantum ll (Digital Multi-band Mastering Processor)
- Izotope’s RX Series audio restoration tools, Samplitude Professional Cleaning-Restoration Suite
- K-Stereo processor (by Bob Katz / Algorithmix)
DIGITAL CONVERSION and ROUTING HARDWARE Includes:- Crane Song H.E.D.D. 192 - Harmonically Enhanced Digital Device
- Weiss "Gambit Series" AFI1 AES/EBU interface
- MiniDSP U-DIO8 AES/EBU interface
- Crane Song (Avocet) monitoring D/A
- Z-Systems z-8.8 (4.2.2 - AES/EBU, S/PDIF, TOSLink/EIJA Optical)
- Emotiva XDA-1 Differential Reference™ DAC
- DBX Quantum II Type IV Conversion System
- Sonic Solutions SS-613 DA/AD (x2)
SOURCE PLAYBACK / TRANSPORT Includes:- Tascam DV-RA1000 Direct Stream Digital (Sony DSD) system
- Alesis MasterLink ML-9600 High Resolution Master Disk System
- Audio-Technica ATLP1240-USB-XP Turntable (direct drive) - Ortofon headshell, Grado Prestige cartridge, etc.
- Rega P3 turntable (belt drive) w/glass platter, RB300 arm and Dynavector 10x4 MC cartridge
- Cambridge Audio Azur Series 640P MM/MC Class ‘A’ phono stage
- Tascam DA-30 MkII DAT deck
- Audio Technica AT-LP1240-USBXP direct-drive turntable with AT-XP5 cartridge and quartz speed lock
- Sony Mini Disc
- Cambridge Audio Azur Series 650BD SACD/HDCD/DVD-A
- MASSIVE DDP Application by Sonoris
- Marantz PMD 500 analog cassette
- Tascam CD-301 MkII Compact Disc
- Panasonic SV-3700 DAT
- Technics RS-DC10 Digital Compact Cassette (DCC)
DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS Feature:- Apple multi-core Intel processor machines running OSX and Windows
- HP 64GB/2TB i7-12700 (12 core) 4.9GHz Elite ProDesk workstation
- Samplitude Professional recording / mastering production system
- Steinberg WaveLab Audio Mastering and Editing Suite w/DDP import/export
- Plextor internal and external drives (712's, 716's, 755's, 760's, 880's) utilizing PlexTools Professional
- Synology DiskStation DS1522+ 20TB (5x4TB) +2TB SSD cache NAS / RAID (SHR) / File server
DITHERING OPTIONS Include:- POW-r Dithering system
- Crane Song “Analog Dither”
- Crane Song HEDD 192
MISCELLANY: - Room treatments by GIK Acoustics, Klups, RealTraps ®
- Grado Labs SR225 Prestige Series headphones
- Critical analog *and* digital interconnections are made with Belden 1800F cable with Neutrik connectors. Amplifier and speaker connections are by Silver Serpent, Kimber and Cobalt cables respectively.
- Monster Power® 7000 Balanced & 3500 Series Professional and Blue Circle power conditioning and filtering - Pangea AC9 and AC14 cabling on all vital componentry.
- Custom mastering console by Sterling Modular, based on the "Plan D" mastering desk
- The famous “Stereo Stupidifier with Digital Sonic Decrapulator”
Updated November 2023