Mastering Engineer Jonathan Wyner on the Dangerous MasterWhy Bob Vosgien Masters with Dangerous MusicGreg Calbi: Exclusive Interview on Mastering TechniquesThe Dangerous Music MASTER is a mastering-grade transfer console that gives you essential tools for making critical decisions in mastering. The MASTER provides seamless insert switching for your stereo gear, flawless stereo tracking between left and right channels, offset gain adjustments for precisely level-matched before/after comparisons, and euphonic mid/side processing for extensive mix control. It does all of this while preserving the sound and performance of your analog gear. Befitting the mastering environment, the controls are stepped for precise recall. Patch three pieces of stereo gear into the signal path¡ªor seven, if you pair this console with the separately available Dangerous LIASON. Turn your favorite EQ into an M/S processor by patching it into Insert 2, and adjust the whole M/S balance of the mix with an overall width control. Feed the unit with two sets of stereo inputs and output simultaneously three sets of stereo outputs. If gain-staging is important to your analog workflow, you’ll find the MASTER indispensable.Really Ties the Rig TogetherThe role of a mastering console is to combine all of your equipment into an elegant, rock-solid system that preserves the accuracy and musicality of all your gear. With sonics you can rely on all day, every day, for decades, the MASTER’s signal routing affords you sophisticated control over gain-staging, insert-patching, Mid/Side processing, input/output monitor level matching, and multiple outputs to reach all the destinations in your mastering suite. To put it another way: this mastering console really ties the rig together.Stepped Left/Right Input Controls for Perfect Stereo ImagingTwo stepped input dials offer perfect control over left/right inputs, allowing you to compensate delicately for any imbalances in the program material. These attenuators are stepped in 0.5 dB increments, with .01 dB of gain-tracking accuracy between channels for perfect stereo imaging at all levels. When you’re working in analog, gain-staging is key to the craft, and the MASTER’s separate input controls allow you to hit your outboard gear’s sweet spot, compensating at the main stereo output stage to feed your catching A/D, tape machine, or other capture device to ensure the optimal sound from your rig.Level Matching Out of the BoxThe MASTER lets you match the levels between your processed signal (output) and unprocessed signal (input) so that you can make comparative judgements without misleading volume changes. Once you’ve matched your input and output levels, use the In/Out switch to objectively compare your work to the original source.3 Front-Panel Insert Points for Outboard GearThree stereo inserts are on hand for EQs, compressors, limiters, and more. The MASTER’s front-panel switches give you functionality previously only available on very expensive, custom-built mastering consoles. And on Insert 2, you get Chris Muth’s ground-breaking Mid/Side processing; patch any equalizer here for extended control over the mix’s sum and difference channels.Mid/Side Processing on Insert 2Residing on Insert 2, the Mid/Side processor inside the MASTER is an audiophile-grade, sum-and-difference matrix. By “encoding” and then “decoding” the stereo signal, this matrix allows you to obtain separate control over the center and the sides of the stereo mix.Patch your equalizer into Insert 2, and you can manage a harsh vocal or a strident snare in the middle of a mix, leaving the double-tracked, hard-panned guitars largely untouched. Maybe you need to tame some widely panned cymbals, all while maintaining vocal air and articulation at the center of the mix. This too is possible.Overall Width ControlAside from the mid/side processing, the MASTER offers a width control that allows you change the perceived stereo width of the whole mix. This is helpful when deploying any Mid/Side processing, but even when you’re not engaging outboard gear, the width control allows you to “focus” the stereo image to your liking.2 Inputs & 3 OutputsA dedicated monitor output accompanies two stereo output paths that can be routed to A/D converters, tape machines, patch bays, or wherever the signal needs to go. Many MASTER owners use the dual outputs to make direct A/B comparisons between different A/D units, listening for the vibe that best suits that particular record (Note: to do that, you’ll need the appropriate monitor controller, such as the Dangerous MONITOR ST). The two inputs, selectable on the front panel, make it easy to have a D/A normaled to the first input and the second input wired to a patchbay or tape machine, so you don’t have to go behind your gear if you’re switching between analog and digital sources.Made to Work with Other Dangerous GearIn addition to pairing perfectly with the company’s monitoring controllers, the MASTER will also integrate quite well with the Dangerous LIAISON. By inserting the LIAISON’s two stereo busses onto two of the MASTER’s insert loops, you’ll expand from three stereo inserts to seven, while simultaneously introducing analog-domain parallel processing, button-enabled signal rerouting, and instant patch recalls.U
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