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Mastering in Paris [message #105200]

Fri, 16 April 2010 05:37

mani1147

Messages: 130
Registered: May 2009
Location: NB Canada

Senior Member

First, I must say I am not a mastering engineer. Mastering is an art into itself and I advise all my clients to get their stuff mastered by a reputable facility. But oftentimes, I need to prep a one-off mix for local radio airplay. In these cases, I roll up my sleeves and dive in and hopefully get a nice hot mix happening for my client.

A fellow Paris user had told me a few years ago how much more "open" his mixs sounded since he had started doing his projects start to finish inside Paris. I had never really paid much attention to it, being a Wavelab user, I mix down in Paris, then render to stereo file, then into Wavelab for some start/end time edits, limiting..etc ,render then burn in CD architect.

Last night I decided to try his approach and stay in Paris all the way to the burn. I was shocked.

Methodology:
1. Mixdown in Paris @ 24bit
2. Re-insert L and R 24bit files in a new Paris project
3. Channel faders at 0 panned 100% L/R, submix fader at 0, master out fader at -0.03
4. FFX4 stereo wrapper in first insert slot with Paris ST checkbox checked.
5. Insert your VST processors, limiters...etc
6. Set rec path and print the files @24bit
7. Change resolution to 16bit and render L/R files to stereo
8. Listen and compare

I use a creamware Pulsar card via SPDIF into a presonus Central Station to monitor in Wavelab.
In Paris, I monitor via 24bit output into Central Station.
Conclusion: Using the same plugins with the same settings, there was a very noticeable enhancement in the image and depth of the all Paris mix compared to the Wavelab mix.

Rob_A

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Re: Mastering in Paris [message #105202 is a reply to message #105200]

Fri, 16 April 2010 13:48

Ted Gerber

Messages: 705
Registered: January 2009

Senior Member

Hey Rob -

Yeah I think I find the same thing. I'm new to PC, so I've been trying out Wavelab. FWIW, it doesn't seem as open as Peak on the Mac, but that's very subjective. It certainly doesn't have the same depth as Paris in my current set up, but my monitoring chain for the PC needs to be improved a lot.

2 Qs:

on # 7 above, does this mean that you're truncating the 24 bit to 16 bit? Not a big deal, but I'm curious.

As far as the comparison goes, wouldn't monitoring via MEC S/PDIF out to the Central Station be more of an apples to apples comparison?

You can always take both rendered files and drop them into a third program, or listen back to back on another playback system.

Ted

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Re: Mastering in Paris [message #105204 is a reply to message #105202]

Fri, 16 April 2010 15:13

mani1147

Messages: 130
Registered: May 2009
Location: NB Canada

Senior Member

Hey Kris, yea for #7 I was truncating (in Paris) to 16bit to simulate a typical CD resolution. The Wavelab mix was also truncated from 24 to 16 bit but in Wavelab.

Yea, I suppose if I used the SPDIF out on the master MEC, the test would have been a bit more precise but hey..I'm lazy...!!

But I tell you though, this new box along with Mikes new code that he sent me to cure my automation horror story and also this new line in my paris.cfg "EDSTransfer=8,16" it feels like im running Paris 3.1

This aft, I was playing 32 tracks while punching in 32 tracks of 24bit/48khz without so much as a hiccup....I am completely floored with this new setup.

Rob

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