STUDIO TECH
S
Studio Sources and Equipment
To handle Analogue sources, the SAM studio has several Studer and Ampex tape machines, with 1/2″ and 1/4″ replay and record heads. We can run tape at 7 1/2ips, 15ips and 30ips and Dolby noise reduction (A or SR) is available.
For Digital sources, we can import audio or files from CD, DVD, Exabyte, AIT, Hard-Drive, DAT, DMR 4000 & PCM1630 and MO discs.
Analogue or Digital Processing
The Audio Mastering route can be Analogue, Digital or a combination of both. With top quality Class A electronics EQ and Compression (Avalon, Manley, Millennia, Thermionic Culture, Chiswick Reach and Maselec) we are able to add great warmth and colour to your mixes as well as complete transparency.
Going the digital route (i.e. using the Weiss, Waves, TC6000 EQ and Dynamics or selected DAW Plug-ins) means detailed, precise adjustments may be made to your mixes. Our TDL & Dunlavy Stereo and M&K Surround monitoring provide an accurate and full range audio response. In order to carry out audio restoration work (such as declicking or decrackling) we can utilize our powerful Sonic NoNoise set-up.
A/D and D/A conversion is handled by either DCS, Meitner, Pacific Microsonics or Manley.
THE EQUIPMENT
Analogue
- SPL MMC1 Analogue 8ch Mastering Console & Maselec MTC-2
- Ampex 102 with ARIA Electronics, Hi Flux Heads 1/2″ or 1/4″ Stereo and also Mono Full Track. Studer A80 and A820, 1/2″ or 1/4″ Dolby A or SR
- EQ, Compression and Limiting: Avalon, Manley, Millennia, Thermionic Culture, Chiswick Reach Maselec & SSL
- Monitoring: TDL Reference Series & Dunlavy SC-V Stereo and M&K MPS-2510 5.1 Surround
- Vinyl Reference Turntable by Michel Orbe with Series V Magnesiumtone arm with Bluepoint Special cartridge
Digital
- DAWs: 1 x Pyramix 6 System, 1 x Sonic soundBlade HD System, 2 x SonicStudio HDSP Systems & 1 x Sonoma DSD System
- CD, DVD, Exabyte, AIT, Hard-Drive, PCM 1630, MO discs & DAT 7030
- EQ, Compression and Limiting: Weiss, Waves, TC Electronics System 6000 with Massenburg MDW Stereo & 5.1 Hi Res EQ
- TC Electronics System 6000 processing with ‘Unwrap’ & Penteo Surround Upmixing System
- Sonic Studio HD NoNoise and Cedar restoration
- Sonic soundBlade HD deClick and deCrackle
- Real-time 6ch D-D Sample Rate and Format Conversion by dCS
- Offline Sample Rate and Format Conversion by Weiss Saracon
Formats and Platforms
We can provide Masters on CD, DVD, Hard-Drive or Exabyte. Masters for CD are delivered as PMCD or DDP fileset. Surround Masters can be delivered on DVD or Hard-Drive. DTS 5.1 reference discs are provided to listen to your Mastered Surround mixes. Files for download can be provided as MP3, AAC or FLAC with IDv3 or IDv4 Tags if applicable.
Should you require high-resolution (Hi Sample Rate) PCM Stereo or Surround Mastered files, we can also supply these. Sample rates: 44.1khz/48Khz. 88.2Khz/96khz. 176khz/192khz.
High Quality Audio in Stereo & 5.1
Super Audio Mastering had a pioneering role in the development of Audio for high resolution formats in Stereo and Surround. Since the advent of Higher Resolution Audio in Stereo up to 192khz and 5.1 at up to 96khz, SAM has been Mastering a number of high profile Albums for DVD-A with DTS and Dolby Digital encoded audio. With the Sony Sonoma platform we are able to create high-resolution Stereo and Surround DSD (Direct Stream Digital) files. SAM also offers a DVD Authoring service for, DVD Video, DVD Audio, Pure Audio Blu-ray and SACD through our partner network, BK Audio and Opus Productions.
Surround Sound Mastering and Upmixing
As well as Mastering Surround mixes for all formats, we can also Upmix your Stereo material to 5.1 Surround Sound. We are able to implement Penteo Surround Upmixing and advanced TC System 6000 processing to extrapolate from Stereo an astonishingly realistic Surround Sound.
