Analog mastering is one of the best kept secrets of top producers now. Since most everything is mixed in the digital realm, highend mixing engineers will do what’s called analog mastering. What happens is the digital recording is converted into an analog signal so it can be mastered through original analog processors, though a lot of times it is also recorded to an analog two-track machine to get the richness that original analog tape gives to the sound. It also takes the edge away from purely digital recordings, and can even out the low end giving the low frequencies that rich analog sound.
There are pros and cons but the advantages are worth it. Analog CD mastering can cost a little more than traditional all digital mastering, as it takes additional time and there are additional costs for the analog tape, but for important projects, it can be the last step in accomplishing the top sound quality for the project. The reason for this is digital recordings can seem cold to many people because regardless of how loud the sound gets, digital always gives you accurate yet flat reproduction. Analog tape, however, saturates as the DB increases in level, so heigh end peaks are smoothed over rather than clipped, which becomes a warm, fat signal as the harmonics are balanced out. It is a modified signal from the original which the human ear finds very pleasing. In addition, a hotter input signal will create a exaggerated difference. As the highs soften up first, this means that as the signal goes up, the highs naturally soften up a bit, creating a less harsh, much better recording. This is the beauty of layback mastering.
There are different mastering studios around the country that have the equipment to do analog mastering, however, it also requires you have an engineer with the track record to get the best results possible with the studio. I have tested out a few mastering studios and one of best quality is www.stevethomasmastering.com. He is a top CD mastering engineer, yet he also has done 1000s of albums as a recording engineer as well. In addition, his expertise is similar to some of the most expensive mastering houses in the United States. If you already have someone you are working with there’s nothing wrong with that. But, I would really encourage you to check him out.
