09-17-2011, 12:16 AM
deckeda wrote:
But there's "mastering," and there's master tapes. The latter, as far as I'm aware, are suitable for mastering releases in whatever format. Master tapes utilize an EQ suitable for whatever Ampex/Scotch etc. tape and recorder was used, which doesn't have anything to do with with EQ done later for mastering for a particular format.
In other words LPs and CDs can be mastered (EQed, mixed and to some extent sequenced etc.) either "on the fly" or from another analog or digital copy made with those changes at leisure from the masters.
In other words the EQ for mastering comes aft of the master tapes, which simply represent the raw original recordings, pre EQ, pre mixdown.
I was referring to masters, not master tapes.
A special EQ curve is applied to a vinyl master to circumvent certain limitations associated with physically dragging a needle through a groove to reproduce sound. This is why a phono pre-amp is required for turntables; its purpose is to "undo" the vinyl master's EQ curve to provide the correct sound upon playback. Because CD players do not provide the pre-amp function, early CDs made from masters intended for the production of vinyl records sound wrong because they do not correct for the vinyl EQ curve.