EQ'ing, compression, limiting, stereo width enhancement, de-clicking, editing, track ordering, track level balancing, topping and tailing, mixing, fault finding and repairs, noise reduction or removal.


We use Pro Tools HD Accel and Waves TDM Diamond bundle (48 Bit) combined with high end analogue equipment by Manley and Avalon.


To provide Red Book CD-DA (with text), Blue Book CD-XA (dual platform) or vastly superior sounding MP3's for download sites.


All jobs are backed up and archived for future use and reference.

"Great mastering is about having great ears and all round musical sensitivity, Tim Turan has both" - Sam Williams (producer - Supergrass)

Mastering is the final creative process before duplication and manufacture. It can totally transform and enhance the sound of your music.


Mastering can involve EQ'ing, compression, limiting, stereo width enhancement, de-clicking, editing, track ordering, track level balancing, topping and tailing (cleaning up the starts and ends of tracks), mixing, fault finding and repairs, noise reduction or removal. In fact we can do just about anything it takes to render your project to the highest professional level.


What mastering can't do is fix bad performances or truly dreadful mixes and recordings, for example if a vocal is a little low in the mix, we can do something about that, if it's really low in the mix then you have to remix. A compressed mix does not allow headroom in which to master and will therefore not achieve it's maximum potential.


Although the mastering studio is equipped with the latest technology (a good balance of high end analogue and digital gear) it is the engineer, their listening skills and their experience that you are really paying for. If we leave faults on your master then you will have hundreds, or more usually thousands of perfect copies of those faults on your CD's, so, the mastering engineer has to be able to "see with their ears". We also have to know the equipment inside out.


If you've ever come out of the studio with a listening CDR of your project and compared it with bought CD's, there's usually a big disappointment. Why doesn't it sound as loud, or as beautiful or as clear as the CD from the shops? Well the reason is usually that your music hasn't been mastered yet. With very few exceptions, every CD you buy whether it's from a major label or not will have been mastered. this will account for the huge difference in volume for a start.


So essentially, mastering is the process of achieving the absolute optimum sound quality from the material the client arrives with. This can be anything from devotional choral music, to black metal, pop, east european folk ensembles, high nrg dance and trance, talking books or re-mastering major label back catalogues and anything else you can think of.


We then provide you with a production master that is fully coded, verified and ready for manufacture after your approval from listening copies.

After mixing an artist might decide to make further edits i.e. radio version, single version or album version. These cuts are made during the mastering session.


We can often save the day by removing clicks, pops, drop outs and other nasty artefacts caused by cheap sound cards, poorly maintained equipment, bad connections - you name it!


"I love what we did together, thank you for your time and talent." -
Paul Samwell-Smith (Cat Stevens producer, ex Yardbirds)

All our production master discs are PQ coded, Red Book CD-DA (text) or enhanced CD-XA blue book (containing audio and video or data). This is the official standard as laid down by Sony/Phillips (the inventors of the CD).


Other codes we burn into the disc are:


ISRC codes. These codes are used by the record label or artist and identify individual tracks, year of manufacture, owner codes etc.


CD text, which identifies track and performer.


Barcodes or UPC/EAN product codes.


All codes are burned into the disc in a separate area and do not interfere or affect the audio content in any way.

"I am so grateful for how you made my album sparkle" -
Angela Penhaligon (Piney Gir Country Roadshow)

Enhanced CDs (CDXA) usually contain "the music" and a separate session of data visible only to computers. This data might be video, jpegs, text etc.


We can format CDXA for both Mac and PC to Blue Book specification (multisession)

"Thanks again for your help and expertise Tim, it was really good to have you on board" - Brian Finnegan (Flook)

We accept a wide range of input formats, including:


  • Audio files (8-24 bit, sample rates up to 192 khz, and any file type. sdii, aiff, wav.bwf,quicktime, raw etc.)
  • CD
  • CDR audio
  • DVD
  • 1/4" tape (15 & 7.5 ips)
  • Minidisc
  • Vinyl (33 1/3, 45 & 78 rpm)
  • Cassette
  • CD-ROM
  • DAT
  • MP3's (if no other source is available)

For video content of CDXA please supply movie in MP4 or Quicktime format, for data content please supply JPEG and text. We have the facility to rip video data from most sources but this takes more time and therefore increases the charge.


Whatever format you supply please ensure all components are clearly labelled and delivered by secure means.

Restoration of original recordings which weren't given a fair crack of the whip when CD was first launched. Flat lifeless sounding CDs often sourced from the wrong masters were the order of the day.


We are now in a position to do these "classics" justice.


Good examples are: Eddie and the hot rods - "do anything you wanna do"; The Vapors - "Turning Japanese"; The Ramones; The Buzzcocks; the list reads like a Who's Who of punk.


"It was remastered by Tim Turan and he did a fantastic job! - he did a great job, Tim Turan did." - Don Powell (Slade)

MP3 is a low quality format but one that is increasingly requested. Not all MP3s are the same, if you're looking for small file size but are unwilling to compromise on quality you should be aware that we make superior sounding MP3s to upload to your web site or MP3 player.

Sample The Relationships - The Approach

"Another brilliant job" - Holly Barringer (Madness for Union Square)