Re: [ARSCLIST] 0.1 dB

[Bob Olhsson <olh@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard L. Hess" <arclists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>While not disagreeing with your premise, I have seen 1970s mastering 
>notes shoved into the tape box that had 0.1 dB step attenuator 
>settings on mastering equalizers. I suspect in those days they were 
>made with Daven step-attenuator (or similar) controls.

I should step up and say that I was the mastering engineer involved in Lou's project. Lots more was undoubtedly changing than simply a tenth of a dB.

There are very few devices or software routines that only change the parameters on the front dial while leaving every other aspect alone. In fact it's rare for the frequencies and gain settings to be all that exact including variations from unit to unit with hardware devices.

In this case, I heard a tiny change of the sort where I generally avoid introducing a signal processor. This was why we did a quick informal blind test. When I couldn't fool any of us in five or six tries, I accepted that she was hearing something we probably ought to go with.

-- 
Bob Olhsson Audio Mastery, Nashville TN
Mastering, Audio for Picture, Mix Evaluation and Quality Control
Over 40 years making people sound better than they ever imagined!
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