Dangerous Music MASTER Mastering Transfer Console

$3,534.29

GTIN: 628586496903 SKU: 628586496903 Category: Tags: , ,

Description

Dangerous Music’s MASTER brings the amazing analog sound and functionality of previous Dangerous boxes to the mastering world with a truly unique approach that will give your projects an edge over your competitors. Three insert points are front-panel switchable for integrating external analog processing and there’s something special lurking behind the S&M Width knob. With the S&M button depressed, MASTER engages a “Sum or Minus” mode that controls the stereo spread and much more. Every mastering engineer that incorporates outboard gear into their rig needs a MASTER!

Powerful processing at your fingertips

There’s truly nothing quite like MASTER. The S&M functionality adds a remarkable element to your mastering arsenal. Imagine being able to modify the frequency content of the program material residing in the left/right aspects of the stereo field without changing the spectrum of the center material. With MASTER, you can. Hit the S&M button, activate insert #2 with a stereo EQ connected, and you can work wonders with the sound. Say the vocals (panned center) sound fine in the mix, but you’d like to brighten the guitars and cymbals a bit (which reside in the left and right panning positions). S&M removes the center material temporarily so you can process the extreme left and right signals without coloring the center material. The S&M Width knob can also modify the width of the overall stereo field. The engineers here at Sweetwater love the flexibility of the MASTER!

A plethora of useful controls

From left to right, you’ve got L/R Level controls, three buttons that trigger the insertion of outboard gear in the signal path, a button that individually selects which inputs are being processed, a button that triggers Stereo or Middle Sides mode on insert 2, and a button that selects whether the Monitor Output jacks have the Input or Output signal sent to the monitor section. Next up is the Input Monitor Offset. This is very handy to match the input and output levels to listen to the effect of processing without the level difference clouding one’s judgment. The engineer can also match input and output level, look down at the scale, and determine the relative gain obtained from the mastering process. This control has a scale of -2 to +8dB in 0.5 dB steps. The S&M Width was covered in depth in the previous paragraph. Lastly, the Output level control dictates the final level that passed on to the A/D convertor.

What the pros are saying about the MASTER:

  • “I’ve never mastered a song without a Dangerous MASTER! And I can’t imagine it. With the S&M feature on the MASTER, you can really fix some problems in mixes, and address balance issues… Comparing it to Mid-Side processors in the digital realm I just think it’s a ‘Day and Night’ difference.” — Colin Leonard (Mastering Engineer)
  • “I’m a huge fan of the Dangerous MASTER’s S&M circuitry. It always seems to add an elegant width and depth to the mix. The Dangerous gear has certainly created an advantage. Another reason we have been able to establish ourselves in a highly competitive field is that aside from the gear sounding great…our Dangerous gear has been truly steady and stable.” — Emily Lazar (Mastering Engineer)
  • “I can’t say enough about the quality components and sonic integrity…it doesn’t get much better than this. I could hear the difference between AD/DA converters…choosing between them…for each session…has become effortless. I cannot imagine working without the Dangerous MASTER.” — Larry DiVivo (TapeOp Magazine)
  • “Dangerous Music really got it right with the Dangerous MASTER.” — Andrew Mendelson (Mix Magazine)
  • “I love all the Dangerous Music equipment. I use the MONITOR ST, the MASTER, and two 2-BUS LTs for my mixing and stem-mastering.” — Noël Jackson (Mastering Engineer)
  • “The Dangerous MASTER immediately made a huge improvement in the quality of my work. I think it’s the cleanest sounding solution available.” — Dave McNair (Mastering Engineer)

Dangerous Music MASTER Features:

  • Audiophile-grade components yield crystal-clear sound
  • 3 insert points are front-panel switchable for integrating external analog processing
  • S&M button provides you with integrated Mid-Side processing
  • S&M Width knob modifies the width of your overall stereo field
  • Stepped controls ensure easy repeatability
  • 2 stereo inputs and 3 stereo outputs (1 for monitoring)
  • Seamless connection with the Dangerous Liaison

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Description
ContentDangerous Music's MASTER brings the amazing analog sound and functionality of previous Dangerous boxes to the mastering world with a truly unique approach that will give your projects an edge over your competitors. Three insert points are front-panel switchable for integrating external analog processing and there's something special lurking behind the S&M Width knob. With the S&M button depressed, MASTER engages a "Sum or Minus" mode that controls the stereo spread and much more. Every mastering engineer that incorporates outboard gear into their rig needs a MASTER!

Powerful processing at your fingertips

There's truly nothing quite like MASTER. The S&M functionality adds a remarkable element to your mastering arsenal. Imagine being able to modify the frequency content of the program material residing in the left/right aspects of the stereo field without changing the spectrum of the center material. With MASTER, you can. Hit the S&M button, activate insert #2 with a stereo EQ connected, and you can work wonders with the sound. Say the vocals (panned center) sound fine in the mix, but you'd like to brighten the guitars and cymbals a bit (which reside in the left and right panning positions). S&M removes the center material temporarily so you can process the extreme left and right signals without coloring the center material. The S&M Width knob can also modify the width of the overall stereo field. The engineers here at Sweetwater love the flexibility of the MASTER!

A plethora of useful controls

From left to right, you've got L/R Level controls, three buttons that trigger the insertion of outboard gear in the signal path, a button that individually selects which inputs are being processed, a button that triggers Stereo or Middle Sides mode on insert 2, and a button that selects whether the Monitor Output jacks have the Input or Output signal sent to the monitor section. Next up is the Input Monitor Offset. This is very handy to match the input and output levels to listen to the effect of processing without the level difference clouding one's judgment. The engineer can also match input and output level, look down at the scale, and determine the relative gain obtained from the mastering process. This control has a scale of -2 to +8dB in 0.5 dB steps. The S&M Width was covered in depth in the previous paragraph. Lastly, the Output level control dictates the final level that passed on to the A/D convertor.

What the pros are saying about the MASTER:

  • "I've never mastered a song without a Dangerous MASTER! And I can't imagine it. With the S&M feature on the MASTER, you can really fix some problems in mixes, and address balance issues... Comparing it to Mid-Side processors in the digital realm I just think it's a 'Day and Night' difference." — Colin Leonard (Mastering Engineer)
  • "I'm a huge fan of the Dangerous MASTER's S&M circuitry. It always seems to add an elegant width and depth to the mix. The Dangerous gear has certainly created an advantage. Another reason we have been able to establish ourselves in a highly competitive field is that aside from the gear sounding great...our Dangerous gear has been truly steady and stable." — Emily Lazar (Mastering Engineer)
  • "I can't say enough about the quality components and sonic integrity...it doesn't get much better than this. I could hear the difference between AD/DA converters...choosing between them...for each session...has become effortless. I cannot imagine working without the Dangerous MASTER." — Larry DiVivo (TapeOp Magazine)
  • "Dangerous Music really got it right with the Dangerous MASTER." — Andrew Mendelson (Mix Magazine)
  • "I love all the Dangerous Music equipment. I use the MONITOR ST, the MASTER, and two 2-BUS LTs for my mixing and stem-mastering." — Noël Jackson (Mastering Engineer)
  • "The Dangerous MASTER immediately made a huge improvement in the quality of my work. I think it's the cleanest sounding solution available." — Dave McNair (Mastering Engineer)

Dangerous Music MASTER Features:

  • Audiophile-grade components yield crystal-clear sound
  • 3 insert points are front-panel switchable for integrating external analog processing
  • S&M button provides you with integrated Mid-Side processing
  • S&M Width knob modifies the width of your overall stereo field
  • Stepped controls ensure easy repeatability
  • 2 stereo inputs and 3 stereo outputs (1 for monitoring)
  • Seamless connection with the Dangerous Liaison
UF8 is SSL’s latest studio controller, designed for today’s DAW-based production workflows and ultrafast turn-around times. An expandable 8-channel advanced DAW controller, UF8 connects engineers, producers and artists directly to the creative process, offering absolute command of their workflow and significantly accelerating the speed of audio production and content creation. UF8 is the culmination of SSL’s 40+ year legacy of mastering production workflows and studio ergonomics built into generations of classic SSL consoles. This depth of understanding of studio production, combined with decades of engineering excellence, delivers a premium finish tactile USB controller that distills SSL workflow and quality.The Ultimate Desktop Mixer Legendary SSL studio tools redefined and streamlined To the casual observer SiX looks like any other compact desktop mixer. Look a little closer and like all SSL consoles, SiX reveals a carefully considered feature set that is driven by an obsessive desire for total flexibility, to encompass every creative eventuality. It may be small but SiX is a classic SSL design. It carries the DNA of 40 years of true expertise in creative studio workflow. Listen to SiX and you will experience the impeccable sonic performance that is the hallmark of every SSL console. It is powerful and intuitive. Inspired and rewarding. SiX is a condensed professional console for use in the studio, in post-production, on stage, and for podcasting. SiX offers big console sound and an impressive set of utility features in a format that is small enough to stick in a bag a go wherever you need it. SiX is stunning value; it offers two recording channels with SuperAnalogueTM mic pres, two band EQ, an essential one knob version of the classic SSL Channel Compressor, a new two-band Channel EQ, inserts and 100mm faders. There is a two-knob version of the legendary G-Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus and the unique Listen Mic Compressor on the Talkback. In mixdown mode it is a very capable twelve channel summing system that offers analogue detail, depth and width to your mixes. The SuperAnalogue™ Sound of SSL SiX is an SSL SuperAnalogue™ design – it gives you the sonic signature of a large format SSL console on your desktop or in your backpack. Its signal path is fully balanced from front to back on everything except the headphone output. It delivers pristine, detailed audio with wide dynamic range, ultra-low noise, ultra-low distortion and superb imaging. If you want to know more about the technical reasons why SSL mixers sound so good read our  document. Two Recording Channels SiX has two mono channels with SSL SuperAnalogue™ Mic’ Pre’s; these are transparent, fast and have a much wider available gain range than you would typically get on a compact desktop mixer – 66dB of gain compared to the more typical mid-40s or 50dB found in desktop mixers. They have phantom power, 75Hz high pass filter and an independent line-level input which can be switched to instrument level input with high impedance. Moving down the channel strip we have a brand-new one knob compressor circuit. This design is based on and has the same sound as the classic SSL feed-forward Channel Compressor circuit. It has a program-dependent attack time, a fixed release time and fixed ratio. Simply adjust the threshold, watch the traffic lights flash to see how much compression is happening and rely on the circuit to automatically adjust gain to match input levels. This is a cool-sounding circuit that makes it simple to dial in a consistent level and get signals sitting right in the sweet spot. Both mono channels have a new two-band SSL EQ that may be independently switched between shelf and bell curves, with different centre frequencies for each type. This approach draws upon the SSL design legacy of specifying response curves and centre frequencies for channel EQ that are immediately intuitively pleasing in their response; these curves and frequencies were selected by our team as the most “musically useful” for a wide range of sources. SiX has 100mm faders. We spent some time working on alternate fader tapers and settled on a law that gave us the most control over the most useable gain range, making on-stage level control far easier than it would be with a rotary or a 60mm fader as found on other compact mixers. Each channel has a fully balanced insert point for integrating other signal processors which is after the EQ and Compressor circuits, and like all SSLs the insert send is always active – meaning you can use this as a “dry” record send to your DAW if required. At the bottom of the mono channels we have an ALTernate input switch which can source 2 extra mono channels from a connector on the rear of the console which can be used at mixdown. Line Level Heaven SiX has two stereo input channels with -10/+20 dB trim for line sources such as synthesisers, drum machines, output from soundcards etc. These have their own balance controls and 100mm faders. If only the Left input of a stereo channel is connected (and the right left free) the channel will automatically switch to mono, panned centre. While SiX might be small it can handle a lot of inputs at mix-down! Using the two mono input and the two stereo input channels gives SiX its name, but we also have two stereo EXTernal inputs (with volume controls in the master section) which can be sent to the mix bus. Include the ALT inputs and we have up to 12 channels that can be summed into the main mix bus. Master Bus Magic SiX has a G Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus. This uses the same circuit design as the legendary SSL Bus Compressor from our larger consoles but with a fixed ratio, attack, and release settings and a more modern quad-VCA chip. The simplified controls make it very easy to get that SSL glue and snap on whatever you push through your master bus. SiX also has a set of inserts on the main mix bus that can be used to bring external processing tools (like SSL Fusion) to your mixdown. Routing Pro SiX has a collection of professional routing & monitoring features taken directly from our large format console heritage. It has two Stereo Cue buses (with level and pan controls) for individual artist foldback mixes. The Master Section has main and alternate monitor outputs with a proper monitor source matrix, as well as mono check, dim and cut. The fader channels all have proper PFL and a Mute button that routes the muted signal to a ‘Bus B’. Bus B can be used as a convenient DAW record send but it can also be routed to the monitor matrix. This means that the muted signal can be monitored without it feeding the main mix bus and then switched in to the main mix with the Mute button – perfect for live webcasting because a remote feed can be monitored ‘offline’ and punched in to the broadcast feed. There is a talkback mic’ input with phantom power and SSL’s unique, crunchy Listen Mic Compressor, which of course also serves as a unique processing tool that delivers that classic 1980’s slammed drums sound. Key Features: A fully professional condensed console for use in the studio, in post-production, on stage, and for podcasting. Benchmark SuperAnalogue™ audio performance Ultra low noise : ultra-low distortion : pristine sound Stunning Record Path Two SSL console grade SuperAnalogue mic pre’s Classic SSL Channel Processing Essential versions of SSL Channel EQ and Dynamics The unique Listen Mic Compressor Nothing slams drums quite like it! Professional Routing & Monitoring The hidden versatility of truly professional features 12 Input Summing at Mixdown 12 line level inputs with channel and Master Bus inserts Legendary Master Bus Compressor An essential version of the incredible SSL legacy Completely balanced signal path Everything except the headphone jack is fully balancedAn 8-channel stereo summing mixer with 12AX7 tubes for sonic excitement, the Radial Space Heater can add incredible depth and harmonic richness to your tracks. Recording engineers at Sweetwater know that summing in the analog domain, as opposed to within your DAW, is a great way to get that big-console sound. The Space Heater's variable tube overdrive allows you to add everything from subtle transformer warmth to rich harmonic distortion. From gluing individual drum tracks into a cohesive kit to mixing down your final stems, the Radial Space Heater will add a great sound to your productions.

Tubes and transformers are just what your digital tracks need

No matter how well you record your tracks, or how you approach your mixes in your DAW, it's hard to beat the undeniably rich and deep sound that summing in the analog domain is known for. Instead of investing in a large analog console, a summing mixer like the Radial Space Heater is the perfect match for DAW-based studios. The transformer-coupled outputs add a touch of warmth, and variable tube overdrive is perfect for adding sparkle to vocals, depth to acoustic instruments, and even full-on distortion for extreme effects. Send your stems through the Space Heater, record the stereo mix back into your DAW, and you'll be impressed with the results.

Variable voltage for fine-tuning the tube sound

The Radial Space Heater not only gives you variable tube overdrive for each stereo input pair, but it also allows you to switch between 35-volt, 70-volt, and 140-volt operation. Use the 35-volt setting for maximum grit and distortion, or switch over to 70 volts for cleaner headroom and a smoother sound. When you want the cleanest headroom, switch over to 140 volts. You can adjust the voltage for each stereo input pair individually, which means you can add gritty overdrive to rock vocals while giving bass and drums tons of clean headroom for a deep, punchy sound.

Two useful studio tools in one

One look at the back panel tells you that the Radial Space Heater is ready to be a studio workhorse. Each of the eight channels can be set up as a hardware insert, which means you can send individual tracks through the Space Heater to add tube saturation and transformer warmth. Once your individual tracks are perfect and you're ready to sum your final mix, run your stems through the Space Heater and record the final stereo mix to your DAW. The Space Heater is effectively a smart combination of four outstanding tube/transformer modules plus an analog mixer.

Radial Space Heater 8-channel Tube Summing Mixer Features:

  • Stereo summing mixer for adding warmth, depth, and harmonic richness
  • A 12AX7 tube for each input pair lets you add anything from subtle sparkle to full-on distortion
  • Transformer-coupled outputs add a touch of character while maintaining a high-quality, low-noise signal
  • 3 adjustable voltage modes (35-volt/70-volt/140-volt) allow you to adjust how much clean headroom you have before distortion begins
  • Use it as an analog summing mixer or as 4 individual tube saturation/transformer warmth modules
  • Multiple units can be linked for higher channel count
The Dangerous Music 2-BUS+ is a 2U, 16-channel analog summing mixer with both XLR and D-sub inputs. It raises the bar on its legendary 2-BUS predecessor with even lower crosstalk, distortion, and noise-floor performance, along with stunningly precise soundstaging and center focus. Dangerous spent over two years developing three onboard audio processors that, with a simple push of a button and twist of a knob, add tone and color to your stems or across your entire mix directly from the 2-BUS+. The 2-BUS+ is smartly designed, extremely useful, and sounds incredible.

A trio of custom audio processors

In sync with Dangerous Music's doctrine of tonal coloration as a per-project artistic choice, the 2-BUS+ features three separate custom audio processors that selectively add tone and color to your mixes. In parallel processing mode, you can deploy Harmonics, a tuned harmonic distortion generator, and Paralimit, a FET limiter on steroids. At Sweetwater, we've applied both of these across stereo mixes and on pairs of stems. X-Former kicks in a pair of custom transformers with core-saturation control on your stereo mix outs. You can have all three tone processors active concurrently, and you can flip the order of signal flow through distortion and limiting.

Outstanding flexibility

Dangerous Music knows that each engineer — and session — is unique, so they designed the 2-BUS+ for outstanding professional flexibility. They spec'd it with an XLR stereo insert before the outputs for adding a separate compressor or processing chain that you can bypass at the touch of a button for a quick reference comparison. Channels 1/2 and 9/10 can be set to mono to rout; for instance, vocals/bass and kick/snare each to its own mono input. They also gave the 2-BUS+ an output control stepped in 0.5dB increments from -4dB to +6dB, and included XLR connections for both the main and monitor outputs.

Gang 'em for high channel count

Need a full-on analog "console" summing experience? Gang together multiple 2-BUS+ units via the stereo expansion inputs XLR to create a customized channel count. For the ultimate in tonal flexibility and control, the custom audio processors on each unit apply across the ganged group output. With three units, for instance, you'll have 48 channels of analog summing, with the first two units employing Harmonics (distortion), and Paralimit (limiter) across two separate stereo stems, and the third unit applying X-Former transformer saturation on the master stereo outputs.

What the pros are saying about the 2-BUS+:

  • "The Paralimit and X-Former appear to be magic knobs. Special mention goes to the Paralimit because it does that lovely thing of bringing up the general ambience without slamming the track, something I particularly love on drums. Plugged it into my system along with my old 2-BUS and Dangerous MONITOR ST, and wow ... it's fantastic! Bags of air and space around the mix." — Chris Blackwell (drummer/composer)
  • "Since the 2-BUS has so much headroom, it's really easy for me to decide that I want the entire vocal submix to be brighter or warmer, or more or less compressed." — Michael James (producer/mix engineer)
  • "The Dangerous Music 2-BUS is one of the reasons my studio delivers a killer sound that grants the edge on the competition." — Alberto Rizzo Schettino (engineer)
  • "Between SSL, in-the-box, and 2-BUS ... in blind tests ... it was a unanimous decision that the Dangerous mixes beat out everything. The 2-BUS mixes ... were simply cleaner and warmer than the SSL or in-the-box mixing ... I just don't miss my console." — Gina Fant-Saez (mix engineer)
  • "With the 2-BUS LT, elements have their own place. You end up with a quicker, bigger mix and retain a more natural, less processed sound." — Phil Greiss (producer/engineer)
  • "The Dangerous Music equipment is the centerpiece of my mixing rig. Everything I do goes through a Dangerous MONITOR, 2-BUS, MASTER, and BAX EQ. Everything." — Fab Dupont (mix engineer)
  • "I don't understand how the 2-BUS has been in the studio for so long, but hasn't gotten to live shows — the sound is unbelievable." — Horace Ward (FOH engineer)
  • "The harmonic and transformer flavors are great options to have and the parallel limiter is a genius idea." — Chris Tabron (producer/mix engineer)

Dangerous Music 2-BUS+ Analog Summing Mixer Features:

  • Stunning 16-channel analog summing mixer injects your mixes with exceptional headroom and dimensionality
  • 3 analog options (Harmonics, Paralimit, and X-Former) for adding tonal coloration to your mix
  • XLR and D-sub input connectivity and flexible routing allow for a customized workflow
  • Integrate your outboard gear easily with the switchable stereo analog insert
  • Output control is stepped in 0.5dB increments for perfect recallability
  • High-quality components ensure audiophile-grade sound
Add the undeniably vibrant sound of analog summing to your DAW with the SPL MixDream XP 16 x 2 analog summing mixer. Take one of your past projects and mix it through the MixDream XP and you'll hear more depth, enhanced stereo imaging, and noticeably punchier dynamic impact. The Class A design and 60-volt rails in the MixDream XP provide amazing headroom and ultra-low noise, rivaling the sound of full-featured analog consoles. Once you've got your submixes sounding just right, Sweetwater can highly recommend the SPL MixDream XP summing mixer to take your mix over the top. SPL MixDream XP 16 x 2 Summing Mixer at a Glance:
  • Deeper, wider mixes from analog summing
  • Premium analog design for top-notch sound
  • Expandable for higher channel counts
Deeper, wider mixes from analog summing While the debate over analog vs. digital summing is not new, most engineers agree that summing your mix through high-quality analog gear sounds awesome. Compared to the exact same mix summed in your DAW, you'll notice that the SPL MixDream XP sums your mix with greater depth and enhanced stereo definition, with an undeniably vibrant quality. Premium analog design for top-notch sound SPL designed the MixDream XP summing mixer with 60-volt rails for an outstanding 125dB dynamic range, with a very low noise floor too.The discrete Class A topology was designed to give you essentially the same sound as a high-end mixing console, in a convenient rackmount form factor. Expandable for higher channel counts Need more than 16 channels of analog summing? It's easy to expand your summing capabilities with additional MixDream XPs. Just use the expansion inputs to daisy-chain your MixDream XPs, or even mix and match with SPL MixDream model 2384 summing mixers. SPL MixDream XP 16 x 2 Summing Mixer Features:
  • 16-in, 2-out analog summing mixer
  • Amazing dynamic range and ultra low noise, thanks to discrete Class A design and 60-volt rails
  • Multiple units can be linked for surround operation
  • Allows you to achieve an analog vibe that's difficult to create with plug-ins
  • Ideal for mixing and mastering applications
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