I’ve always want to talk about the Maximizing the Mix Level by engineer and MIXERS.

When the digital headroom Gain were set to 96dB with maximum of 24 bit.
As high as 192K of sampling rate which made all the artist/producer/engineer agreed to “WHY NOT USE THEM ALL!”
Anybody who were shy,not use all the levels and bits given by digital GOD,stamped as”Amateur~ Non Professional”
In 16 bit/44.1K SONY PHILIPS standard were made for Compact Disk Audio Format.
All the mastering engineer made the bloody war between them who can obtain and keep the original MIX and frame it to the Gold or Platinum for the clients of their own.
such as major record company at highest/Maximized level (In another words, louder than every one els)
Soon or later there were so many plug-ins and the hardware focused for the level maximization for Digital Audio Workstation become available for anybody.

My story begin with Maximizing Level started when the designated format become ALL digital standard. such as DAT,PCM 9000 or Pro-Tools 192K/24 bit Internally.
Mixing the music to good old 1/2″ analogue tape become no difference making a mix to Hi-end TASCAM cassette Deck as almost masturbation these day.
One day, One of the client came to me said, ” how come our mix isn’t louder then One I listen to the Another Artist of (finished/Released) CD?
there is no comp-arson. even if you and honest mixer/engineer who spent so many hours of efforts working to the mix searched for every bits of detail, the louder level was everything. (If your mix is 6dB lower than who was compare to, you are instant looser. even if your music was beautiful than one was compared to)

I started to use TC ELECTRONICS FINALIZER PLUS back in 1998 and I liked the result. (In true words, public loved the sounds and the level)
Instantly, the HIT were made. such as 800,000 copies.
from that point on, I didn’t have to rely or question to how my mix will be handled by Mastering Engineer anymore.
My Final Mix with the artist/producer who I mixed with, become Instant result to the public. (i.e. their Girlfriends, Boyfriends… Father and mothers etc….)
Since then, I never received no more complain about the MIX level were low.

Now The TC Finalizer become workhorse of 90’s through out in to the early century. the dynamic range and spectrum become narrow and thin, boxy sounding.
It was time to hit the road and I have to look for the new device do the same job or even greater.

There are few candidate I can use and I respect the philosophy behinds the technologies that I admire.
Will write more in next post.

So! keep me Posted.