Equipment List

Monitoring chain
• Lipinski L-707 loudspeakers
• Lipinski L-301 monoblock amps with PS Audio A/C cables
• PSB subwoofer
• Sennheiser HD600 with Cardas cable

Alternate "real-world" playback (accessible in 3 rooms)
• Sony BDV-E500W home theater system
• Sony SA50R S-AIR speaker system
• Bose QuietComfort 15 noise-cancelling headphones
• Apple in-ear headphones

Converters
• Benchmark DAC1 D/A (monitor controller)
• Cranesong 192 D/A/D
• RME AEB 4-I A/D
• RME 9652 HDSP D/D

Cabling
• DH Labs T-14 speaker cable
• DH Labs BL-1 balanced interconnects
• DH Labs Sub-Sonic II subwoofer cable
• DH Labs D75 coaxial digital cable
• DH Labs D75 wordclock digital cable
• DH Labs D110 AES/EBU digital cable
• Audioquest Optilink A fiber optic digital cable

Tube and tape hardware
• Cranesong HEDD (pentode/triode/tape)
• Neve Portico 5042 True Tape (tape drive circuitry@7.5/15ips)

Digital editors
• Steinberg Wavelab
• Adobe Audition
• Sony CD Architect
• Nero
• GEAR Pro Mastering Edition

Equalization
• Professional Sound Projects MasterQ
• Professional Sound Projects Neon HR (linear phase, M/S)
• Voxengo GlissEQ
• Waves Renaissance EQ and Linear Phase EQ

Dynamics
• Professional Sound Projects MasterComp
• Waves L2
• Voxengo Elephant limiter
• Professional Sound Projects Xenon limiter

Waves Plugins
• Platinum bundle
• Center

Restoration
• iZotope RX

Digital transports
• Panasonic SV-3700 DAT
• Plextor PlexWriter Premium CD burners (3)

Analog transports
• Sherwood DD-980-T (Dolby B/C/S & HX Pro)

Sample rate converters
• Voxengo R8Brain Pro
• Steinberg Crystal Resampler

Dither/ noise shaping
• POW-R
• Apogee UV22 HR
• Waves IDR
• Cranesong Analog Dither

Metering
• RME Digicheck
• X-ISM Inter-sampling Meter

Disc verification
• PlexTools Professional XL

Room Calibration
• Phonic PAA2

Misc.
• All equipment connected through APC Back-UPS 350 surge protectors with battery backup.

The Room

A balanced, neutral listening environment is the critical element that guarantees your mastered mixes translate successfully in the "outside" world. Attaining it is not easy.

For that reason, we utilized the expertise of noted acoustician George Augspurger, whose professional acoustic design credits include Marcussen Mastering, Sony Mastering NYC, Sunset Sound Los Angeles, Electric Ladyland NYC, A&M Mastering Hollywood, Deluxe Mastering, and more.

George worked closely with us to develop a game plan for optimizing ZenMastering's listening environment, culminating in a visit to our studio for a sonic fine-tuning session.