MARK LEVINSON’S STUDIO IN VENICE
A Note on Audio Mastering
Very few recordings sound natural when made directly from the microphones with no adjustments. Many factors such as room acoustics can alter the sound. The final sonic quality of a recording is done in the mastering studio, the last step of the recording process. In order to make the right adjustments, the mastering engineer depends on the amplifiers and speakers to “tell the truth.” The fact is that many mastering systems introduce effects of their own, which interfere with the mastering process.
The Legend of La Fenice was personally mastered by Mark Levinson on the Daniel Hertz M1 Reference System built by Daniel Hertz SA of Switzerland (
www.danielhertz.com). Designed by Mark Levinson, The M1 system faithfully reproduces exactly what is on the recording. Adjustments are made until the sound coming from the speakers is virtually identical to the original instruments and voices from a wide variety of repertoire. The human ear is the final judge of accuracy.
- Mark Levinson