Quote from Roger Nichols in EQ Magazine 12-95
In case you haven't noticed, there are more and more ads every month for time available at project studios and mastering services for pretty low rates. These places may do a good job, but just because they can afford a Sound Tools system and a CD-R recorder, doesn't mean they know what to do with it. There is a reason why people like Bob Ludwig, Bernie Grundman, Doug Sax, Scott Hull, Greg Calbi and other mastering engineers have achieved the reputation they have. It is because they have good ears and can tell what needs to be done to the product before it goes to CD production, not just because they could afford to buy the equipment. When you select a place to do your recording, mixing or mastering, find a place that has the right person at the helm. A talented engineer can do wonders with marginal equipment, but the best equipment in the world won't help the engineer who doesn't have a clue.
If you are going to a project studio or "project mastering" facility get a list of previous clients and talk to them. Just because there is a famous name on the client list doesn't mean that they did a good job. Maybe the artist threw it away and went somewhere else. Or, maybe they were perfectly happy with the results. You have to make some phone calls.
