On September 16, 2003, Columbia/Legacy will release 15 classicalbums by Bob Dylan in the Hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) format.Sterling Sound’s Greg Calbi mastered all of these discs, with fivetitles being mastered in 5.1 surround by Sterling Sound’s GeorgeMarino.
Calbi worked from a variety of master tape formats, dating from 1962to today. Working from these analog masters, the whole of the Dylanproject remained in the analog domain. “The analog signal processing inmy room is ideally suited for SACD. It does a great job of taking theanalog signal and transferring it into the best digital data that’savailable,” said Calbi. “The low end and all of the rhythmicelements are working in such a way that the combination provides a muchmore musical experience.”
Recently, some new features were added to Calbi’s room, includingcomplete new console wiring (featuring Wireworld cables), all tubesignal processing and a new patchbay to minimize signal path. “Thosethree elements created an immediacy of the sound on the Dylan projectthat just blew away anything that existed on the market before,” saidCalbi. “On all of the releases, the vocal quality, clarity andexpressiveness is much more intimate than it ever has been. Peopleare really going to hear things in [Dylan’s] vocal that they have neverheard before. SACD is much a marked improvement over the PCM Digital,in terms of smoothness, clarity and fullness. It is a much morepleasurable and satisfying experience that has made me a completebeliever in SACD.”
Earlier this year, Sterling Sound completed the development of acustom analog surround mastering suite for George Marino, which giveshim the ability to master multichannel audio for DVD-A, DVD-V and SACDformats. “You have to create proper balance and imaging so thatthe audience will appreciate the desired effect,” saidMarino. “This way, they can experience something refreshing anddifferent from what they’re used to in the stereo environment.” Marinoworked mainly from brand-new multitrack mixes by mix engineers MichaelBrauer and Chris Shaw, along with senior VP of A&R at Sony Legacy,Steve Berkowitz. “It was a pleasure to work from the Dylan mixesbrought in by Michael, Chris and Steve,” said Marino. “They arefaithful to the original 2-track stereo mixes while adding a whole newelement that Dylan fans will find very interesting.”
Bob Dylan albums that have been recently mastered include TheFreewheelin’ Bob Dylan, Another Side of Bob Dylan,Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited,Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, NashvilleSkyline, Planet Waves, Blood on the Tracks,Desire, Slow Train Coming, Infidels, OhMercy, Street-Legal and Love and Theft. Marinohas mastered the following titles in 5.1 surround: Blonde onBlonde, Love and Theft, Slow Train Coming,Bringing It All Back Home and Another Side of BobDylan.
For more, visit www.sterling-sound.com.
