Feature - Electric Mastering & the SPL PQ

A Constant Q for Electric Mastering

July '08

By Dave West

Being the self confessed gear junkie that I am, and after more years than I would care to count, I still get an enormous buzz from visiting any studio of any shape or size. On entering a control room, my eyes can’t help but scan the console, racks and shelves to see if there is anything of particular interest, and to see if any of the gear is being used in an unusual way. So, when I heard that “Electric Mastering”, based at Westbourne Studios in West London, had bought an SPL PQ, I grabbed my camera and headed for the A40.

In only a couple of years, Electric Mastering have become one of the UK’s leading mastering facilities, and after a quick “gear scan” it became obvious as to why. Along with some handpicked, high end dynamics, their spacious room is based around one of the few remaining EMI TG mastering consoles. The console which was tracked down by Funky Junk, comprises of EMI TG1 2412 equalizers, EMI TG1 2413 compressors and the EMI TG1 2414 hi/lo pass filters. And at the console’s helm are two of the UK’s most experienced mastering engineers, Guy Davie and Mandy Parnell.

"When I heard it I said ... Wow, even in bypass
this is doing something good to the sound”

Guy recently joined Electric Mastering after 18 years at “The Exchange” and was responsible for initiating the purchase of the SPL PQ.

Guy told me why he decided that he had to have the PQ...... “ Some years ago, I had read an interesting article about Darcy Proper at Galaxy mastering who had based their studio around an SPL MMC1 and were also using SPL PQs, so, I arranged to get a demo on the PQ. When I heard it I said “Wow, even in bypass this is doing something good to the sound”. It sounded open and energetic. I always say to people that with the EQ in, the PQ sounds assertive and confident; I just hadn’t heard anything like it. Even with the Sontec, I couldn’t get the same sort of presence.”

I asked Guy if the PQ was particularly suited to certain genres of music..... “No - at The Exchange I used it on everything, with very, very positive response from clients. In fact I had one client who named the PQ the “Love Box”. When he called to book his second session he asked “you will have the Love Box there won’t you?”. So obviously, when I came here (Electric Mastering) in February (2008), I said that I wanted a PQ for this room, and as soon as it went in I noticed the difference.”

As with their console, the SPL PQ was supplied by the guys at Funky Junk, who as well as being an authorised SPL dealer, have a wealth of experience when it comes to analogue toys.

To find out more about Electric Mastering, you can visit their website, at www.electricmastering.com, or call them on +44 (0)20 7524 7557.