This month we will look at a new release of recordings made in the late 1960s.  The session is from the time that Johnny Cash visited Bob Dylan and they recorded a number of songs.  The technology is certainly dated but we will look at how well it was mastered and presented to us in 2019.

The numbers for the song we will look at (Just A Closer Walk With Thee) are as follows...

LKFS/LUFS                       -21.5 dB
Clipped Samples Left            0
Clipped Samples Right          0
DC Offset                       +0.000%, 0.000%
Dynamic Range                9.1 dB
RMS Level Left              -20.51 dB
RMS Level Right            -21.50 dB

The first thing you notice is that the LUFS level is -21.5, which is what most vinyl records were at the time that these recordings were made.   The true peak maximum is -4.6, so they could have raised the entire level up by about 3.6 dB without altering any waveforms.  This would result in an overall level of -17.9 dB.  It is very unusual to err to the low side of -16 dB, but -16 dB would have been very possible with this material. 

Of course at that level there are no clipped samples and also the DC offset is a rare perfect 0.  The dynamic range is good at 9.1 dB and the level difference shows us that the left channel is 1 dB louder than the right.  Overall it is a good representation of how it would have sounded on equipment at the  time it was recorded in the late 1960s.  The fact that the mastering engineer resisted the temptation to slam the material as we are accustomed to seeing is a very encouraging sign.  

This will end our monthly look at new releases.   There is more than enough material in these blogs to see what the modern state of mastering is like.  The vast majority of entries reveal a profound lack of finesse by the majority of successful mastering engineers.  The entries for October and December are encouraging signs that there are still some out there who care about doing a good job.   We started doing this in March of 2015 and for nearly 5 years have chronicled the state of the audio mastering world.   We hope that those of you who have followed along have learned something.   

The new release this month that is generating the most interest is Kanye West's 'Jesus is King'.  The title alone is interesting, as well as true.  We are here to look at the mastering and that unfortunately is not as exciting.  Here are the numbers...

LKFS/LUFS                       -7.1 dB
Clipped Samples Left         3406
Clipped Samples Right       5384
DC Offset                       +0.436%, -0.052%
Dynamic Range                1.4 dB
RMS Level Left              -4.82 dB
RMS Level Right            -4.52 dB

By now, you know how bad some of these numbers are, but as an example, I will show you a close-up of the waveform, which is the ugliest I have seen in a long time.  Yet another mastering engineer who does not know what he is doing.  All the best to Kanye, and hopefully this is a new direction and a new life....and next time use a different mastering engineer.

This month we will look at a new release from Herb Alpert.  Over The Rainbow is the title of the album and we will look at the title song.  The song arrangement and playing is what you would expect from Herb Alpert, excellent in every way.  This album is interesting from a mastering standpoint as well.  If you look at the picture of the waveform, you will notice that the waveform is exactly as it should look, with no squashing of peaks.  This is extremely rare in today's world, as any perusal of the past blog entries on this site will verify.  Here are the numbers.

LKFS/LUFS                       -13.3 dB
Clipped Samples Left          0
Clipped Samples Right        0
DC Offset                       -0.001%, -0.004%
Dynamic Range               12.2 dB
RMS Level Left              -13.13 dB
RMS Level Right            -13.70 dB

No clipped samples...how often do we see that?!!
DC offset is not perfect, but is close to perfect.
Dynamic range is excellent, and the RMS difference left to right is only .57 dB.
This shows us that responsible mastering is still alive in 2019.
The mastering engineer should be applauded.
Bernie Grundman is the mastering engineer and he has been doing a superb job
for decades.  Most of the mastering work that came through my desk at BMG
was from Bernie Grundman, and it is good to see that he has not succumbed to the pressure to ruin masters in today's music world. 
Again, look at the waveform for a picture of what a waveform for a song should look like.

For September of 2019 we will look at a recent release from Caravan Palace.  The album is 'Chronologic' and the track we will look at is 'Miracle'.  This is a group that has been making great music for several years  and would be in the Billboard top 10 if not for the incessantly low standards of modern media.  The EQ on the mastering is good.  (Just a few minor issues)  The true peak is .6 dB over 0.0 dB which gives us a total of 762 Clipped Samples.  The LUFS/LKFS is an unnecessarily loud number at -6.9 dB.  Putting the track at -8 dB LUFS would fix all the clipped sample problems.  The DC Offset is-0.042% and -0.037%. The RMS level difference is .31 dB. The dynamic range is 10.5 dB,  which is quite nice for a modern dance track.


LKFS/LUFS                       -6.9 dB
Clipped Samples Left          377
Clipped Samples Right        385
DC Offset                       -0.042%, -0.037%
Dynamic Range               10.5 dB
RMS Level Left              -6.68 dB
RMS Level Right            -6.37 dB


Once again, great music, worth having in your collection,  and once again affected by sloppy mastering.

The newest album from Santana is entitled "Africa Speaks".   We will look at one of the best tracks on the album...'Paraisos Quemados.  The song is a nice jazz inflected song with a feel that reminds you of some of the good music of the 1970's.  Here are the numbers.


LKFS/LUFS                       -7.2 dB
Clipped Samples Left     15,167 
Clipped Samples Right   18,626
DC Offset                       +.063%, +.062%
Dynamic Range               7.3 dB
RMS Level Left              -7.36 dB
RMS Level Right            -7.33 dB

The RMS levels show a nice, even left to right balance.  The DC offset is not 0, but we would be shocked if it was.  The EQ is good, so no argument there.  The clipped Sample numbers are in the realm of the absurd...15,167 left and 18,626 right...Crude slamming of waveform peaks that does not require any skill or any sophisticated equipment.

Here is the picture.  Zoom browser in to see details.

This new release comes from Devon Allman and Duane Betts (sons of Allman Brothers Band's Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts).  This was recorded in the newly rebuilt Muscle Shoals studio, and stylistically is squarely in the Muscle Shoals tradition.  With all the modern technology available, you would expect it to sound better than the originals that were recorded there.  But it does not sound as good as the 1979 Slow Train Comin' album of Bob Dylan. (That album was recorded in the same studio with much less equipment and much less technology exactly 40 years ago!) That sound was primarily due to the late Barry Beckett and just goes to show that people and experience will trump technology.   Getting back to this album, the track that we are looking at is the title track, and it is a classic song that is well known in the genre.

LKFS/LUFS                      -10.2 dB
Clipped Samples Left        17
Clipped Samples Right      17
DC Offset                       +.000%, +.000%
Dynamic Range                7.6 dB
RMS Level Left              -9.78 dB
RMS Level Right            -9.66 dB

The EQ is not bad, although it is a little too heavy in the 100 Hz to 200 Hz range, needs a touch more at around 4 kHz and 10 kHz.  The DC offset is correct at 0.000% for both channels, which I believe is a first for these monthly critiques.  The LKFS of -10.2 is certainly better than the more common -8 numbers we are used to seeing.  The dynamic range is a nice 7.6 dB.  It has 34 clipped samples, evenly divided between each channel.  The RMS level difference is .17 dB, which is better than most that we see.

There is a heaviness and a slight distortion in the bottom end that is unfortunate and unnecessary.  Hopefully the next album will benefit from more experience in arranging, recording, mixing, and mastering.  

While we are here, I looked at the track "All Night" from the same album.

LKFS/LUFS                      -8.0 dB
Clipped Samples Left        143
Clipped Samples Right        95
DC Offset                       +0.002%, -.0001%
Dynamic Range                3.9 dB
RMS Level Left              -8.56 dB
RMS Level Right            -7.28 dB

There is less distortion in the bass, but it needs the high end brought up a few dB in the 5 kHz to 12 kHz region.  The LKFS should be the same as the 'Down To The River' track (from -8 dB to -10 dB), there should be no clipped samples, no DC offset, and the RMS channel level difference should be closer to 0.
Those are all mastering issues and can be fixed in seconds.

I look forward to the next album being a bit more polished in every area.  Here is the picture, zoom your browser in (CTRL +) to see details. 

This month we will look at a song from the country genre, 'God's Country' as sung by Blake Shelton.
This is a well written song that is arranged well, recorded well, sung well, and mastered...well it could certainly be done better there.  It is a good song with a good message and transcends the genre.  It is a good song no matter what style you want to call it.  Here are the numbers...

LKFS/LUFS                      -7.6 dB
Clipped Samples Left        720
Clipped Samples Right    1254
DC Offset                       -.0001%, +.005%
Dynamic Range                6.6 dB
RMS Level Left              -7.55 dB
RMS Level Right            -6.87 dB


The LUFS is a standard overcompressed -7.6 dB.  The clipped samples are 1974 more than they should be.  The right channel is louder than the left by .68 dB, which is why you see almost twice as many clipped samples in the right channel.  The DC offset is close to 0, but not quite there.  The dynamic range is a nice 6.6 dB.  So, to sum up, this is a great song with typical sloppy mastering that we have come to expect in this day and age.

​Here is the whole picture...

This month we look at a new release from George Benson, who has been making good albums since I was born. ( and I am 64)  This new album is a tribute to Fats Domino and Chuck Berry.  We will look at the title track.  It is worthy to note here that George Benson's album 'That's Right' is one of the best sounding albums ever made and was mastered by Doug Sax.  I don't have any idea who mastered this current album, but we will look at the numbers and see how they did.

LKFS/LUFS                      -11.1 dB
Clipped Samples Left       489
Clipped Samples Right     337
DC Offset                       +.008%, +.009%
Dynamic Range                3.2 dB
RMS Level Left              -10.31 dB
RMS Level Right            -10.31 dB

The LKFS number is -11.1 dB, which is much better than the usual crop of -8 or even -6.
The clipped samples number of 489 Left and 337 Right is disappointing.  With an LKFS of -11.1 dB, there is no excuse for any clipped samples.  The DC Offset is low, but not 0, like it should be.  The dynamic range is typical for the style of music.  The Left and Right balance is perfect, and I am quite sure that this is the first one I have seen like this (other than my own).  It goes without saying that the music is great.  The mastering job is good, not great.  Clipped samples are always bad.  The reason for them is that the mastering engineer let the peak samples go to 0.00 dB, instead of keeping them to -1 dB.  The result is that true peaks are over 0 (clipped) by .3 dB.  The EQ is good and this is a fun album to listen to.  The music and the musicianship is superb.

Here is what it looks like, zoom browser to see details.

This month we will look at one of the current top 40.  It is 'You Say' by Lauren Daigle.  It is a well crafted song with good lyrics and could have had better production and mastering.  Anyway, here are the numbers:

LKFS/LUFS                      -8.4 dB
Clipped Samples Left       55
Clipped Samples Right     18
DC Offset                       +.021%, +.019%
Dynamic Range              12.2 dB
RMS Level Left              -8.25 dB
RMS Level Right            -8.46 dB

You will notice it is about average in level for today's pop crop at -8.4 dB.  There are 55 clipped samples left and 18 clipped samples right, which you could guess from the RMS left to right level difference of .21 dB.  The dynamic range of the song is good at 12.2 dB, and the DC Offset is off by .021% and .019% respectively.  Even though the recording and mixing could have been better, all of these faults are from the mastering engineer.  

This artist seems to be a person of integrity and it is great to see someone like this in the top 40, where decent people and integrity are so rarely found.  We wish her all the best.

Here is the screen shot...zoom your browser if you want to see details.

For March, 2019, We will look at at new release from Catherine Russell.  She is a very talented singer who has presented an album that is arranged and played like it came out of the 20s, except with top-notch quality of recording.  The album is titled 'Alone Together'.   The music is pure American Jazz and I chose the song 'He May Be Your Dog, But He's Wearing My Collar'. 

Here are the numbers...

LKFS/LUFS                      -12.4 dB
Clipped Samples Left       0
Clipped Samples Right     0
DC Offset                       -.007%, -008%
Dynamic Range              6.7 dB
RMS Level Left              -12.71 dB
RMS Level Right            -11.99 dB


The sound is clean, the eq is ok, if not perfect.  I am inclined to to not be critical because the music is so good and it is a refreshing change from the crap that I usually look at.  This is great music, and would be a great addition to any music collection.
The only issue is that it needs a dB or so less between 2 and 4 kHz.  Again, it is not going to keep anyone from enjoying this fine music.
The LUFS of -12.4 dB is a pretty good compromise between the ideal of -16 dB and the current crop of overcompressed music at -8 dB.
There are no clipped samples  (!) and the DC offset is -.007%, -.008%.
The dynamic range is good at 6.7 dB, and it would have been even better if the level was -16 dB.
The left-right difference is .72 dB, which is within a dB and not a problem with this style of music.

​Here is the whole picture...zoom browser to see details.