Glass Mastering!

My little Jihad against Mp3s continues...


OK, it's not a holy war by any stretch of the imagination.  But the more I learn of the process of making CDs and Mp3s, the more I am convinced that owning and listening to a professionally produced CD really is a qualitatively-better and more ear-friendly experience than listening to Mp3s.


BTW - did I mention that we have a new CD coming soon!


It may explain why when someone burns me a disc, I very rarely play them.  I mean I appreciate the gesture and all, but I actually enjoy the music more when I purchase a CD on my own.  And having the tangible, real-world disc with album art and liner notes makes it all more real for me.


And I still enjoy listening to a CD from first track to last.  My favorite artists take time and care to deliver a fully realized project to my ears.  And I want to experience their work as a cohesive piece.


And I am convinced that the burned copy (CD-R) is not as good as the original CD.  And yesterday I discovered there is a good reason why this is so...


It's called "Glass Mastering."  This little FAQ explains the process.  According to our Sound Engineer, the completed Master Disc that we recorded will actually sound even better once it goes through the Glass Mastering process.  


There's the Laser Beam Recording, the Metalisation of the Glass Master and Electroforming!  All performed in a Class 100 Clean Room! 


Who knew?!?