I caught the mastering bug in 2017 when I began working at La Source, one of the top mastering studios in Paris. It was there that I honed the attention to detail and refined the critical listening skills needed to master at a professional level.
References
What People Are Saying
“He guided me by pointing out areas for improvement in my mix, which was extremely helpful. I will definitely work with him again for future projects.”
— Nerpson
“Very good job, open to feedbacks, prompt and efficient ! Recommend !”
— Nicolas
“Vic is extremely knowledgeable picking things out in the mix that I had maybe missed on the first stage of mixing. It is this attention to detail and honest feedback that helps provide a great-sounding master delivered in an extremely timely manner. Will definitely use it again”
— Day Two
“Excellent engineering quality, simple and effective. Understands the track well and compliments it with his ability.”
— Anton
“Perfectly understood the track, clean, crisp and dynamic masters as well as friendly communication !”
— Augustin B
Studio & Gear
My mastering workflow is built on a hybrid setup, blending high-end analog gear, transparent converters, and top-tier plugins. My monitoring system is anchored by Dutch & Dutch 8c speakers, Audeze MM-500 headphones, and a meticulously treated acoustic space.
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Dutch & Dutch 8c - main monitoring
Audeze MM-500 - planarmagnetic headphones
Lake People G105 MKII - headphone amp
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Manley Massive Passive
Elysia xPressor - VCA compressor
Gainlab Wizard - Tube saturator
Gainlab Dictator DM - vari-mu compressor
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dedicated mastering room inside Octavox Studio
Additional acoustic treatment based on the recommendations of Clément Bastiat
15 m³ of glass wool
reverberant front wall with cardioid monitors
semi-reflective (absorptive/reflective) ceiling
2 x PSI Audio AVAA C214 - active basstraps
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Reaper, Wavelab, TDR, Fabfilter, iZotope Ozone, RX, Acustica, Tone Projects, Schwabe Digital, etc.
Pricing
All prices are excluding VAT. A 20% French VAT may be added.
60,00€ / TRACK
Stereo Mastering
Bulk Discount for Mastering
Base price includes
1 stereo master
HD file (24-bit)
revisions
Receive a discount on the base price when submitting multiple tracks in a single order.
2 tracks – 10% off
3 tracks – 15% off
4 tracks – 17.5% off
5 tracks – 18.75% off
6 tracks or more – 20% off
Tracks must be submitted together to qualify for the discount.
Additional Services
Unsolicited mix revision: €60.00
Additional version (instrumental, PBTV, etc.): €25.00
DDP : €75.00
Vinyl mastering:
€35.00 per track if the digital mastering was done by us
€60.00 per track if the digital mastering was done elsewhere or not performed at all
Vinyl sequencing: €75.00 per side
MP3 export: €15.00 per batch
Stem Mastering: €25.00 per additional stem
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions; I’ll be happy to answer them.
Prepare for mastering
Bit Depth: 24-bit is preferred (16-bit only if necessary).
Sample Rate: Maintain the same sample rate used during mixing.
Format: WAV or AIFF are preferred; FLAC and ALAC are also accepted.
Headroom: Ensure the audio does not peak at 0dBFS—anything below is acceptable.
Label Copy: Please, share all the required informations before we start mastering : Title(s), track order, duration, ISRC codes ...
If a label copy is made, please forward it !
File Transfer: Please use the service of your choice. Avoid the free version of WeTransfer, as it does not retain files for long. For free services, I recommend SwissTransfer and Smash.
Pre-Master and the Final Limiter
Many mixing engineers place a limiter at the end of their chain to increase loudness, create a certain vibe, or both. The limiter often plays a crucial role in shaping the mix’s overall sound.
Please send me two versions of your mix:
The mix with the final limiter applied (commonly called the “pre-master” or “rough master”)
The mix without the final limiter
FAQs
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No, I don’t offer mixing services, but I’d be happy to recommend talented mixing engineers based on your budget and musical genre.
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Yes, I do offer stem mastering, but I’m strict on two things: the stems must be of equal length, and you need to provide a version of the master that perfectly matches the sum of the stems. If the combined stems don't perfectly represent the master bus, I won’t take the time to do the stem mastering. This ensures that the stem balance aligns exactly with the vision of the artist or mixer.
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Absolutely! Feel free to send your mix for review, and I’ll let you know if it’s ready for mastering or if any adjustments are needed.
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No, you don’t need to remove it. If the processing is part of your desired sound, it’s best to leave it on. However, if you're unsure, feel free to send me multiple versions of the track, with or without processing, and I’ll choose the one that works best.
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Here's an example for a 4-track EP for a French client, including a DDP.
The total cost is €327.60 including tax, broken down as follows:
Base price: €60 per track
17.5% discount for 4 tracks
A DDP at €75 (not subject to the quantity discount)
20% VAT in France
The calculation: (60×4×(1-17,5%) + 75)*(1+20%)
Contact
To get in touch, please send me an email at:
Make sure to copy and paste the email address, as many people tend to forget the "L" between the "O" and the "T" in "MALVOLTI".
I typically respond within 48h.