German music label in-akustik has expanded its catalogue with a series of high-quality Master Tape releases, available in three editions: Start, Standard, and Studio. All tapes are individually produced in real time on Studer A80 machines.
The Master Tapes are based on newly created analogue masters, prepared from carefully selected high-resolution digital sources. The mastering process is conducted by Christoph Stickel (ECM, Deutsche Grammophon, Keith Jarrett), one of Europe’s most respected mastering engineers and a Grammy nominee. The aim is to transfer the source material to analogue tape with the highest possible fidelity and dynamic quality.
Product Variants:
- Start: ¼”, 2-track, NAB, 7.5 ips (19 cm/s), RTM LPR90, reference level 250 nWb/m, 1 metal reel, eco packaging
- Standard: ¼”, 2-track, CCIR, 15 ips (38 cm/s), RTM LPR90, reference level 320 nWb/m, 1 metal reel, eco packaging
- Studio: ¼”, 2-track, CCIR, 15 ips (38 cm/s), RTM SM900, reference level 510 nWb/m, 2 metal reels, deluxe packaging
A highlight of the new releases is “One Of These Nights” by Al Di Meola, presented in a newly created mix taken directly from the original multitrack recordings.
The “Studio Concert” series features direct-to-2-track analogue recordings, capturing the immediacy and sonic character of the live performance.
Producing magnetic tape editions at this level involves significant manual work: each copy is dubbed in real time, all packaging and components are manufactured in small quantities, and each master is prepared specifically for the production run.
Further information, technical specifications, and the full catalogue are available on in-akustik’s Master Tape webpage.