mastering studio - Fat as Funk - Mastering & Mixing

Close-up of audio equipment featuring various knobs and meters, including SPL Passeq, Tegeler Audio, and other sound processing units.

At Fat As Funk we have always preferred the sound of top-grade analogue hardware for our mixes & masters. They really do make a difference compared to plugins. I’ve been a fan of analogue processors & synths since 1995 (& I started Fat As Funk in 2006).

Don’t get me wrong, we use carefully selected plugins too for some aspects of the job. The precision of plugins is unmatched for some aspects, which is important, & I’ve tested so many to select the core few I do use regularly which stand head-&-shoulders above the rest. But the main tone of our mixes & masters is achieved with real valves, resistors, transformers, coils and metal. Kilograms of the stuff. Materials that get physically warm, channel audio through components that have been selected for their sound, not some fake version of them.

I’ve always thought of analogue hardware similar to fake ingredients in cooking – you can get away with a few bits used sparingly, but if everything is a substitute – sweetener instead of sugar, margarine instead of butter…. the end result just tastes…. wrong.

I’m also a believer in everything doing something different. I don’t need 3 different Vari-Mu compressors, I have the best one (the IGS Tubecore 3U has Mid/Side function & a wet/dry mix which are both game-changers & not found in other ones). The valves are chosen to be the highest quality, and it gives the sound such a lovely warm, rich quality. The wet/dry feature is so useful and means I can push it harder while letting some of the original transients though for a more natural thickness & chunk than available on other comparable units.

My SPL PassEQ is the most flexible passive EQ ever made, & weighs over 10 Kg – a solid chunk of sonic lushness. The build quality is unmatched, and each unit comes with a rigorous testing report included. Based on research & testing I have determined it is the best option. It subtly colours the sound beautifully, with rich deep bass & a high-end that can be described as “silky” or “creamy”. Phwoar.

My Bettermaker Mastering EQ brings a surgical precision, and is the most flexible analogue EQ I have found. It’s amazing for workflow too, as although it’s pure analogue it is controlled by a plugin (not sure how they do that, I think it may be actual magic). You can hear the components snap into place when adjusting the plugin. The most important thing is the sound of course, and that is clean but also rich and powerful. It manages to be transparent but also “fat” at the same time. The most subtle of colouration that is tough to pin down, but which just makes everything sound fantastic. It has a dedicated Pultec-style EQ section, plus several peak bands & high + low cut.

The latest addition is a Tegeler Magnetismus 2, which I just got yesterday and have been testing out. This brings a rich “tape-like” quality from the 3 selectable transformers, which colours the sound very subtly when used in mastering, but can also be used to give body & roughness to things like drums if desired when mixing. It also has a compressor which I feel could be more useful for mixing than mastering so far, but that’s not really why I got the device.

Equipment choice is among the most hotly debated topics in audio. All of these devices do something different & add a certain “something” to the sound without overlap. As a bit of a gear geek I’ve bought & sold tonnes of equipment over the years (including some very juicy vintage analogue synths) & I am always improving my studio.

You may see mastering engineers with multiple of the same types of pieces, & sure, it’s nice to have if you are a collector, but realistically they won’t be running your audio through 2 vari-mu for example, or 3 different Pultec-style EQ – there would be no point & this would probably do more harm than good, or just go back on itself in the workflow. This could also inflate their prices beyond what you think you get – you may be paying a premium for someone to have 20 different pieces & only have 4 used on your music. Food for thought.

Several years ago I had a bit of an epiphany – unless something is absolutely adding to my setup in a big way every day, I will get rid of it. I always keep an eye out on what else could replace it in a different AND better way, and if I see something I can’t resist I grab it.

My current setup is in my opinion among the absolute finest available for mastering. I am always looking to add new things IF it fills a gap AND is real quality based on, but as is the same with my attitude to life – nothing just for the sake of it.