Alesis Masterlink tips...

[Rickson Gracie]

OK, i just got a used Masterlink w/40 gig HD for $500. It didnt come with a manual and the i cant seem to get the one on the Alesis site to download properly. It keeps saying the file is corrupt when i try to open it up

Anyway...Im using it to master mixes from my TASCAM reel to reel.

How do i crop? Should I make the levels touch the red when recording to it? Does it have a remote? Mine didnt come with one.

ALSO - What 'word length' and resolution setting do I use when mixing down and then burn a CD-R to regular CD to play in my car?

Any other tips for use? Thanks!

 

[Rickson Gracie]

NOW - i have new problem. I mixed the song down to the hard drive and when I play it back through my monitors the song sounds good just like it did when i mixed it down BUT when I burn that same song to a CD it sounds muffled and lifeless when i play it on my car stereo CD player. What am i doing wrong????

 

[Lt. Bob]

I just bought a second one because I like the damned thing!

word length and sampling rate for a 'redbook' CD like what you would play in your car is 16 bit and 44.1k.
To crop ...... hmmmmm ..... haven't done that in a bit . hold on ... BRB

ok ..... you have to first set the new track start and track end pointers.
You do that by pausing the track at the point that you want and then holding down playlist edit while pressing the track start button. You do the same to set the track end point. then you press track start and track end simultaneously which will give you a display asking to confirm that you want to crop and then you press yes. Track is cropped. And you don't have to pause ..... you can press playlist edit and track start or track end on the fly. You can redo these points 'till you get them right.
But cropping is a non-reversable edit so practice on a few first.
As for the sound ...... lots of variables here. You car system is one. But my Masterlinks burn very nice sounding CDs so it's something in your process.
For example ..... there are all kinds of mastering tools in there that can be useful or mess up the sound.
Are you getting a "rendered track"? If so .... then somewhere you're applying EQ or Compression or Limiting or other possibilities and that may be it.

Yes, I run my inputs right to the red when I use mine.
Hope this helps and I do have a manual so I'll look up stuff you need to know.

Oh, and yes it has a remote which duplicates every button on the panel so I use it all the time. Try to find one.

 

[Rickson Gracie]

thanks bob for the great info. i already found a working link to download teh manual on musiciansfriend.com but your info is very helpful. now i need to get one of those remotes!

I just bought a second one because I like the damned thing!

word length and sampling rate for a 'redbook' CD like what you would play in your car is 16 bit and 44.1k.
To crop ...... hmmmmm ..... haven't done that in a bit . hold on ... BRB

ok ..... you have to first set the new track start and track end pointers.
You do that by pausing the track at the point that you want and then holding down playlist edit while pressing the track start button. You do the same to set the track end point. then you press track start and track end simultaneously which will give you a display asking to confirm that you want to crop and then you press yes. Track is cropped. And you don't have to pause ..... you can press playlist edit and track start or track end on the fly. You can redo these points 'till you get them right.
But cropping is a non-reversable edit so practice on a few first.
As for the sound ...... lots of variables here. You car system is one. But my Masterlinks burn very nice sounding CDs so it's something in your process.
For example ..... there are all kinds of mastering tools in there that can be useful or mess up the sound.
Are you getting a "rendered track"? If so .... then somewhere you're applying EQ or Compression or Limiting or other possibilities and that may be it.

Yes, I run my inputs right to the red when I use mine.
Hope this helps and I do have a manual so I'll look up stuff you need to know.

Oh, and yes it has a remote which duplicates every button on the panel so I use it all the time. Try to find one.