In an era dominated by artificial intelligence, automated software, and sophisticated digital plugins that mimic analog technology in music production, Birdbox Records stands firm in its unwavering commitment to the "imperfection" of genuine analog technology and instrumentation.

We believe that these tools ignite the spark of wonderfully imperfect human creativity, a spark that can never be replicated by so-called "artificial intelligence." We have simply chosen not to suppress humanity's natural capacity to create and perceive music as "perfectly imperfect."

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Reference Master Tape Copy: A High-Fidelity Audio Experience

A reference master tape copy is not simply a copy of a music album. It is an immersive experience in sound, a journey back in time to the era of the original recording, capturing the pure and pristine essence of the music.

These recordings are dedicated to those who have a refined ear to appreciate the pinnacle of audio fidelity, along with the financial means to do so, enthusiasts who demand uncompromising quality and understand the cost and effort required to achieve it.

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Why It's Exceptional:

A copy of the reference master tape isn't simply a copy of a music album. It's an immersive sound experience, a journey back in time to the original recording era, capturing the pure and unadulterated essence of the music.

These recordings are aimed at those with a refined ear to appreciate the pinnacle of audio fidelity, along with the financial means to do so, enthusiasts who demand uncompromising quality, understanding the costs and efforts required to achieve such a result.

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Authentic, uncompressed sound
Unlike digital formats, which compress and reduce the sound information, analogue tape preserves the integrity of the audio signal in all its richness and complexity. Every note, every nuance, every imperfection is faithfully recorded, offering a more authentic and vibrant listening experience.

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Authentic, uncompressed sound

Unlike digital formats, which compress and reduce the sound information, analogue tape preserves the integrity of the audio signal in all its richness and complexity. Every note, every nuance, every imperfection is faithfully recorded, offering a more authentic and vibrant listening experience.

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A rare and valuable object
Our Reference Master Tape Copies are often produced in limited quantities, making them true rarities for collectors. It's not just about owning a music album, but about cherishing a piece of history, a fragment of the artist's creative process.
An investment in an unparalleled listening experience
Buying one of our Reference Master Tape Copies means investing in an unprecedented listening experience. It is like entering the recording studio with the artist, witnessing the birth of the music and enjoying its beauty and authenticity.
In short, it is a premium product dedicated to the most demanding audiophiles, to those who seek the ultimate in sound quality and listening experience.
Our Reference Master Tape Copies embody the pinnacle of analogue audio reproduction, offering a truly immersive and authentic listening experience that is unparalleled in digital formats. For those who prioritise sonic excellence and value the preservation of original recordings, these copies represent a worthwhile investment.

Birdbox Records' Reference Master Tape Copies were played back from a 1/2-inch Ampex ATR102 recorder, directly to Studer A80 RC 1/4 or Telefunken M15 A 1/4, without making any changes to the signal, such as noise reduction or equalisation, in order to preserve the original sound of our master tape work.​​

 

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Entirely Analog Audio Process AAA (option for minimalist mixing)

For the recording and mixing session we use 3M M79 2‘’ 24tr. recorders, Studer A80 2‘’ 16tr. or Tascam ATR 80 2‘’ 24tr.
Mixing is done in real time on EMT-FRANZ MM40 A400 consoles or on Argentini EP6000 with direct transfer to
Ampex ATR 102 1/2 inch for the archive master tape and for the working copy master tape.
So basically we make two direct master tapes!​

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Hybrid Analog-Digital Audio Process ADA (option for complex mixing)

The hybrid analogue-digital process involves saving the session on the Protools platform in high resolution via a Metric Halo ULN8 3D conversion unit with a 192khz/32bit-float sampling rate.
This conversion in no way degrades the original analogue sound but preserves the dynamics and nuances characteristic of the analogue character. In this way we fix the musical information in a way that reduces processing time and the cost of multi-track machines.
Mixing is always done in analogue on an EMT-FRANZ MM40 A400 console or on Argentini EP6000 acquiring from a high-resolution daw.

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Our DAW functions solely as a player, allowing us to avoid excessive use of tapes and perform more precise editing. Our choice to use only external outboard gear, and no plugins, allows us to achieve a more natural and coherent sound, with a wide range of creative possibilities.

This sampling allows us to work in mixing with an extremely high audio quality, thanks to the large dynamic range that allows us to handle very strong and very weak signals without distortion, thus preserving all the details of the original sound. The wide palette of sound colours and the smallest details of the captured sound gives us more flexibility during the mixing and mastering process.

In short, it is like having a very large and detailed canvas on which to paint our music. It gives us greater creative freedom and enables us to achieve the highest quality sound results.

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The 1/2-Inch MASTER Tape Recorder

Ampex ATR-100 series recorders are widely regarded as the finest reel-to-reel audio mastering recorders ever built. This is why we believe our tape copies represent the pinnacle of recording quality.

Ideally, a mixdown machine should be as transparent as possible to avoid degrading the recorded signal. Given its exceptional performance capabilities, the Ampex ATR-100 is the closest thing to an ideal all-around recorder you could find for any application, whether it's recording, mixing, post-production, or other tasks.

Once you've witnessed an Ampex ATR-100 in action, you'll realize that all other recorders pale in comparison!

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Tapes used in recording/mixing/mastering:

For our discerning audiophiles, we exclusively utilize newly manufactured RecordingTheMasters SM900 tapes and, on occasion, RTM LPR90 tapes. These tapes feature the same chemical formulation as our original RTM SM900 master tape, offering extended runtime in terms of minutes.

We meticulously avoid any signal alterations, such as power line noise and potential sound coloration caused by cables and connectors. This is achieved through the use of professional-grade filters and power stabilizers.