Des Grey Mastering | Audio Mastering Studio South Africa
WE FINISH RECORDS
Mastering Engineer · SAMA-Nominated · 500M+ Streams · 20 Years · Stereo · Stem · Apple Digital Masters · Vinyl · Dolby Atmos.
In a world pushing to optimise every creative process with automated algorithms, we still believe in deliberate, hands-on mastering using real tubes and transformers in search of the exact right tone. It’s an approach trusted by artists worldwide. From SAMA-nominated album projects (Black Motion, Dr. Duda, Ayanda Jiya, Charles Webster) to global streaming hits (Keinemusik, Massh, Mi Casa), here is a selection of our work:
MASTERING PLAYLIST
MASTERING SERVICES
Stereo Mastering
Every stereo mastering project is all-inclusive with fixed pricing—no extra fees for the essentials. Every session includes Apple Digital Masters (ADM) certification, alternate edits as standard.
Dolby Atmos
As South Africa’s first Dolby Atmos mastering studio, we deliver high-fidelity Spatial Audio for Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon—combining digital object precision with the character of a world-class analog chain.
Master from Stems or Multitracks
Mastering from stems or even multitracks bridges the gap between traditional stereo mastering and mixing, giving the engineer surgical control over either sub groups (Stems) or individual instruments (Multitracks) before final limiting.
Vinyl Mastering
Engineered for the Needle, Crafted for the Collector.
Because vinyl is a mechanical format with strict physical boundaries, our specialized pre-mastering optimizes your mix for lacquer cutting
LET'S GET STARTED
Submit your project details below to request a tailored quote and turnaround availability.
Rather than limiting the studio to a single specialisation, Des Grey Mastering operates on a philosophy of global sonic translation, drawing deep technical and creative influence from across all musical genres. Whether carving out the punishing, sub-heavy dynamics of Amapiano and Afro House, polishing the intricate midrange of contemporary Pop, or maintaining the pristine acoustic dynamics of organic instrumentation, every project is approached with the same objective: absolute transparency and impact.
Our standard turnaround time is typically 3 to 5 business days for singles and 7 to 10 days for albums from the receipt of your finalised files, depending on the current studio schedule. We offer unlimited revisions because we are entirely confident in our deliverables. We don’t believe in cutting off a project at an arbitrary number of changes; we are here to collaborate with you and ensure the final master sounds exactly as you intended. Until you are 100% satisfied with the translation, depth, and energy of your release, our work isn’t done.
Yes. As an approved engineering facility, all stereo projects can be optimised and fully certified for the Apple Digital Masters program.
Stereo Mastering
Please provide un-dithered 24-bit or 32-bit float WAV or AIFF files at their native sample rate. Keep your levels and processing exactly as they are in your DAW—we want the exact version you and your team have been listening to and love. If we spot any technical issues, we will reach out and request a specific alternate export.
Stem Mastering
Preparing stems for mastering requires organising your project to give us clean, uncompromised stems that still represent the sound of your mix. Start by remove all master bus processing such as limiters, peak clippers, or heavy bus compression. Export all stems at the native sample rate and min 24 bit depth. Consistent start and end points across every stem to guarantee perfect timing alignment. Group your elements into clear, logical stems (such as Drums, Bass, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Synths, Guitars, and Effects) For a custom break out that works best for your music send us your mix and we will provide a rundown. Finally, import the stems and listen through from start to finish just to confirm that the stems are summing back to your mix and nothing is missing.
Multitrack Mastering
Start by removing all master and bus processing but keep all individual track processing active . Export all tracks at the native sample rate and min 24 bit depth. Consistent start and end points across every track to guarantee perfect timing alignment. If there is extensive bus processing that you love it is preferred to perhaps export that stem and include it as an option.
Our purpose-built facility relies on a world-class hybrid analog-digital mastering chain. Critical monitoring is handled via highly transparent Vivid Audio K1 reference speakers. The analog processing loop features premium outboard hardware from Manley and Crane Song, calibrated to inject classic hardware texture, harmonic depth, and polished commercial weight that digital software plugins alone cannot replicate.
