Ted Jensen
Encyclopedia
Ted Jensen is an American recording engineer. Jensen is the chief mastering engineer at Sterling Sound. He started his career as a mastering engineer in 1976 and is currently the most active Mastering Engineer in the industry. In total he has mastered, engineered, or mixed more than 2400 albums from more than 1100 pop and rock musicians.
as master engineer of the Norah Jones
album, Come Away with Me
, which won Album of the Year
.
In recent years he has come under scrutiny for being the mastering engineer behind some of the most poorly mastered albums in terms of dynamics, usually referred to as the Loudness Wars
; this includes the albums Death Magnetic
by Metallica
, and Black Gives Way to Blue
by Alice in Chains
. However in the case of Metallica's dynamically-challenged release an e-mail claiming to have come from Ted Jensen states that the mixes arrived that way and that he was not proud to have been associated with the release.
neighborhood. Jensen's studio is one of the three surround sound studios at Sterling Sound, the other two belong to George Marino and Leon Zervos. Jensen's studio is equipped with five Bowers & Wilkins
801 Nautilus loudspeakers, powered by four Classe Omega power amplifiers.
Awards and recognition
In 2003, he received a Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
as master engineer of the Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
album, Come Away with Me
Come Away with Me
Come Away with Me is the debut album of pianist and singer Norah Jones, released February 26, 2002 on Blue Note Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at New York City's Sorcerer Sound Studio and Shokan's Allaire Studios in 2001...
, which won Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
.
In recent years he has come under scrutiny for being the mastering engineer behind some of the most poorly mastered albums in terms of dynamics, usually referred to as the Loudness Wars
Loudness war
The loudness war or loudness race is a pejorative term for the apparent competition to digitally master and release recordings with increasing loudness.The phenomenon was first reported with respect to mastering practices for 7" singles...
; this includes the albums Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic
Death Magnetic is the ninth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on September 12, 2008 through Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album to feature bassist Robert Trujillo and the first to be produced by Rick Rubin, making this Metallica's first album...
by Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, and Black Gives Way to Blue
Black Gives Way to Blue
Black Gives Way to Blue is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains, released in September 2009. The first Alice in Chains album in nearly fourteen years, Black Gives Way to Blue is their first release with new vocalist/guitarist William DuVall, who took over from the late...
by Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
. However in the case of Metallica's dynamically-challenged release an e-mail claiming to have come from Ted Jensen states that the mixes arrived that way and that he was not proud to have been associated with the release.
Studio
Sterling Sound is located on the west side of Manhattan in the ChelseaChelsea, Manhattan
Chelsea is a neighborhood on the West Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City. The district's boundaries are roughly 14th Street to the south, 30th Street to the north, the western boundary of the Ladies' Mile Historic District – which lies between the Avenue of the Americas and...
neighborhood. Jensen's studio is one of the three surround sound studios at Sterling Sound, the other two belong to George Marino and Leon Zervos. Jensen's studio is equipped with five Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins
Bowers & Wilkins is a British loudspeaker company that produces mid-range through reference quality hi-fi and home theater speakers. The company name is often abbreviated to just B&W.Joe Atkins is current owner and chairman...
801 Nautilus loudspeakers, powered by four Classe Omega power amplifiers.