Ok, I hope I'm not opening a can of worms here.
It's pretty clear that the signal chain has to be of a good quality in a mastering studio. This is obvious.
But what do you think of AudioPhool jargon in the business? I would divide this in to two camps: the ones who tweak eg. their AC cables because they truely believe that it makes a difference, and the ones who do that because they want to impress the clients and have heard it makes a difference.
It reaches to vocabulary, too. Some use terms that make no sense but boy, they sound fine. Some speak pretty understandable language. Again, some of it has the impression factor involved.
I think it was Brad who said
"either you can make it sound good or you can't". This I very much agree with.
Of course, you have to show yourself as a professional to the market. But it bugs me when people raise themselves to the 5th level above all of the mortals, hear things no-one else hears (and then smash the shit out of the music
)
If I was a possible client, I'd be way more impressed by an engineer who outcomes as an honest, friendly folk, not as an freaking space warrior.
???
Jaakko