Blog 16 | Dangerous Music: Pushing the Boundaries of Audio Excellence



September 24, 2024 - Posted by Mash Maximus

Born from the exacting standards of the mastering world, this innovative company has been redefining the landscape of audio production for over two decades. Today, we delve into the history, philosophy, and groundbreaking products that have made Dangerous Music a force to be reckoned with in the industry.


 Dangerous Music's story begins in the gritty East Village of New York City in 1985. In an era when digital audio technology was just emerging, the company's founders were already pushing the boundaries of sound quality. Their studio quickly gained a reputation for delivering superior audio results, even as others struggled with the transition to digital.

The company's journey took a significant turn when co-founder and equipment designer Chris Muth entered the scene. Muth, often referred to as the "Rupert Neve of mastering," brought his expertise from designing custom gear for some of the most prestigious mastering facilities in the world, including Sterling Sound and MasterDisc.

The seed for Dangerous Music's commercial success was planted when Muth engineered a session at the Dangerous Music studios. This collaboration led to the creation of the legendary Dangerous 2-BUS, a product that would pioneer the concept of dedicated analog summing for DAW mixers. Initially built to order for local New York engineers, the 2-BUS quickly gained a cult following. In 2001, Dangerous Music Inc. was officially formed to meet the growing demand for their innovative products.

In 2020, the company entered a new chapter when Marek Stycos of Audio Alchemist took ownership. Stycos, known in the industry as "The Dangerous Guy," brought years of experience as both a studio owner and retail expert. His leadership, combined with Chris Muth's continued involvement in design, has positioned Dangerous Music for ongoing innovation and growth. At the heart of Dangerous Music's success is a simple yet powerful philosophy: capture every detail, then add color to taste. This approach has resulted in a range of products that offer unparalleled clarity and flexibility, allowing audio professionals to achieve their sonic vision without compromise.

Dangerous Music's product line addresses the evolving needs of today's audio professionals. Let's explore some of their standout offerings:

Summing Mixers

  • **2-BUS+**: This 16-channel analog summing mixer features redesigned circuitry and innovative color options, including HARMONICS, PARALIMIT, and XFORMER I. Considered one of the best summing mixers out there!


  • **2-BUS-XT**: A streamlined version of the 2-BUS+ in a 1U rack space, offering the same summing technology with new color circuits.


  • **D-BOX+**: Combines an 8-channel summing mixer with a monitor controller and dual D/A converters, perfect for hybrid setups. The original D-Box has been the jack-of-all-trades box for many years. There aren’t many professionals out there who haven’t had one – in fact, many D-Boxes are still in active use today, in studios and setups all around the world. The D-Box+ takes all the goodness of the original and makes it better. Full 8 channels of summing, 3 pairs of Monitor outputs, AES, USB connectivity, Bluetooth and App control….phew! There is nothing else like it!

Monitor Controllers

  • **MONITOR-ST**: A versatile stereo monitor control system for tracking, mixing, and mastering. It has 4 pairs of Analog inputs, 3 pairs of speaker outputs plus a dedicated pair for Sub (that can also be used as a 4 th pair of speakers). The programmable remote is what makes it over the top. You can program different functions according to your workflow and have an incredibly versatile monitoring solution in your hands. It also seamlessly connects to the MONITOR-SR, which Expands the MONITOR-ST for surround sound and Atmos mixing.


  • **SOURCE**: A compact monitor controller with both analog and digital inputs, ideal for desktop or mobile setups. This is a personal favorite of many of us here at Pro Audio LA. The simplicity and incredible fidelity is hard to beat. It can connect to your computer via USB and act as a cross compliant Audio output device – which means, that you can combine it with your existing interface. Aka, free up all your interfaces output channels for mixing and routing while the Source will provide playback from your DAW or other Analog source. Pretty incredible. Oh and it has an AES input as well.

Outboard Gear

  • **BAX EQ**: A mastering-grade shelving EQ using the famous Baxandall curves for musical, transparent adjustments. You know what this is and have likely already used it (at least as a plugin). The Dangerous BAX is revered for its smoothness and ability to provide musical color palettes to any mix or master.


  • **COMPRESSOR**: A stereo bus compressor capable of both transparent and colorful compression. It is the weapon of choice for many modern mixers for its fast transients and snap. If you like fast modern compression, the Dangerous Compressor is it.


  • **LIAISON**: A versatile signal router and switcher for complex analog signal paths. This is a personal favorite. 2 pairs of busses and 6 sets of analog inserts that can be toggled in various ways as well as true bypass. It also has 8 channels of monitor outs – which very conveniently can connect to a Monitor ST.

Converters

  • **CONVERT-AD+**: A state-of-the-art analog-to-digital converter with innovative features like Clip Guard technology. It includes adjustable sample rates, clip guard and the best part – a X-FORMER button that engages a pair of Hammond transformers, bringing with it some Chris Muth sonic magic.


  • **CONVERT-2**: A high-end stereo digital-to-analog converter with versatile connectivity options. The Analog path of the Convert-2 was designed by Chris Muth and the digital side was honed by Paul Messick. Boasting virtually zero jitter, the Convert-2 is one of the easiest listening and most accurate DAC’s out there.


  • **CONVERT-8**: An eight-channel D/A converter perfect for integration with Dangerous Music's summing mixers. Everything that is excellent about the Convert-2 but more. Boasting instant input calibration, Automatic sample rate detection (or adjustable), input switching and simple metering, the Convert-8 does it all. It can also be controlled using the configurable remote control that you would normally use with a Monitor ST or SR. Neat!

Mastering Gear

  • **MASTER**: A mastering transfer console that brings the functionality of high-end custom consoles into a compact format. This is where you get closest to Chris Muth’s ground breaking designs. The analog signal path designs that made Chris Muth the legend that he is has been embodied into the MASTER. 2 pairs of inputs, 3 stereo inserts, 3 stereo outputs, all stepped controls and even integrated Mid/Side processing. This is Dangerous Music’s flagship product, words aren’t enough. You have to try one.


  • **CUTTER**: A variant of the MASTER designed specifically for vinyl mastering.Everything wonderful about the Master but with a focus on cutting vinyl. A lathe requires two identical but separate stereo signals from the final output stage, one to feed the preview computer that determines the size and shape of the groove to be cut, and one to feed the cutting head. The CUTTER accomplishes this seamlessly.


  • **S&M (Sum & Minus)**: A mid-side processing matrix for advanced stereo manipulation and problem-solving. The Dangerous S&M separates any stereo track into a center and side matrix yielding previously unattainable control over the entire stereo field.

What sets Dangerous Music apart is their unwavering commitment to audio quality and innovative problem-solving. By bringing mastering-grade circuitry and workflow solutions to recording and mixing environments, they've elevated the potential for in-the-box productions to rival and even surpass traditional console-based setups.

Whether you're a project studio owner looking to add analog warmth to your mixes, a professional mixing engineer seeking the ultimate hybrid setup, or a mastering engineer demanding the highest level of audio precision, Dangerous Music offers tools that can take your productions to the next level.

At Pro Audio LA, we continue to love and support Dangerous Music products, we invite you to explore how these innovative tools can enhance your audio workflow. Since we are cable ninjas, we can also build you customizable cabling packages for your Dangerous Music gear or bundle. In fact, take a look at these:









All the best Dangerous Music elements compiled into systems for production, mixing, mastering and even surround monitoring.

I had mentioned cabling packages earlier, so feel free to check out the Dangerous Master Complete cabling kit and the Dangerous System Complete Cabling kit. All the cables in these kits are made with Mogami multi-channel snake and Neutrik Gold connectors. They also come in a Black and Orange finish to complement your excellent Dangerous gear. Each cable in these kits are labelled to easy connectivity. We can also build you custom versions or any variant of these packages. Contact us today!

Ready to push your audio productions into dangerous territory? Contact us to learn more about integrating Dangerous Music products into your setup.