Joe Carra / Crystal Mastering

Grammy Nominated Engineer

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26 Reviews
Joe Carra / Crystal Mastering on SoundBetter

A 30+ year mastering specialist, major labels and indie artists alike, trust Joe to make their projects sound amazing. Clients include King Gizzard, Genesis Owusu, Pond, The Murlocs, The Teskey Brothers, Courtney Barnett, Amyl & The Sniffers, Babe Rainbow, Trem One, Bias B and Mildlife.

With over 3.4 billion streams of mastered works, Joe operates in a state-of-the-art studio based in Melbourne, Australia.
Using only the best mastering equipment, Joe's gear includes hand built, analogue equalisers, wonderful sounding valve equipment as well as precision digital gear. He’ll use whatever the music needs to make it sound it’s very best.
However, beyond the gear and technology, is Joe's experience and track record that stands out from the crowd. Having mastered countless tracks that have enjoyed radio airplay, along with gold, platinum & Billboard success, Joe also lays claim to mastering Grammy nominated and numerous ARIA award winning albums. His passion for the craft and attention to detail has made him the go to guy among both major labels and indie artists.

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26 Reviews

Endorse Joe Carra / Crystal Mastering
  1. Review by Mitch Cairns
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    by Mitch Cairns

    Joe Carra has become an indispensable part of my music production process.
    His attention to detail is always on point, making every project we work on together that much better. His professionalism and skill are truly exceptional, but it’s his passion for music that really sets him apart.

  2. Review by Louis Montgomery
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    by Louis Montgomery

    Joe Carra has that wonderfully rare quality of balancing the highly technical with the supremely musical. The only time I’ve ever asked him for a revision, he had it already done, waiting as an alternative master.

  3. Review by Ryan
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    by Ryan

    We were hopeful in our expectations on how mastering would improve our record and Joe delivered on that tenfold. We were all blown away - including our mixing and recording engineer of 20 years experience. Joe’s approach of mastering brought our album to life with more tonality, presence, clarity and warmth throughout and is consistent from start to finish. Joe was responsive, helpful and really easy to work with. We’re incredibly happy and we’d highly recommend him! We look forward to working with him again. Thanks Joe!!

  4. Review by Matthew Atkinson
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    by Matthew Atkinson

    I've had several tracks mastered with Joe now. Each time they come back not only do they sound great (love the Shadow Hills vibe!), but the process of getting them mastered is so easy thanks to Joe who is such an understanding, communicative, and very knowledgeable person to work with.

  5. Review by Simon Moro
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    The thing I love most about Joe's work is that it consistently has heart. I love the way he treats my mixes - they come back sounding better, while retaining my intentional mix decisions.

    Whether he's mastering for an indie mix, or a big budget project, Joe always takes the same amount of care. He makes my work sound better, and makes my clients happier!

    Thanks Joe!

  6. Review by Kara Ciezki
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    by Kara Ciezki

    Joe has mastered all my releases in Stereo and Dolby Atmos and they are just incredible!! He always welcomes me to sit in on the session when he’s mastering and is always happy to talk about the process, the sound, dolby atmos, etc. Absolutely incredible to work with!

  7. Review by Phil Threlfall
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    by Phil Threlfall

    As a mix engineer at The Base Recording Studios for 20 years, I have worked closely with Joe for the mastering duties on an almost countless number of projects. Joe has always delivered fantastic results, and regardless of the genre or style of record has consistently gone the extra mile to make sure the artist and I are happy with the final product. Joe is also one of the true Gentlemen of the industry, always friendly and cheerful, and willing to have a chat and share his knowledge and experience to make the whole project that much more enjoyable for everyone. Highly recommended!

  8. Review by Terry Hart
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    by Terry Hart

    Easy to work with, a great set of ears, and a master of his craft. Joe is one of the few who can process a mix with real instruments without it falling apart. The best compliment I can give is that I don't hear his work, the masters come back sounding as they did to me in the mix room, only crisper and more focused. Absolute world-class.

  9. Review by Corinna Jane
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    by Corinna Jane

    We talk a lot about ‘professionalism’ in this industry that is so dear to us all. It is one of the traits held in highest esteem - that someone works in a way that is of the highest standard, to the benefit of all. Fast, efficient, and able to deliver a result that is stunning in its sonic quality and absolutely perfect for its intended audience, Joe of Crystal Mastering treats his clients with the utmost respect and courtesy. You might be a largely unknown indie artist, but Joe will handle your project with as much care as one emanating from a major label. Absolutely the best.

  10. Review by David
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    by David

    Joe is an absolutely world class mastering engineer. If you are looking to take your recordings to the next level, then you should look no further than Crystal Mastering.

  11. Review by Leigh Thomas
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    by Leigh Thomas

    As an artist, I have handed over numerous tracks to Joe for mastering and have found his work to be world class. And Joe goes beyond just getting a great sound by backing it up with fast and friendly service. It's great to be able to trust the team around you and build great working relationships, and I am more than happy to put my trust in Joe.

  12. Review by Su
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    by Su

    I've worked with Joe on the last three albums in a row. I'm a musician, not a professional mixer, but I always mix my music myself. Sometimes I lose my judgment and objectivity due to fatigue in my ears from continuous listening. Sometimes the final master's sound is kinda unfamiliar to me, as my ears are still tired. however, over time, I start to realize that he has made everything better! He just knows what I want to do and what my mix lacks. Thank you for saving my mixes, Joe.

  13. Review by Lee ‘Arkiv’ Elias
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    by Lee ‘Arkiv’ Elias

    Mastering is such an important thing to get right, and Joe gets it right. I would highly recommend him for putting the finishing touch on your tracks.
    As a mix engineer, I understand the trust required from an artist to leave you with their music… and i’m confident to take my finished mixes to Joe.
    Crystal Mastering is a professional and comfortable space, and Joe is a pleasure to work with.

  14. Review by Jack P.
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    Had the pleasure of working with Joe on a number of releases over the last few years, great work and truely makes the songs sound "finished"! Particularly with one project which has been consistently tricky when working with outside audio proffessionals we pretty much hit the nail on the head on the first go, highly recomended!

  15. Review by Mark
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    by Mark

    Joe is amazing to work with, he really listens to his clients needs. I came to him with a project that was in dire need of re-mastering. The previous two attempted did not measure up. Joe knocked it out of the park with his meticulous attention to detail. He understood our needs and delivered far beyond our expectations. Joe is one of the top mastering engineers around without a doubt! Thanks for a great result Joe, for anyone thinking of using Crystal Masterings, don’t think twice!

  16. Review by George Carpenter
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    by George Carpenter

    I consistently love the work Joe does for me. His musical and artistic taste and his technical expertise and service are all exemplary. His clear and professional communication style and quick turnaround times are also greatly appreciated by my clients and I. He came to me highly recommended and I can't help but do the same to anyone else looking for a top shelf mastering engineer.

  17. Review by Kings Konekted
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    by Kings Konekted

    Joe provides a holistic approach to working along side artists, often going above & beyond his Job description to help execute your vision. I have had the pleasure of sitting in sessions & checking mixes interstate, either process has always been professional & never rushed. I have always commended Joe & his team on their human approach & I continue to return a decade later. Joe's ear is so diverse, combined with experience and his own love for good music makes for a perfect fit no mater your style or genre.

  18. Review by Glen Franklin
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    Joe is a great guy to work with! Talented, punctual and an all round nice guy. I run a small recording studio and I've sent some of my client work to Joe for mastering. The quality of Joe's masters was excellent, elevating my mixes without being heavy handed. Thank you Joe!

  19. Review by Julia Wilson
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    by Julia Wilson

    I've worked with Joe for many years now and have come to rely on him for his work and support across multiple artists and projects. Joe is incredibly thorough, reliable, fast and his work is second to none. We would be a little lost without Joe, he is a huge part of our processes for creating and releasing records and I feel very lucky to have him in our corner.

  20. Review by Josh Barber
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    by Josh Barber

    As kind, sensitive and mighty as they come. Joe is a diamond.

GenresSounds Like
  • King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
  • Pond
  • The Teskey Brothers
Gear Highlights
  • Shadow Hills
  • Manley
  • Lavry Gold
  • Buzz Audio
  • Weiss
  • Summit
  • Crookwood
  • Smart Research
  • High Voltage Audio
  • Custom Eq
  • Dolby Atmos monitoring
More Photos
  • Dolby Atmos & Apple Saptial MasteringOct 16, 2022

    In recent times the studio has undergone a major technical upgrade. It now has the ability to master for 'Dolby Atmos' as well as  'Apple Spatial'. Not only can we cater for these immersive formats, but we can also incorporate some spectaculalr analogue equipment in the mastering process.