Steve Hoffman (audio engineer)
Steve Hoffman is an audio engineer from Los Angeles, California, who specialises in remastering sound recordings for record companies. In the 1980s he worked at MCA for 9 years. He has also done mastering work for companies such as DCC Compact Classics (in the 1990s) and Audio Fidelity, Analogue Productions and S&P (in the present day).
Before Hoffman started his career in remastering sound recordings he worked for many radio stations in Los Angeles. He holds a degree in mass communications from California State University, Northridge.
The first CD Hoffman mastered was "For The First Time Anywhere" by Buddy Holly (Steve also mastered Buddy's "From The Original Master Tapes"). Other artists he has mastered include Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, Steely Dan, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Juice Newton, Poco, The Mamas and The Papas, Johnny Cash, Jethro Tull, Marty Robbins, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Joni Mitchell, Paul McCartney, Ritchie Valens, Donovan, Vince Guaraldi, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Cars, Jimmy Reed, The Zombies, Ritchie Valens, Beach Boys, Ray Charles, Deep Purple and many others.
While at MCA, Hoffman championed the idea that reissues of an artist's back catalog could be worthwhile and profitable for engineers, record companies and artists. Hoffman's compact disc and vinyl releases are occasionally considered the definitive version of that album in audiophile circles. His approach to mastering aims to endow all of his work with what he calls the "Breath of Life," attained by keeping the signal simple and organic, rather than overdoing compression, equalization, hard limiting, etc. He does not use any digital-based noise reduction.
