Born in rural South Carolina, Joe Palmaccio began his musical journey early. His mother, a piano player and enthusiastic music fan, instilled a musical appreciation for all genres of music. Laying the groundwork for his career as a professional listener, Joe regularly heard the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Buddy Rich Big Band and an abundance of live music during his formative years growing up outside Chicago.

While earning his BA at Indiana University Joe worked with the storied music school’s rich variety of ensembles and opera productions. After graduation he migrated to New York City spending the next 16 years working as a mastering engineer for PolyGram Records, Sterling Sound and Sony Music Studios.

In 2006 Joe moved to Nashville, TN to open The Place...For Mastering. Joe’s Place was set-up to easily accommodate the explosion of independent artists and labels that now make up the music business landscape. In the past 12 months Joe has mastered artists as varied as Nas, Amy Stroup, The Allman Brothers Band, Joey Hyde, Heart, Casting Crowns, Gwen Sebastian and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Joe is a frequent guest lecturer on mastering at Belmont University and MTSU. He also drums with two Nashville-based bands. Last month Joe won his fourth Grammy award for mastering Bill Withers The Complete Sussex and Columbia Albums.

Michael Romanowski is the owner and chief mastering engineer at Michael Romanowski Mastering, based in San Francisco. Since 2002, Michael has worked to support the tradition of the San Francisco sound (having trained with Paul Stubblebine, who apprenticed with George Horn) and has become a national expert in the art and science of mastering (Mix Magazine, Electronic Musician, ProAudio News, AES, NAMM).

Michael started his audio career as a musician and live sound engineer in Nashville, where he quickly progressed to recording, mixing and producing pop, rock and alternative acts. In 1994, he relocated to the Bay Area to apprentice at Rocket Lab with Paul Stubblebine and Ken Lee, learning the craft of the mastering engineer. In 1999, he became the chief mastering engineer for Sausalito’s Plant Studios, and then reunited with Paul Stubblebine at the famed Studio C of Hyde Street Studios. In 2002, Michael and Paul built the two state of the art 5.1 mastering rooms at the Coast Recorders building, with expert advice from acoustician Bob Hodas. The business continues to thrive here today.

Michael serves as President of the The Recording Academy San Francisco Chapter (NARAS), Chair of the Presidents Council, and serves on the National Advisory Council to the Producers & Engineers Wing. He teaches at San Francisco State University, and is an active panelist at conferences such as TapeOp, AES, CES, VSAC and NAMM. He is a co-owner of a music label, with Paul Stubblebine and Dan Schmalle, The Tape Project, which exclusively releases direct copies of original analog masters on ¼” and now ½" analog tape. And, he continues to record, mix, produce and perform.

Michael is a Grammy nominated engineer who's credits include Third Eye Blind, Pat Monahan, Badfinger, Too $hort, Will Kimbrough, Tommy Wommack, The Dynamites, !!! , Dredge, Blame Sally, Jacqui Naylor