Mastering · Engineering

Allen Zentz

real name Allen Roy Zentz

Allen Zentz is credited on 2,549 releases across 479 albums tracked on Gatefold, active 1968–2026 — the collector-built map of who actually made the music.

Start your shelf →Open in app

2,549

Credits

479

Albums

Decades active

2,127

In collections

Biography

American mastering engineer, active late 1960s to early 1990s.
(Note: Do not confuse with UK engineer Allen Landau)
Born December 17, 1940, and raised in suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA. He moved to Southern California at an early age to try his luck in the recording industry as a mastering engineer. He is known to have worked at, beginning at least in 1968 (Aerial Ballet (US 1968) (opens in a new tab)) in engineering, mastering (1969) and production roles (1982; Witness (For Love) (US 1982) (opens in a new tab)), prior to opening his now famous Allen Zentz Mastering suite at 1020 N. Sycamore Ave., Hollywood, California (circa 1974). In 1977, Zentz added a recording studio to his mastering operation. His first client in the studio was Michael Jackson, recording most of Off The Wall there (except horns and strings) with Quincy Jones.
Zentz attained great prominence in the industry and earned many platinum and gold records. He retired to Albuquerque in 1992, seeking relief from the fast pace of California. On May 14, 2003, Zentz died of complications after surgery.
Allen Zentz's own vinyl lacquers can be identified by "Az" (capital A and small z). As opposed to the "logo" for the studio, the letters are not linked. In this circumstance, please use Lacquer Cut At with Az ANV.

Bio from Discogs