Best Mastering Software?

[AhjayStelino]

Hi all,
What mastering software do you use and are there any books that focus specifically on how to master?

Also Michael had mentioned in his music edits Taxi TV show about a new mastering software he was going to review, do you know if that new software is released as yet?

thanks
Ahjay

[kclements]

Hello -

I don't know about best - But I use T-Racks from IK Multimedia. I like it and I know a lot of people use it. The thing I like about it is the modular approach. You can get the basics, and then you can add new "plugs" as you need / finances allow.

The other well regarded suite is Ozone 5 by Izoptope. I know a number of people who use this and like it a lot as well. And there are those that use both, depending on what they are tyring to do.

And then there is theUAD stuff, which I don't have, but is high on my want list. And I know people use the plugs that comes with their DAW. It all depends, I guess.

I think both Ozone and T-Racks offer free trials, maybe download and give them a spin and see how they work for you. The UAD plugs requires their hardware, so you can't try those out unless you have one of their cards/Apollo...

As for education, I would check out MacProVideo (they have some general video tuts on this stuff, and they are all great.) And while geared toward Ozone, I found this very helpful even when using T-Racks: Izotope Guides

Hope that at least gets you started. I think, like most of this stuff, it comes down to the way you work and what works best for you.

cheers
kc

[KennJones]

kc - Is T-Racks compatible with Logic X?

If not, I'd appreciate you pointing me in the direction of a mastering program that is.

Thanks in advance . . .

Kenn

[KennJones]

Sorry if this is a duplicate; I'm not sure if my previous reply was posted.

Anyway . . .

Just wondering if T-Racks is compatible with Logic X.

If not, I'd appreciate you pointing me in the direction of mixing programs that are.

Thanks in advance . . .

Kenn

[andygabrys]

in addition to the good info you just got from Kayle:

chase down Ian Shepphard via google. he has plenty of mastering tutorials.

also check Groove3.com - the video mastering with Waves plugins in specific to those plugins but the work flow is similar to what you will be doing with any plugins.

as for plugins - don't discount what you have already included in your DAW. Logic has a pretty good complement straight off. adding to this by buying third party plugs is mostly about a magic bullet (i.e. a really clean limiter) or to try and reduce the number of steps you go through, or to get a more straight ahead operation (i.e. you could setup the Logic compressor with settings similar to a SSL Buss comp or you could buy a model of one). For example the UAD stuff is pretty nice to work with, but its spendy.

there are various books by Bob Katz and others on mastering, and through the combination of videos, blog articles, and reading texts you will have a handle on ideas then you just need to put the stuff into practice.

[AhjayStelino]

Thanks KC and Andy.
I am using Pro Tools 11 and it I use its maxim brickwall limiter which includes a dither. Not sure if it has a multi-band compressor etc.
T-racks and ozone seem to be the main two cost-effective ones that people use. I think I'm gonna go with T-racks and try it out like KC said.
Will start looking online and through the books as well so that i can learn how to best use the software.
Thanks guys!

Ahjay

[andygabrys]

Thanks KC and Andy.
I am using Pro Tools 11 and it I use its maxim brickwall limiter which includes a dither. Not sure if it has a multi-band compressor etc.
T-racks and ozone seem to be the main two cost-effective ones that people use. I think I'm gonna go with T-racks and try it out like KC said.
Will start looking online and through the books as well so that i can learn how to best use the software.
Thanks guys!

Ahjay

IMO Maxim is a limiter that I never really dug the "sound" of when used for mastering (I also use ProTools). If you push more than a couple dbs of gain reduction it always sounded a little less clean than I wanted, but its also possible to chain a couple instances of Maxim and have each one do a db of gain reduction to keep things cleaner. As they say, your mileage may vary.

[kclements]

kc - Is T-Racks compatible with Logic X?

If not, I'd appreciate you pointing me in the direction of a mastering program that is.

Thanks in advance . . .

Kenn

Hello Kenn

Yes, t-racks works great in LPX. I use it all the time without issues.

Cheers
kc

[kclements]

Oh, I forgot about Ian's stuff. It's great. Thanks for reminding my Andy.

Andy, I think you also use the UAD Stuff no? Have you tried the T-Racks stuff to compare? Most of this stuff comes down to the user and all of these programs will all give you great results once you learn how to use them , and more importantly, why to use them.


kc

[andygabrys]

Oh, I forgot about Ian's stuff. It's great. Thanks for reminding my Andy.

Andy, I think you also use the UAD Stuff no? Have you tried the T-Racks stuff to compare? Most of this stuff comes down to the user and all of these programs will all give you great results once you learn how to use them , and more importantly, why to use them.


kc

well I went nuts with the plugins over the last 6 years or so. There were a lot of specials and sales on various things, so I ended up a hodgepodge of T-racks, UAD, PSP, Waves etc. I never buy anything that isn't on sale. You don't have to these days. And places like audiodeluxe.com also sell stuff for 10-15% less than any advertised price unless something is on a fire sale from a manufacturer anyways.

Like Waves, UAD and T-racks all have a pultec. They are all a little different. They can all do the job if you want that particular sound and effect. Do they sound like the hardware? I don't know. All the hardware units sound different from each other anyways.

I found that there were cool things about every different plugin, and some things that weren't so cool, for the way I work anyways. Limiters all sound a little different - some are clean (L2, UAD precision limiter, PSP Xenon), some have more of a dirty character which sounds find on more aggressive tracks (Maxim, PSP Vintage Warmer, UAD Precision Maximizer) and some are capable of a range of colours (L316, Slate FGX, T-racks brickwall limiter). They also tend to modify the stereo image and front back space of your mix slightly. I found that compared to some limiters, the UAD precision Limiter tended to make the drums sound slightly more forward.

Unfortunately the FGX is also still 32 bit, so its not much of a help for PT 11 or Logic X unless you host it in the Vienna Ensemble Pro.

Some of the plugins could be considered "classics" at this point (IMO anyways ) and if you see them for way cheap, you can't really go wrong. Like the Waves L2 - its often on special for $49 or even less. I would say that's a quality buy at this point as it lets you get things really loud and pretty clean, it has simple controls, its not multi-band either which is less complicated, and since Waves discarded the iLok for their latest versions its less of a headache.

I would say that any of these brands and packages you can probably see great results with. Some of it relates to whether you like an "all-in-one" package or like to put select individual plugins on your master. I like individual plugs, but I have a great range of different individuals to use.

But you also have to assume it will take a while to learn whats good and what's less good about every plugin. it will take perhaps hundreds of mixes. or at least that's my experience

Hope that perspective helps.

Like I said above, the standard plugins in every DAW usually do a pretty great job. But in my case, I had to try a bunch of other stuff and see for myself what was special about it, while developing sufficient ears and technique to actually use the free stuff effectively. Funny huh?

or in short - I just took 20,000 words to say the same thing that Kayle said more succinctly above.