How do you master yours?

[louis2012]

I'm curious as to what you guys master your mixes with?I just add a little Puncher and Stereo expander in Steinberg's Wavelab.Is there a favourite plugin that puts a sheen on your mix that you can't live without? I'd like to hear any suggestions you have.

[flood]

I almost always gravitate to Waves C4 multiband compressor. It has some good presets to build on, or as a start point, for many mixes. The editable crossovers come in very handy.I will expand the stereo field occasionally, but it is very tempting to overdo it, at least for me.I also compress individual tracks if needed using the C4 or a similar mastering limiter.I tend to use the L1 Ultramaximizer or Digidesign Maxim at early stages, if appropriate on things that don't sit well in the mix even after EQ. This one is also extremely easy to overuse, and can squash all the life out of nearly any track if overdone. I try to use a very light hand with it, just enough to add some punch without erasing dynamics. I know some people who use it across the master bus as part of their final stage, in the name of loudness.My other life as a producer and VO talent has me mixing for radio imagers quite a bit. In that context, we generally maximize every track before sending it on to the station. It is pretty much required for that sound, and I've learned to make it sound pretty good, dynamics or no.

[cameron]

I use iZotope Ozone 3. I'm not sure it was worth the money ($250 or so I seem to remember) but it does help when used properly. Their factory presets are mostly way overdone but you can modify them to your own tastes. Cameron

[jazzstan]

I had been using Waves, but lately I've taken the pre-final stereo mix (or sometimes a couple of sub-mixes) back into a clean workspace in Sonar7 and use the automation, sometimes splitting a clip to another track so I can do a clip-specific changes.

[mazz]

It depends on the style of music but generally I gravitate to the Precision Maximizer from the UAD-1 card. I used to use T-Racks but the Precision Maximizer really does an amazing job of tieing everything together in the mix. It has an "amount" control which I adjust depending on the type of piece.I've also started using the Precision Bus Compressor from the UAD-1 card as well but not as often as the Maximizer.mazz

[marcblack30]

I've been using T-Racks, it works well for me.It's interesting to hear what everyone uses.Great thread!

[louis2012]

I used to use T Racks many moons ago, it made mastering fun, might have to get a newer version and see how it sounds.I always use the waves compressors on my individual tracks. Love them!I might have to try the ultramaximizer on my mixes, I've only recently discovered this plugin.I guess its all trial and error really, there's nothing worse that using great plugins badly and I've certainly been gulity of that in the past.

[aubreyz]

I am very fond of the DUY plugins. Their Everpack bundle has some of the best sounding mastering/mixing tools I've ever used -- plus some other goodies.My mastering chain is normally:Sony Oxford EQ - for subtle tweaks to highs and lows if needed.DUY Shape - a multiband compressor type toolMassey L2007 - killer limiterDUY wide - the best at what it does IMHODUY Max - to win the loudness wars with fewer artifacts I have lots of other stuff, Waves, Ozone, Maxim, T-Racks etc., but these have become my go to plugins. I should note that each stage of the chain is used pretty conservatively -- I don't slam one stage very hard, but use them in tandem to get the desired effect.Still - no matter what plugs you have or use, there's no replacement for a great mastering engineer with great outboard gear designed specifically for that purpose.Aub btw-- DUY sucks in customer support and the purchase/licensing process, but their products are rock solid IMHO.

[rld]

I don't call it mastering, but to get my songs ready for the pitch, I use a T.C.Electronic Finalizer.I got it used on eBay and I love it.Basically, when the mix is as good as I can get it, I run it through the Finalizer and record that back to the PC for the stereo master.It has all the bells and whistles of many plug-ins, but being a hardware unit, it's independent of the PC.

[milfus]

Anymore I couldn't even tell ya, half the time I am mastering in a diff place, so whatevers on hand, I am a big waves fan though, some of the sony oxford stuff is pretty nice, I like duy sometimes but mainly like the tape and valve stuff if it needs an analog feel