your two cents on mastering software

_Daryl_ · Post by **_Daryl_** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 2:29 am

I am wondering if anyone has an opinion on IK multimedia's T-Racks Mastering software (standalone or plug in version) or Izotope's product, or any other software for that matter. Any and all input is appreciated, and I'm trying to keep the budget at no more that $300 bucks...

thanks again

tablebeast · Post by **tablebeast** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 7:30 am

I have used both of those products extensively. T-Racks is interesting and I used to love how it colored the sound UNTIL I got the Izotope Ozone 3. Wow, Short of a full blown Sadie system this Ozone suite is incredible. Its dithering is top notch and gives you many choices for each aspect of each stage of effects. Plus, it does all its work in 64-bit so its far superior than chaining multiple plug ins together which is essentially what T-Racks does. I'd say go for the Ozone 3 and don't look back. I use Ozone within Bias Peak on everything I do now. Even if its not a final master, its great for making working mixes loud enough to compete with real Cds without crushing the life out of them. And oh yeah, you can actually get stuff loud without that f*cking Waves L2!

Jesse

MASSIVE Mastering · Post by **MASSIVE Mastering** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 9:51 am

I wasn't crazy about either of them... A UAD setup will take you further (IMO) without getting into hardware.

Unless you're just looking for "loud" - Then yeah, Ozone I suppose had a bit of an edge there, but I really didn't like what it did to the imaging... Not that I liked what T-Racks does either...

I suppose I just wasted your time here, eh?

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:12 pm

getting into mastering for under 300 bucks is kinda like getting into italian sports cars for under 1000 bucks... i guess that for just making loud listeners, either one is probably cool (haven't used them), but i wouldn't really call them 'mastering' software... i'd reserve that for sadie, sonic, etc.

john

darjama · Post by **darjama** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:57 pm

I know this is a horse of a different color, but I've got to hand it to the effects in Samplitude v8. The Am-track plugin is especially nice (designed by the digitalfishphones guy), it has some a sweet sounding compression with the option to fold back in the unprocessed signal, as well as a tape simulation. Add in the multiband compression, a convolution reverb, FFT filters and spectral matching a la freefilter, the object-level effects... and it's quite a lot to work with. Of course it's pretty good as a multitrack program for audio as well.

Of course some of these options are only in the professional package, which runs $1k. I got it for around $550 by getting V6 and an upgrade, I'm not sure if that deal is still available. But if you're using a package like Sonar or Cubase, I think a crossgrade runs around $600.

_Daryl_ · Post by **_Daryl_** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:02 pm

no, i understand what i'm asking for when i say "mastering software for $300", basically i'm looking for the first step, in the budget...i'm not really interested in making my mixes the loudest (i love my dynamic range), but some overall focus, clarity, and a subliminally even sounding theme for the collection of songs, and some basic mastering techniques to practice and UNDERSTAND most of all.....i'm trying to use words and descriptions that won't end up on the last page in the next issue.....it's not that easy, larry.

i was actually leaning toward Izotope's Ozone 3, and then toward the T Racks.....looks like the jury is still out...but Ozone may have regained the lead....

tablebeast · Post by **tablebeast** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:32 am

Well, Ozone is perfect for what you describe. When I said loud I wasn't talking about squeezing the bejeezus out of your recording and ruining the dynamic range. I hate when people do that. In fact the best thing about Ozone is that it doesn't do that unless you WANT to do that. It can be very gentle and just puff up your sound or it can be brutal and crush it. It is very flexible, it will do what you want no matter what you want to do. For your $300 there is none better really.

Jesse

Mr. Dipity · Post by **Mr. Dipity** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:16 pm

My two cents:

t-racks: isn't worth the hard drive space it takes to install.

Ozone: I like the multiband exciter, but turn elsewhere for most of my finalizing processes.

Knights Who Say Neve · Post by **Knights Who Say Neve** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 2:26 pm

You might be better off working with the tracks in the DAW than messing with bargain basement "mastering" products. Careful compression and EQ there will take you pretty far, and you'll have much finer control over the process.

Mr. Dipity · Post by **Mr. Dipity** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:40 pm

Knights Who Say Neve wrote:You might be better off working with the tracks in the DAW than messing with bargain basement "mastering" products. Careful compression and EQ there will take you pretty far, and you'll have much finer control over the process.

Both the programs being discussed are 'in the DAW' tools.

Knights Who Say Neve · Post by **Knights Who Say Neve** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:43 pm

Mr. Dipity wrote:
Knights Who Say Neve wrote:You might be better off working with the tracks in the DAW than messing with bargain basement "mastering" products. Careful compression and EQ there will take you pretty far, and you'll have much finer control over the process.
Both the programs being discussed are 'in the DAW' tools.

"In the DAW" meaning: using ordinary compression and eq tools at the individual track level, rather than a specialized product.

Studio2roll · Post by **Studio2roll** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 10:31 am

Personally I love T-rackS. I find that most of the people who bitch about it have only ever tried the presets, but when you actually get past that and are using the gear like you would with hardware (if you have experience mastering on hardware as well) it sounds amazing.
I've done A/B's for audiophiles and experienced engineers/producers who can't tell the difference between a song mastered with the T-rackS plug and one with gear thats worth more than some peoples lives.
I also find myself reaching for the "tube-compressor" and EQ sections of it seperately on mixes when I need to warm up tracks and give them some punch.
Most of the problem with people not liking T-rackS (or a lot of the different programs/pieces of gear) is that they aren't experienced with mastering and want an all in one fix so their studio can offer a service that some of the engineers don't fully understand yet. All of these programs are just tools, it's the experience of the person using them that counts the most. I've done masters on other programs and they all do a decent job as long as you know the sound you have to shoot for and which program will get you there. This one happens to be my favorite though.

BusyBoxSt7 · Post by **BusyBoxSt7** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:46 pm

on my rampage of posting on outdated mastering forums tonight...

+1 to UAD, great sound, worth the $$ if you can't get into hardware yet either due to space or $$. Spent $2700 on mine (includes almost everything they make) as I wanted to upgrade ALL my plugs (eqs, comps, etc).

-1 to T-Racks.. when I tried that software, it was nothing I couldn't do w/ stock plugs in protools like maxim, let alone a step up like the massey limiter (granted a limiter does not = mastering all by itself)

monitors are more important than software though... need something full range (usually high end studio mons like adam or focal or proac or B&W... or high end home hi-fi stuff, b&W, pmc, etc. do your research. the home hifi stuff is often cheaper)

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:57 pm

Although t-racks as a whole stand-alone program wasn't really impressive to me, certain T-Racks plug-ins can be utilized in a mastering chain and be pretty effective. I do a kind of hybrid set up to master things as of late where I bus everything out to a stereo eq then to a pair of tla-50's for some light compression, then finally in the box to the T-Racks brickwall limiter. I liked their limiter a bit more than the massey brickwall mainly because it was much easier to set an accurate output level and had more precise attack and release controls. I've interchanged the two and i don't really find a major difference as far as sound quality, they are both fairly transparent from my experiments. I've also had good luck with thier new Linear Phase EQ on a mix. Overall, this stuff isn't much different that most standard plug-ins, but it will get the job done when used properly.

I saw a post on here about some other mastering software, check it out:
http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=54976

+1 on good monitoring, but I'd also add having a good room to monitor in is equally important so you can actually hear what is coming out of the monitors properly.

BusyBoxSt7 · Post by **BusyBoxSt7** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:19 pm

+1 on the room.. sure have seen a lot of nice monitors in tiny or untreated rooms of late... kinda worthless

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your two cents on mastering software

your two cents on mastering software

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