to the OP: What I most often use for processing is more important to me than the overall app - I do mostly ac guitar so this may or may not relate to you.
Waves Linear Multiband - I often use the lower bands for dynamics control of ac guitar, and the upper bands for EQ balance but no compression. It can do it very transparently if done carefully.
PLPar EQ when I need narrow band EQ corrections. It's pretty transparent in linear phase mode.
Nebula - The Alex B consoles. Rich and smooth when adding that is good.
Sometimes a touch of SIR verb, usually with the main mix routed to a separate channel for compressing and EQing before it hits the verb, then mixed back in to taste.
Elephant 3 limiter - it can do pretty transparent peak reduction. I rarely use more than 2 dB of gain reduction at peaks. The Ozone limiter is good also and I occasionally use that.
I use Wavelab sometimes, but usually Reaper.
Waves Linear Multiband - I often use the lower bands for dynamics control of ac guitar, and the upper bands for EQ balance but no compression. It can do it very transparently if done carefully.
PLPar EQ when I need narrow band EQ corrections. It's pretty transparent in linear phase mode.
Nebula - The Alex B consoles. Rich and smooth when adding that is good.
Sometimes a touch of SIR verb, usually with the main mix routed to a separate channel for compressing and EQing before it hits the verb, then mixed back in to taste.
Elephant 3 limiter - it can do pretty transparent peak reduction. I rarely use more than 2 dB of gain reduction at peaks. The Ozone limiter is good also and I occasionally use that.
I use Wavelab sometimes, but usually Reaper.