CEP in mastering

[version2]

Well, I am taking the ball from another thread in here and rolling with it. I was reading about CEP's compressor in another thread and it looks as if there are some experienced users here.

Let me ask you this. Have you ever used CEP to do the final mastering of a disc (adding compression, etc) and, if so, how did you do it?

[PapillonIrl]

As far as I can gather you really need (amongst alot of other things including experience and good ears) a good multiband compressor to master a CD at home. CEP does not have one. I have been looking around for a decent product and reckon I am gonna go for iZotope Ozone.

pAp.

[dobro]

Although I haven't used it, ozone's got my vote too, based on reports. But Cool's got a multiband compressor, so why NOT use it for mastering?

[PapillonIrl]

Originally posted by dobro
Although I haven't used it, ozone's got my vote too, based on reports. But Cool's got a multiband compressor, so why NOT use it for mastering?

I should have phrased that differently maybe, but I would not regard CEP's compression as 'multiband'. Fair enough, you can apply different compression to different frequency ranges, but you can't hear all of your bands in real time simultaneously.

This makes is extremely time consuming, especially if you are using more than two or three frequency ranges. Can you say 'enable undo' ?

pAp.

[mastahnke]

I agree the CEP compressor isn't up to par with some others. I really like the Cakewalk FX compressor...not sure which package it is in. Even better than that though, I like T-Racks. That is a stand alone audio mastering suite. It has limiting, compressing and some eq stuff. It is quite nice and many times the presets are all you need.

MIKE

[MarkST]

Have to disagree with ya on that one mastahnke:
- IMHO the presets in T-Racks are just about able to show what you can do with the program and have to be tweaked a lot to be useable.
- I also think Ozone beats T-racks hands down

OK I'm ready for a fight!

Mark