J
jaynm26
New member
Really would like to hear the professional mastering engs con's of the software
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
1) Any software is only as dangerous as the person using it.
2) Ozone can be extremely dangerous. Seriously -- That plug can screw up audio in ways I've rarely heard. I can usually call a client and say "You ran this through Ozone, didn't you..." and be right 99 times out of 100.
Quality aside -- I've tried T-Racks new plugs -- They're fine. I've tried Ozone -- It's fine (okay, I really didn't care for Ozone and I don't need anything from T-Racks).
The main problem with Ozone (IMO) is that for something that says "MASTERING" all over it, the entire premise of the software is based on processing that mastering engineers "rarely" to "absolutely never" use.
Maul-the-band compression? I might use one every six months or so if a mix is so screwed up that nothing else will help it (assuming I can't get a remix). A Haas generator - on the low end? Never, ever, not once, not even in some warped vision from a long-forgotten nightmare, have I ever considered applying a Haas filter to low end content. Yet, it seems to be part of every "mastering" preset in the software (because that's usually the dead-giveaway when people send in mixes that the've "lightly" or "gently" processed (a.k.a. "completely wrecked in a way that it's totally impossible to correct) in Ozone. I mean, I can see the whole concept of having a tunable Haas filter in a plug (as dangerous as it is if you don't know *precisely* what you're doing with it and precisely why you're using it). But even to have it available to potentially be *accidentally* applied to the low end -- I mean, there should be a giant, red warning label on it. It should toss up a new license agreement that says that you understand that you're applying a Haas filter to low end content and you understand why you're doing that and can actually hear what it's doing.
I know a few guys who use the dithering. I know a person or two who like the limiter. I don't think I know anyone that uses the EQ...
T-Racks... Eh, I know one guy who likes them quite a bit. But then there's that whole "MASTERING" thing again with a set of plugs that either (A) mastering engineers rarely ever use or (B) emulate hardware that mastering engineers rarely to never use. Optical compressors, linear-phase EQ's, Fairchild 670's -- there's a reason just about every 670 was given up for dead by mastering facilities as soon as vinyl fell out of favor -- Yet just about every company that has a 670 emulation calls it the "holy grail" of mastering compressors. Been there, used those (actual 670's) and as wonderful as they are on bass, vocals, vinyl cutting and what not, they're not all that handy for typical mastering use. More modern spins - Manley's Variable Mu (the 670 is a variable mu), a couple others out there -- Even one company's (can't remember off hand) moden "replica" of the 670 (upgraded for this century), probably a bit more ideal.
The Pultec emulation was reasonably cool (not nearly as cool as UAD's Pultec, which is probably the single greatest hardware emulation algorithm ever authored).
THAT ALL SAID -- if the basis of the question is "Can someone get 'pro' results from T-Racks and Ozone?" Sure. But you can get 'pro' results from Reaper's built-in plugs too if you know how to listen and you know what you're listening for.
2) Ozone can be extremely dangerous. Seriously -- That plug can screw up audio in ways I've rarely heard. I can usually call a client and say "You ran this through Ozone, didn't you..." and be right 99 times out of 100.
Quality aside -- I've tried T-Racks new plugs -- They're fine. I've tried Ozone -- It's fine (okay, I really didn't care for Ozone and I don't need anything from T-Racks).
The main problem with Ozone (IMO) is that for something that says "MASTERING" all over it, the entire premise of the software is based on processing that mastering engineers "rarely" to "absolutely never" use.
Maul-the-band compression? I might use one every six months or so if a mix is so screwed up that nothing else will help it (assuming I can't get a remix). A Haas generator - on the low end? Never, ever, not once, not even in some warped vision from a long-forgotten nightmare, have I ever considered applying a Haas filter to low end content. Yet, it seems to be part of every "mastering" preset in the software (because that's usually the dead-giveaway when people send in mixes that the've "lightly" or "gently" processed (a.k.a. "completely wrecked in a way that it's totally impossible to correct) in Ozone. I mean, I can see the whole concept of having a tunable Haas filter in a plug (as dangerous as it is if you don't know *precisely* what you're doing with it and precisely why you're using it). But even to have it available to potentially be *accidentally* applied to the low end -- I mean, there should be a giant, red warning label on it. It should toss up a new license agreement that says that you understand that you're applying a Haas filter to low end content and you understand why you're doing that and can actually hear what it's doing.
I know a few guys who use the dithering. I know a person or two who like the limiter. I don't think I know anyone that uses the EQ...
T-Racks... Eh, I know one guy who likes them quite a bit. But then there's that whole "MASTERING" thing again with a set of plugs that either (A) mastering engineers rarely ever use or (B) emulate hardware that mastering engineers rarely to never use. Optical compressors, linear-phase EQ's, Fairchild 670's -- there's a reason just about every 670 was given up for dead by mastering facilities as soon as vinyl fell out of favor -- Yet just about every company that has a 670 emulation calls it the "holy grail" of mastering compressors. Been there, used those (actual 670's) and as wonderful as they are on bass, vocals, vinyl cutting and what not, they're not all that handy for typical mastering use. More modern spins - Manley's Variable Mu (the 670 is a variable mu), a couple others out there -- Even one company's (can't remember off hand) moden "replica" of the 670 (upgraded for this century), probably a bit more ideal.
The Pultec emulation was reasonably cool (not nearly as cool as UAD's Pultec, which is probably the single greatest hardware emulation algorithm ever authored).
THAT ALL SAID -- if the basis of the question is "Can someone get 'pro' results from T-Racks and Ozone?" Sure. But you can get 'pro' results from Reaper's built-in plugs too if you know how to listen and you know what you're listening for.
PDP
There once was a note
Interesting, UAD stuff is big bucks (for us hobbyist's) but I've heard great things. Have you heard the UAD Studer tape sim. What do you think of tape sims ?
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
Haven't messed with it yet -- Happy enough with the HEDD's tape emulation that I haven't even considered it at this point.
That all said, eh... There are more important things than tape simulation (or tape for that matter). Don't get me wrong - I love tape. But it's a coat of wax. On a wonderful car with a wonderful finish, it can add a little something. On a clunker, it doesn't do much of anything positive.
That all said, eh... There are more important things than tape simulation (or tape for that matter). Don't get me wrong - I love tape. But it's a coat of wax. On a wonderful car with a wonderful finish, it can add a little something. On a clunker, it doesn't do much of anything positive.