TC Electronics Finalizer has been used on plenty of hit electronic records in the past. They’re probably pretty affordable these days.
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If the Analog Heat had a compressor… 
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You can assign Analog Heat’s handy envelope follower output to a number of destinations which affect the volume of the outgoing signal. It’s not as controlled, but can smash things up in creative ways. You can even route the envelope follower signal to EQs to do create a poor man’s band-limited compressor…
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Oto boum? No eq but has a filter
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I have a Finalizer 96k. The idea was/is to use it at live gigs, to give something closer to a mastered sound. However, since grabbing an A&H Qu24, I now use the EQ and compressor on there instead. I miss out of the multi-band compression and limiting that way, but that’s not a huge problem.
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I’m very happy with my TC Finalizer 96K. It has three bands comp and Limiter, EQ, Dynamic EQ, M/S effects, presets and it sounds great with beats and adds presence to Digitone. Also it controls bass well.
Yes Stimming’s device looks very interesting. I would be very interested in that one.
I’m sometimes thinking about getting the FMR Audio RNC too since it is smaller and easier to take with me and is supposed to be good. But I have cut off the Finalizers rack ears so it fits better in my bag, so it’s ok.
Check this thread too:
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My old Finalizer Plus was good for this application, and sending program changes on song changes via Octatrack Midi was a good feature. The metering alone was great for adjustments and level monitoring. Mine currently needs a power supply replacement I suspect as its dead, which is a common issue with TC stuff from the era. Considering getting a 96k version. Anyone want to sell?
Got an RNC, but it doesn’t do everything the Finalizer can, and it somewhat pales in comparison to the Overstayer VCA which has built in grab function which highpasses the low end for keeping beef, as well as the built in EQ and blend control for parallel stuff.
Considered picking up a DBX DDP a few times, which is similar to the Finalizer. Cheaper.
Definitely in the market for a small half rack or desktop unit with modern processing power and a master suite of multi band compression, saturation, eq and limiting with good display, with midi control. Compact, low latency and quality sound being the operatives though. Realistically with those requirements, a small laptop and decent audio interface probably the best bet currently.
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If I had the cash for it, I would fancy a 500 series stereo mastering chain. gonna cost though 
I got an ssl fusion on installments. Expensive but really good. Takes the balanced outputs of OT2 Which I think is an improvement. Of course then I bought a Manley elop+ for the insert, but that’s for studio use. I think OT ,compressor on T8 with fusion would be excellent for live.
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I really think Elektron should make such a master bus unit in Digi-format 
That’s a request @Elektron!
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+1(000)
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99% of the time when people start messing with multiband dynamic processing they make things worse, though. Especially on the master buss. If you’re looking for something you can run your stuff through and have it sound better with minimal tweaking, a multiband dynamic processor is the opposite of that.
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Maybe you’re right and it would also be fine with a really good one band compressor and EQ in such a unit. Still I think that the fact that the Finalizer controls bass so well is because of the 3 bands. The manual of such a unit could easily explain what to beware of. And number of bands could be optional.
The Stimming video in the OP talked specifically about a master-bus processor for gigs. Mastering your tracks for commercial release in the studio may use the same tools (IE Finalizer), but the process is completely different.
A mastering engineer will set the multiband compression somewhat differently for each track. In a live set, you probably want to set it once for the entire set.
If a track, or even a set require 3 separate bands of compression just to control bass, it might be a good indication that the mix/eq or compression of the kick and bass tracks need revision before applying a mastering unit that affects the entire mix.
I agree that a musician on stage should not be messing with a multiband during the show. However, no one is forcing anyone to actually use all the bands. One band of a multiband is completely different from a regular full-program compressor, and can work better for taming a harsh frequency range than cutting it altogether with an ordinary EQ.
Sublety the key, but used wisely with low ratios it can definitely help a track, though I tend to agree that one lot of settings for a whole set with a multi band compressor is risky.
I was being hyperbolic as kind of a way to imply that there are more productive ways to spend $800-$3500 for most people. I’d be cool to have all of those things jsut because every box has its own sound, but I doubt many people NEED one.
Anyhow, on the cheap there’s a pretty solid Finalizer-era multiband compressor in the Behringer V-Verb Pro for around $150. plus some of the nicer sounding reverbs in anywhere near its price range (although there’s a lot more competition ther in the last couple years). Not sure I’d want to trust one of those things on stage, though.
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For the Best/Easy mastering I’d recommend using the Waves C6 multiband compressor into the IM Pusher.
But yeah I’m looking for the best settings for the Octatrack’s Compressor on the end of the master channel for general electronic music so it will limit the sound but not kill the it on the big sub bass. It’s a great compressor!
I had the same issue when playing a live techno/deephouse jam and being put in a line-up inbetween dj’s. My mix was lacking that mastered punch. I was using a Qu16 and while the compressor on the master Bus did punch the sound when using it as a limiter it also lost most of the analog sweetness of the gear used: vermona DRM, an OT and a4 with some analog pedals.
I switched to an analog desk Zed428 and I am using the groups (with the inserts) now with seperate outboard gear: a drum group to a focusrite compounder and a synth/bass lead to a Joemeek MC2 to sidechain.
The master insert is then routed to a Finalizer96k and runs through a Waves L2 hardware limiter.
It took some gear hunting but all the outboard gear was found second hand for a total of 700€ (Including a 5u flightcase to store the units) On the local craigslist and I was able to swap the Qu for the Zed desk.
It took/takes some time to dial in good settings for each project but the mixes are louder and the bass/kicks roll smoother.
There is some nice “old” gear going round secondhand of people moving in the box and that opens opportunities for the tinkering people who likes to tweak gear settings.
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I use the SSL SiX for this and I have no complaints except that it’s a pretty big box to add to a live set up… especially if you’re sharing table space with another act/DJ
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Received my Finalizer Plus today ! Great mastering and sound design tool.
Interesting distortion, great dynamic shaping tools with the expander and compressor.
Can’t wait to sequence it with ST and OT !
Do you think the extra spectral stereo insert worth the update to 96k ?
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