Hmm, there are good options in the box for just EQ and some compression + limiting (especially since it often end up there for final limiting anyways).
That said, some outboard for tone, saturation might still be desirable. Something like a heat, finalizer or fat man might give something itb can’t. But maybe its not that important to get analog saturation type of sound if your source is noisy as is, but that’s up to you.
For ITB, according to Izotope - all you need is Ozone 7 Elements - choose a preset target - adjust three sliders - done. Yours for 99 Euro and no extra cables and boxes to annoy the wife. Also has “good looking” mode, maybe.
Worth a punt before you splash 1000?
Yeah $1000 won’t go far with hardware.
Definitely stay in the box for mastering duties
I’m pretty sure OP wants hardware though. Besides Ozone, I also like Voxengo Elephant if you do convert to digital format and want to give it a final squashing.
https://store.izotope.com/store?Action=DisplayPage&Locale=en_US&SiteID=izotope&id=QuickBuyCartPage
Is this all i need? Ozone 7 and neutron for ITB?
For mastering you don’t need Neutron as Ozone does most of what it does, but Neutron is quite nice for mix buses.
Thanks. I will just get ozone standard.
What you might miss in a mastering contest compared to Neutron is probably just dynamic EQ (if its not added since last time I used Ozone which was V5), but I have not seen any settings for attack and release, so prefer the free Nova VST for precision duties.
may I give an advice: I know that ozone is cheap and popular, and is very tempting to use its presets (which bloat the sound in my opinion). but it didnt get me as far as I wanted.
I would choose single plugins from fabfilter instead, because they get you superior control and sound. they have a mastering bundle with eq, multiband, compressor and limiter. advantage is: you can use them also for mixing, not only for mastering.
Mastering or mixbus processors are crap. All you need is a compressor, an eq and a limiter (hw or sw) or even better a mastering engineer. Just test your ozone master in club, it won’t work. One reason i can’t listen to 90% of the beatport releases.
I don’t know how anyone can use presets for mastering (unless they are intelligent somehow) since every track beg for different (even if similar) final adjustments.
Ozone works good, but I personally don’t have it.
Fabfilter stuff is also great, just make sure to use over sampling ISP mode on the limiter and linear phase for EQ and MB comp when mastering.
You obviously don’t know how to use them right
Don’t use ozone but know it well and it’s tools work great in the right hands
I’ll check that out too. My main mixing setup will be to output my 8 out soundcard into the SSL xdesk for analogue summing back into 8 ins into the DAW. I think I like to do my track levels with my hands. Mastering is a dark art that makes me scratch my head all the time. I’ll make a decision end of day.
Before you spend any money on Ozone, try working with these:
They are really good and I use Nova and Limiter06 all the time. What I find quite hard to find for free is a good MB comp and Linear EQ (preferably with mid side capabilities).
Thank you.
Does Logic X pro have a MBP and linear EQ??
I use limiter 6 also.
Really good and the best part is it’s FREE
Once you learn how to use the 5 modules in Limiter6, and understand how they interact with each other, it is unstoppable.
Yes it is that good
M/S and Multiband options rule
Really preserves the punch/dynamics/transients where other limiters just turn to mush