Mastering tool for my homestudio: TC Finalizer or software?

[Pouckypluysch]

Like many of you, I'm serious about making music, but I haven't really been able to take the tracks I've recorded out of my studio yet. I'm in a finishing stage of one of my projects, and I want to take it as far as possible. That could mean it gets no further than MySpace or the like, but of course I hope that I can get a record company interested.

Either way, I would like my tracks to be polished and get some mastering treatment before I send them out to the world. I think investing in professional mastering would only make sense if the music will be released by a record company, and that company would probably take care of the mastering themselves.

So I want to do the mastering myself (probably with the aid of other people), and I'm wondering what I should get for it. Should I go the software route, or would it be better to buy a piece of hardware like TC Finalizer? They go for about 400 euros on Ebay. That's about the same amount of money I would pay for UAD's mastering bundle.

Of course there are also interesting products from Izotope, Kjaerhus, Voxengo.

I already have Cubase 4, NI Komplete 3 (with the very nice multiband in Reaktor), an UAD pack (without the mastering bundle, but with the classic compressors and the Neve 1073 EQ), and some hardware: Dbx Project 1 stereo compressor/limiter, and a Lexicon MPX 550.

I think I could do a very nice job with the gear I already have. But I tend to think a TC Finalizer will make the job easier and quicker.

What is your advice?

[mauseoleum]

You could as well get a cheap second-hand Luna with vinco, optimaster and psy-Q. In ~100$ range ...

[jupiter8]

I have no opinion on the sound of the different suggestions. I have one on the ergonomics though. Unless you have a rack where the computer monitor normally resides it could be a bit hard using the TC to it's full potential. Crawling around on the floor makes for bad masters.

[where02190]

For the lob budget DIY mastering engineer, I highly recommend Final Mix, which comes with the Tracktion package.

[bduffy]

You could as well get a cheap second-hand Luna with vinco, optimaster and psy-Q. In ~100$ range ...

Don't you need a Creamware audio card for that?

[jupiter8]

You could as well get a cheap second-hand Luna with vinco, optimaster and psy-Q. In ~100$ range ...

Don't you need a Creamware audio card for that?

And a second hand Luna is what.......

[zircon]

I am actually selling my Creamware Luna II w/ those plugins (and more). But $100 is way too low. Those plugins are worth $200 or more each (read: they are sold for that much today) and total over $1k was put into the card... but I will let it go for less - $400+shipping. PM if you are interested.

Edit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pulsar-by-Creamware ... dZViewItem

In case you don't believe me... $255 for a Pulsar (older than the Luna II) and that doesn't even have Opti/PSY-Q/Vinco.

[justjazz]

...

[MagooUK]

I shall first qualify my opinion by stating I have yet to really get dug into mastering myself but have weighed up my options and spoke to many other people about it.

I would be inclined not to go for an all in one mastering package like Ozone or Finalizer. The temptation being to whack in a preset, tweak it a bit and call it done. All without considering your options and whether the tool you're using fits the bill.

First and foremost listen, reallllyy listen, to what needs to be done to the track. This can be hard if you tracked and mixed it as well and would be why my first instinct would be to give it to someone else to master, perhaps as well as having a go yourself.

In terms of tools don't be afraid to put the mix through channel compressors and EQs. Just make sure it suits the material. I think it might be wrong to chase that record sound through use of a single processor. Just get intimate with the material and make your choices.

[bduffy]

The big problem I see here is that you're looking to master your own stuff, which is inherently problematic. I wouldn't be inclinded to spend a lot on outboard gear unless you were thinking of graduating to mastering enginner one day.

I'm just going to put this out there as an idea. What I like to do for mastering my own tracks (without having to turn to someone else) is use AAMS to compare my mixes to commercial references. It has an automatic feature, but it will also export its EQ settings to the Firium format, if you own Firium, and I can tweak my own settings with mastering plug-ins of choice. It's not perfect, but gives you and idea of what your mixes need to approximate commercially mastered material, in terms of EQ and compression. Check it out; it's cheap, too.

[justjazz]

...

[bduffy]

bduffy I agree. For semi-pro and serious hobbyists having tools that make the mix sound better (better being subjective) is helpful if mastering isn't an option

AAMS looks very interesting. I have used curveeq to match EQ and gotten mixed results. The song you pick (and the part of the song you analyze) can have major impact on the end result.

Hey, thanks for agreeing!

Yes, absolutely. I can tell I've made a good match when, well, it sounds good! But sometimes the mix sounds like ass with the reference applied! I'll just try another one (luckily, that's instant now with AAMS), if it doesn't work out, then I can assume my mix is really screwed, or that it's just not going to work out this way. But 9 times out of 10, I can get a master that'll sound a little better going from system to system.

[Pouckypluysch]

The big problem I see here is that you're looking to master your own stuff, which is inherently problematic. I wouldn't be inclinded to spend a lot on outboard gear unless you were thinking of graduating to mastering enginner one day.

I agree.

I consider the stuff I mentioned rather as semi-pro tools than as professional mastering gear. About spending: the advantage of buying a used Finalizer is that I can sell it for about the same price I bought it when the job is done (or when the unit doesn't work for me).

By now, I think I know how to use a compressor, but how to use a multiband is still difficult for me. And I think I could use tools like loudness maximizer and a spectralizer.

[bduffy]

The big problem I see here is that you're looking to master your own stuff, which is inherently problematic. I wouldn't be inclinded to spend a lot on outboard gear unless you were thinking of graduating to mastering enginner one day.

I agree.

I consider the stuff I mentioned rather as semi-pro tools than as professional mastering gear. About spending: the advantage of buying a used Finalizer is that I can sell it for about the same price I bought it when the job is done (or when the unit doesn't work for me).

By now, I think I know how to use a compressor, but how to use a multiband is still difficult for me. And I think I could use tools like loudness maximizer and a spectralizer.

Yeah, that's a good point about re-selling the finalizer. I'm not familiar with it, apart from name, so I don't know how good it is at enhancing a mix, although I guess I've heard it a lot more than I realize!

[Grain Bastard]

Have you used the 14-day trial for the mastering bundle on the UAD-1. If so then you could contact UA who are usually happy to reset the demo's for you to try again.

My advice would be to mix it as well as you can and apply 'light' eq, compression & limiting and dither to 16bit if needed. Nobody has ever got signed on the strength of a well mastered song but good music will shine through provided its not ruined by a crap mix.

Too many people think mastering is the answer to them getting signed whereas the reality is that the effort and money put into mastering stage should be used in far different areas, IMHO.....