Sonalksis Mastering Suite or Ikmultimedia T-Racks 3?

[lotus2035]

I was eyeing up the BlueTubes pack recently because I was looking for a definitive set of mixing tools instead of the stock ones in Cubase 4 (the UAD2 series are out of my price range)...but I'm gonna jump on this Deluxe T-Racks at the very latest before the end of the year..

Just for the sake of giving my opinion(which you may or may not care about), I like the Blue Tubes plugins. Not the most advanced plugins on the market, but great sounding IMO. The channel strip is excellent.

Brent

I'll keep it in mind..thanks..

[4damind]

Sonalksis is great, the SV315 is my best workhorse compressor.. But its not really the best for mastering (except the DQ1/CQ1). The new limiter is on the right way but IMHO not a recommendation because there are better (more transparent with less pumping) limiters on the market.
For this reason, (for me) the answer to the question is TRacks3.

TRacks was since days a good recommendation for a "vintage" sounding masteringbundle (the only bundle I like, a way better then the Blue "wannabe" Tubes).
IK Multimedia has a lot of knowledge with many top plugins, so we can hope that TRacks3 will be great.

But of course as I said before... We must wait to the official release and when the demo is available.

[bduffy]

I'm not sure. Sonalksis has no good mastering plugins, the new limiter are not the best compared to others. The compressor is very nice, but more for tracks (same with the EQ).

You must be kidding, the new Sonalksis mastering plugs are all I really need (+ some Nomad Factory Stuff) for my mastering, bye bye waves etc

Hans

I'm surprised, because I keep trying and trying to get MaxLimit to sound as good as other limiters, and I just can't; it squashes transients at the slightest settings. "Smooth" seems to make things less transparent! Maybe I'm missing something (not that there are many parameters to edit...)

[Shy]

I really think you're missing nothing..

[bduffy]

Indeed.

[Niksounds]

I really think you're missing nothing..

this comment for sonalksis's lack or bduffy's ?



i'm inspector

[Highvoltage]

and now the new SCC™ (Sonic Character Cloning). SCC™ has been developed to "clone" the true behavior of an analog vintage processor down to its finest level of sonic detail for a faithful reproduction of all its tonal characteristics

OH NOOo NOT AGAAAIN

[bduffy]

and now the new SCC™ (Sonic Character Cloning). SCC™ has been developed to "clone" the true behavior of an analog vintage processor down to its finest level of sonic detail for a faithful reproduction of all its tonal characteristics

OH NOOo NOT AGAAAIN

[hansvaneven]

I'm surprised, because I keep trying and trying to get MaxLimit to sound as good as other limiters, and I just can't; it squashes transients at the slightest settings. "Smooth" seems to make things less transparent! Maybe I'm missing something (not that there are many parameters to edit...)

I think the release parameter is quite important to achieve the wanted result ... I personally like the character of the Maxlimit a lot, more close to analog limiters imho.

Hans

[MitchK1989]

I'd go for ozone 3 over anything else for mastering, and I'm sure ozone 4 will be even better.

[bduffy]

I'm surprised, because I keep trying and trying to get MaxLimit to sound as good as other limiters, and I just can't; it squashes transients at the slightest settings. "Smooth" seems to make things less transparent! Maybe I'm missing something (not that there are many parameters to edit...)

I think the release parameter is quite important to achieve the wanted result ... I personally like the character of the Maxlimit a lot, more close to analog limiters imho.

Hans

Yeah? I don't know: it's a paradox for me. I like its character too, but I just can't get a clean master out of it. Maybe I could get a super-subtle 70's-style, "audiophile" master, with 1 or 2dB of gain reduction, but even then I find this compressor smears transients too much. Ah well.

[ckatrun411]

I think the Sonalksis are great, just a little unforgiving. They are very precise... You have to make sure you start with a very well balanced mix, and set the tools up just right.

I think the Sonalksis tools, are a little beyond a lot of peoples mixing level. Justin3am is about the only one, I can think of, from the music cafe, who mixes that well. I'm sure he is having no problem with them.

I mean, we should all have flawless mixes, and be able to sit in tuned rooms and use em... but seriously... a little off on the multi-band, a little off on the limiter, and they sure as hell let you know, you are making a mistake.


If your mix is bass heavy, or top heavy... forget it...



( edit )

bduffy, and I know your mixes are very tight. but it is room as well, imho... I don't have a good room to master with these damn plugs.

[v1o]

I'll repeat the age old complaints. People say T-Racks colours the sound too much and results in alot of vintage sounding recording. The Waves bundle is probably the best sounding mastering effects suite you could get.

[Per Lichtman]

I respectfully disagree regarding the Waves bundle. It has neither the precision nor the transparency of many of its competitors, though it was the most powerful mastering plug-in bundle by far 5 years ago. And if you desire color, than there are plenty of bundles that cater specifically to that as well. However, Waves recent vintage emulation bundles have had some very good plug-ins and I see no real equivalent to the API bundle by any of their competitors.

One of my clients purchased a large Waves bundle years ago and the frequency with which they use their plug-ins has fallen off sharply over the last year. At this point, the only plug-in they use frequently is the PAZ-Analyzer.

[bduffy]

I'm no mastering engineer, but I still think the L2 is one of the best, most transparent limiters; it usually beats everything else I've tried. I (respectfully) don't understand the anti-Waves mastering sentiment myself, maybe I'm missing something the "golden ear" folk are hearing.