Best mastering chain with plugins?

[Old Nick]

elysia museq
elysia alpha
elysia museq
L3 or XL2
SIR standardClip
OR
RS56
TG Mastering chain
SIR standardClip

[antic604]

mid/side EQ -> compressor -> limiter

[dblock]

Can't say it's the best but it's working for me right now in my master bus template.
British Class A
Overstayer
PSP Saturator
Weiss EQ1
Weiss DS1 mk3
PA BAX eq

[kPere]

Two solid positions are:
bx_digital v3
elysia alpha comp
rest may vary, but it usually ends up in ozone limiter for minimal gain reduction and peak protection.

[pixel85]

IK Bus Comp
IK Tape 80 or 99
Weiss Compressor
Weiss MM-1 Limiter
Ozone: maximizer with -0.5 to -2dB True Peak (because Weiss Limiter can't handle true peaks properly)

[Passing Bye]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFeuORcRISI

[The Main Event]

My go to chain for pretty much all masters that i do:

- uhe Satin for Tape Color
- Waves PuigChild with max. 1db of compression
- Pro-Q 3
- Plugin Alliance Shadow Hills Compressor
- Ozone (Exciter and Stereo Image Tool)
- brainworx bx_2098
- Waves L3-LL Multiband Limiter
(- Ozone Match EQ if needed)
- Fabfilter Pro-L 2

[acYm]

elysia alpha comp > VSM-3 > softube/ni Passive > sknote presence > sometimes softube Tape > limiter6GE

[ametal]

bx_digital v3 -> Inflator -> IK Stealth Limiter

[Hermetech Mastering]

My choice:

bx_digital v3
Tone projects - unisum
Fabfilter L2

What is yours? Why?

I've only mastered one single track and one whole album completely ITB over the last 13 years, but if I had to do it now, it would probably go something like this:

Voxengo R8Brain Pro
Acon Acoustica Post Production Suite
TDR Slick EQ M
AirWindows Ultrasonic
Softube Chandler Germanium Compressor
TDR Slick EQ M
Voxengo OVC-128
Voxengo MSED
TDR Slick EQ M
AirWindows Ultrasonic
DMG Limitless
AirWindows NJAD
Youlean Loudness Meter

But I'm not gonna explain why, cos you didn't either. I could probably do most of the work with any decent combo of a single Comp, EQ and Limiter, if I had to go minimal. WRT mastering, I think knowing what moves to make is much more important than the tools you use to get there.

[briefcasemanx]

No ToneProjects Unisum mentions seems crazy.

[imrae]

...
Voxengo MSED
TDR Slick EQ M
...

I'm curious about this part of the chain. What is the single MSED instance doing? Slick EQ M covers stereo width pretty thoroughly.

[roman.i]

No ToneProjects Unisum mentions seems crazy.

I mentioned it.

[Hermetech Mastering]

...
Voxengo MSED
TDR Slick EQ M
...

I'm curious about this part of the chain. What is the single MSED instance doing? Slick EQ M covers stereo width pretty thoroughly.

Just force of habit with how I currently use a similar setup, but with the analogue chain in the middle. I have been using MSED since forever (long before TDR were a thing) and I like the fact that you can adjust the Sum and Difference separately in dB, whereas with the TDR stuff it's a very slightly more confusing "balance" control. But yeah, just habit basically, could just use the Slick EQ M to do it all.

[Azbest]

True Iron > bx_townhouse > Rule Tec > Black Box HG-2 > Softube Tape > Ozone 9 > TDR Limiter 6 GE.

Sometimes I use Softube Saturation Knob instead of HG-2, sometimes I don't use Rule Tec at all. But that's pretty much the chain. Thinking of buying Voxengo TEOTE, and that will go before everything else.