What are the best mixing / mastering bundles in your opinion?
FL 20 user here. I'm using TDR Labs everything bundle and iZotope Ozone & Neutron standard. TDR products are nice and solid. Love the Ozone and Neutron but wish I had the advanced version so I could use the plugins separately instead of the whole module.
Also love FL Studios Maximus end Parametric EQ 2 (I wish it had spectral analyzer like Pro Q3 so bad).
Best mixing bundle
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 35 posts since 20 Apr, 2020
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- KVRer
- 13 posts since 3 Jan, 2020
You already have a very usable suite of plugins there; what exactly do you feel that you're lacking? Analog-modeled stuff? Let me know what you feel like you're missing and I'll try to point you in he right direction.
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Winstontaneous Winstontaneous https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=98336
- KVRAF
- 2351 posts since 15 Feb, 2006 from Berkeley, CA
As edthesoundman says it sounds like you're fairly well covered. To me the TokyoDawn Labs stuff is a revelation - though there are more expensive EQs/compressors/limiters out there, the TDR keeps up with anything. The two resources that upped my game for mixing and "mastering" (I pay a pro to do the latter for actual releases) are Mike Senior's "Mixing Secrets" and Bob Katz' "Mastering Audio".
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- KVRist
- 490 posts since 3 Feb, 2018
Hard to say. I have a chain of plugins I always use but it’s hard to recommend because it would get sickeningly expensive in one buy. I scavenged it together with second hand, sales and just biting the bullet because I was sure I wanted these.
For instance, I use the Weiss compressor.. but that one’s expensive. Full Izotope bundle with all the extra’s type money for what’s essentially a single compressor (with a few different interfaces). It just sounds right for me though and it’s easy to set.. unlike Ozone where it’s easy to get lost in all the options. I don’t need Ozone with this, or options. Never really like the sound of it too, something brittle and harsh to it, where the Weiss is rounded and grounded if that makes sense.
Ironically, the one compressor I’ve come across that gets closest is the TDR Kotelnikov which is of course free.
So there’s no best. After a while it just becomes about taste and preferred workflow. More options and features isn’t necessarily better... unless you really want to use your mastering stage to second guess every single mixing decision you made. And it’s technically not even really mastering if you do it yourself on the same system you made the damn tune on. For the absolute best result nothing beats a pro with second pair of ears, perfect monitors and good judgement
You can’t get there by yourself.
For instance, I use the Weiss compressor.. but that one’s expensive. Full Izotope bundle with all the extra’s type money for what’s essentially a single compressor (with a few different interfaces). It just sounds right for me though and it’s easy to set.. unlike Ozone where it’s easy to get lost in all the options. I don’t need Ozone with this, or options. Never really like the sound of it too, something brittle and harsh to it, where the Weiss is rounded and grounded if that makes sense.
Ironically, the one compressor I’ve come across that gets closest is the TDR Kotelnikov which is of course free.
So there’s no best. After a while it just becomes about taste and preferred workflow. More options and features isn’t necessarily better... unless you really want to use your mastering stage to second guess every single mixing decision you made. And it’s technically not even really mastering if you do it yourself on the same system you made the damn tune on. For the absolute best result nothing beats a pro with second pair of ears, perfect monitors and good judgement
You can’t get there by yourself.-
- KVRist
- 118 posts since 22 Feb, 2013
If you don't want to shell out big bucks but still get something worthwhile you could take a look at the ToneBooster's bundles. If memory serves me right they have one geared more towards track mixing and one for mastering, both very affordable relative to other companies.
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- KVRian
- 643 posts since 27 Apr, 2018
Normally the effects in your DAW should be sufficient and you can get really far, without needing a mixing bundle. If this answer is not sexy enough for you, then you shouldn't waste money with buying mid-class tools. Then go and get the Pro, Mixing or Mastering-Bundle from Fabfilter. This regarded from the most as a kind of reference for clean EQs and compressors, also the other tools are top-notch and have the biggest spread on professional level. Nevertheless don't forget to demo it, there are some rare voices, who don't like it. Thus have a look first, if it is to you.
DMG has a similar high reputation. They both together are traded as the top brands for that in my impression.
If you are looking for this vintage mixing and mastering stuff, the answer is not that easy and opinions have a wider spectrum. Possible candidates are Universal Audio, Acustica, SSL, Softube, Slates Digital, Waves (losely orderd by price and reputation), but there are much more and the market is huge for that. Telling, which is "the best" is kind of impossible there and everybody has his own opinion.
When it comes to me personally, I own just the Essential bundle from Fabfilter, but at the end I use it really seldom, except the reverb. Most of the EQ and compressor tasks I do with the (Ableton) stock plugins, they are more seamless, faster and they do, what is intended from me, thus currently I do not really benefit from it.
Just demo as much as you can. If a tool is "best" for you, is mostly dependent on how easy and fast YOU can get the intended result from it. For me in the meanwhile now, it happens often, that I think a tool is nice, but after demoing I recognize, that it brings no additional value to me.
DMG has a similar high reputation. They both together are traded as the top brands for that in my impression.
If you are looking for this vintage mixing and mastering stuff, the answer is not that easy and opinions have a wider spectrum. Possible candidates are Universal Audio, Acustica, SSL, Softube, Slates Digital, Waves (losely orderd by price and reputation), but there are much more and the market is huge for that. Telling, which is "the best" is kind of impossible there and everybody has his own opinion.
When it comes to me personally, I own just the Essential bundle from Fabfilter, but at the end I use it really seldom, except the reverb. Most of the EQ and compressor tasks I do with the (Ableton) stock plugins, they are more seamless, faster and they do, what is intended from me, thus currently I do not really benefit from it.
Just demo as much as you can. If a tool is "best" for you, is mostly dependent on how easy and fast YOU can get the intended result from it. For me in the meanwhile now, it happens often, that I think a tool is nice, but after demoing I recognize, that it brings no additional value to me.
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vitocorleone123 vitocorleone123 https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=333504
- KVRAF
- 1896 posts since 30 Jun, 2014 from Pacific NW
Don’t think you need more bundles. Could upgrade the izotope stuff. I assume the TDR software is all GE versions as appropriate. Otherwise... focus on the mixing process.
If you add anything, it’d be some one off analog style effects.
If you add anything, it’d be some one off analog style effects.
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- Banned
- 1792 posts since 8 Sep, 2019 from Calenberg
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- Banned
- 68 posts since 15 Jun, 2020
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- KVRist
- 395 posts since 6 May, 2020
I would have to agree with the general consensus here. It sounds like you already have a great set of tools that you also like to being with.
Maybe that's exactly what you should do. Nothing else really seems to be out of place, but you seem to have a distinct want for the advanced version, so why not go for it when you can?wish I had the advanced version so I could use the plugins separately instead of the whole module.
Take care
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- KVRian
- 722 posts since 19 Sep, 2007 from Germany
I have a bundle from Flux and also tested Waves, but meanwhile I'm using 99% only the FL Studio 20 plugins for the mix and for "final mastering" Maximus. At the moment I'm testing FabFilter Pro-L 2 and I get a bit better results as with Maximus and the presets are better, so perhaps on the next sale I will buy it. But that difference is just slightly. With FL plugins you can mix and master very good!
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- KVRAF
- 2956 posts since 31 Jan, 2020
I'm happy with Izotope Neutron Advanced, which i got in the Tonal Balance Bundle, on a sale.
