Any of you use FinalMix?

[Frippertronix]

If so, how do you like it and do you think it compares well with payware mastering devices?

Dave

[Lunch Money]

I can't say I have much experience with comparable software, actually. It's pretty sweet, though! Only thing is, mastering and even "Final Mixing" is meant to be done on a per-track basis ideally, which means that the presets aren't anything better than a glorified jumping-off point, and sometimes you'd be better off starting from neutral.

[markmann]

Final Mix is not nearly as good as Ozone which is available at:

<http://www.izotope.com>

Download the demo and do an A/B.

[rpc9943]

heh i use final mix now. i use it on the pop setting and change from there. It's okay and does a nice job on mixes. I would like ozone but ... $$$$$

RonC

[ceenda]

"General_CD_Mastering" preset seems quite nice as a base preset to work from. I usually just modify the post EQ a little bit and adjust levels.

I haven't used any of the other Mackie ones at all.

[Barbarossa]

Besides the dynamic optimizations, mastering is mostly about correcting holes and peaks in the frequency range of the final mix. Presets of "Mastering" PlugIns can't do this!

[rpc9943]

agreed. Do you think harBal would be good for that?

RonC

[semiquaver]

I do not like the sound (or interface) of Ozone - the onlyy part that sounds good is the Megabitmax dither! I prefer the eq and compression in Final mix. Caveat: I don't personally like multi-band compression - it wasn't too long ago that records were routinely mastered with and eq-comp-eq chain *only* - multi-band started sneaking in the early eighties and became more or less standard with BobLudwig and his precious Weiss machines. But there are still top mastering engineers who don't use it (Joe Gastwert comes to mind). It is great for changing a mix after the fact and for maximizing loudness, but if you *like* the mix as it is it isn't always called for!

That said I like the eq in final mix a lot. And HarBal seems like a useful tool.

[inthesownd]

I use Final Mix on a per track basis, and it really sounds quite good.

[NAS]

I like the sound but i'm on a laptop and its a little guzzly CPU wise for me.

[AndrewSimon]

I use T-Racks (got it for free last year with the purchase of Amplitube)
I really love the T-Racks and use it most of the time even thou I have the UAD-1 card with their "famous vintage" mastering plugs.
I do use Final Mix sometimes for more surgical, per track corrections.

It also depends on taste and the type of music you do.
If your music is mainly created using synthesizers a "clean" mastering tool like Ozone or FinalMix will do a better job.
On the other hand if your music is mainly recorded acoustic instruments or vocals T-Racks and UAD with their "tube warmth vintage gear" can do wonders.

[semiquaver]

PSP vintage warmer is nice 4 some things.

[IIRs]

The Mackie compressors are very useful for mastering too: I find for subtle mix sweetening I can often get results from the 3-band comp a bit quicker and easier than from Final Mix.. mainly because the cross-over is a bit simpler.

[rpc9943]

so you guys recommend doing it per track? Or per ... track groups?

Like for vocals, guitars, etc.

so ?

RonC

[aMUSEd]

If so, how do you like it and do you think it compares well with payware mastering devices?

Dave

It is payware really - they charge big money for it on the Mackie site in some other, non Tracktion locked, formats. So I presume there are people who consider it worth paying that sort of money for.