I've started using master desks, just to get a good feel for mastering. These have been great learning tools, and they provide enough guardrails that you truly cannot fuck up your tracks, even if you don't do a perfect job. They're especially great if you want to post something quick to share with your bandmates, which is something I do quite often.

But, now I am starting to get more interested beyond the master desks. I am a little overwhelmed by the choices of limiters. I have been using a true peak limiter for the purpose of doing some light limiting for stuff I'm posting online. I (think I) understand LUFS enough for the purpose of using a true peak limiter. I know they may not be everyone's thing, but I like the light touch on the one that I'm using.

What limiters or type of limiters do you like to use? I am looking to control the peaks with a light touch. If you consider limiting too much, what is your alternative?

I have been playing with multi-channel compressors, EQs and some really basic limiters besides a true peak. For what I'm working on right now, I don't like to get things too squashed, but taming the peaks and getting some nice glue is something I'm really trying to get my head around.

(Sorry if there's another thread on the subject. I thought I recalled seeing one in the past, but maybe it was the old forum. I could not find a thread specifically on the subject of mastering when I searched.)

cakes wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 11:50 am
What limiters or type of limiters do you like to use? I am looking to control the peaks with a light touch. If you consider limiting too much, what is your alternative?

I basically only use Izotope Ozone for the mastering I do. I like the all in one box solution. It has good EQ, and Dynamic Eq. The Limiter is very transparent when uses the way I use it which is a -1dB peak limiter shooting for -14dB LUFS. If it is doing anything other than grabbing an occasional peak, I adjust my mix until it almost isn't doing anything. The AI assisted Mastering in Ozone sounds like absolute horseshit, but the individual tools are great. The Gui is easy to use and does not look like some stupid cluster of knobs from a WW2 figher plane. I also check my masters with Youlean Loudness meter and this online tool

https://www.loudnesspenalty.com/

My "Mastering" phase is almost nothing as far as processing. Just getting the levels to where streaming seems to want them and doing another pass for "CD-ish" levels.

Kniferide wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 12:08 pm

cakes wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 11:50 am
What limiters or type of limiters do you like to use? I am looking to control the peaks with a light touch. If you consider limiting too much, what is your alternative?

I basically only use Izotope Ozone for the mastering I do. I like the all in one box solution. It has good EQ, and Dynamic Eq. The Limiter is very transparent when uses the way I use it which is a -1dB peak limiter shooting for -14dB LUFS. If it is doing anything other than grabbing an occasional peak, I adjust my mix until it almost isn't doing anything. The AI assisted Mastering in Ozone sounds like absolute horseshit, but the individual tools are great. The Gui is easy to use and does not look like some stupid cluster of knobs from a WW2 figher plane. I also check my masters with Youlean Loudness meter and this online tool

https://www.loudnesspenalty.com/

My "Mastering" phase is almost nothing as far as processing. Just getting the levels to where streaming seems to want them and doing another pass for "CD-ish" levels.

Nice, what a useful link!

Have you used the ProFab L2? That one looks like a really neat limiter.

I tried the Klevgrand Grand Finale. I can't tell if I like it or not for my purpose.

cakes wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 12:49 pm
Nice, what a useful link!

Have you used the ProFab L2? That one looks like a really neat limiter.

I tried the Klevgrand Grand Finale. I can't tell if I like it or not for my purpose.

I really like Pro L and all the other Fab Filter stuff, I use the ProQ all the time. I fI had to consider another huge expensive suite of plugins I'd probably buy all the Fab stuff but I've been in the Izotope universe for like a decade and am happy enough. Sound wise they are comparable if not the same. I've never used the Klevgrand mastering tools or any of their general utilities but I love their Virtual instruments. Skaka and Borsta are really fun for making "world music" beats and Pipa is a fun/weird volcal synth. Modley is a ton of fun too. That company kinda only makes fun stuff.

Kniferide wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 1:09 pm

cakes wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 12:49 pm
Nice, what a useful link!

Have you used the ProFab L2? That one looks like a really neat limiter.

I tried the Klevgrand Grand Finale. I can't tell if I like it or not for my purpose.

I really like Pro L and all the other Fab Filter stuff, I use the ProQ all the time. I fI had to consider another huge expensive suite of plugins I'd probably buy all the Fab stuff but I've been in the Izotope universe for like a decade and am happy enough. Sound wise they are comparable if not the same. I've never used the Klevgrand mastering tools or any of their general utilities but I love their Virtual instruments. Skaka and Borsta are really fun for making "world music" beats and Pipa is a fun/weird volcal synth. Modley is a ton of fun too. That company kinda only makes fun stuff.

I really like ProQ. There's a couple of other EQs like it, but it's so nice it's hard to want to use something else like it. I've definitely got the ProQ in a wishlist and watching for price drops. I think I am going to do a trial of L2, it's really piqued my interest. They do such great UI work that gets you right into doing what you want, instead of trying to figure out what each button and knob means. I only point it out because I think it would work well for mastering and wondering if anyone had experience using those together.

cakes wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 1:40 pmI only point it out because I think it would work well for mastering and wondering if anyone had experience using those together.

I cant imagine a single thing in mastering you couldn't get the ProL to do for you. It has a great GUI with really good metering and 32x oversampling.

One thing I don't get is when adjusting levels for LUFS, should I keep the fader for the master track at 0? Should the master track volume ever be moved? I don't understand when I put a LUFS meter at the end of the master chain why the fader volume doesn't effect it. What is true volume?

Can't say for sure without seeing what you're doing but generally if you're running plugins on your 2-bus they're going to be pre-fader. So everything sums to the 2-bus, it hits the compressor/EQ/etc (in your case the loudness meter), and then the fader is controlling the level at output. You should be able to switch your inserts/sends to be post-fader without too much trouble if that's what you want to do.

mdc wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 9:30 am Can't say for sure without seeing what you're doing but generally if you're running plugins on your 2-bus they're going to be pre-fader. So everything sums to the 2-bus, it hits the compressor/EQ/etc (in your case the loudness meter), and then the fader is controlling the level at output. You should be able to switch your inserts/sends to be post-fader without too much trouble if that's what you want to do.

Ah, I didn't think of that!

Always keep the master fader at 0. So your chain would be for ex: EQ, compressor, limiter, loudness meter. Adjust the overall level/amount of limiting with the threshold of the limiter.

I'm a professional masterer, ask me whatever and I'll try and help!