Izotope Ozone 4 is out

aizo · Post by **aizo** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 2:46 pm

I'm a huge fan of Ozone! One of the best mastering plugs out there.

version 4 is out and it's looking beautiful. Hoping to upgrade soon!

http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/ozone/

kb420 · Post by **kb420** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 3:26 pm

I just found out about that this morning. $79 for the upgrade from 3.

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 4:46 pm

now that Live 8 has spectrum, multi band compression, and true limiter I think i may actually be able to master with just native Live tools.

woohoo

mholloway · Post by **mholloway** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:41 pm

tempus3r wrote:now that Live 8 has spectrum, multi band compression, and true limiter I think i may actually be able to master with just native Live tools.

woohoo

+1 ... I'm really hoping they'll be decent enough to do that. Like you I'd love to just complete the mix in Live8 alone.....currently I use T-Racks for mastering, just some very light EQ and then huge compression / limiting to boost the volume. works well, but there's just something so appealing about getting it all done in a single DAW interface (and without loading in CPU intensive 3rd party mastering plugs....)

I tried 0zone 3 extensively and never got a sound I liked from it. T-racks always sounded better, even without the reverb/stereo enhancement/excitation aspects that Ozone has....

-M

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:51 pm

Live's tools are OK for demo purposes, or for Live use, but still lacking what what you would expect from a pro mastering job.

I don't think Ozone and T-racks are really sufficient for that either, without wanting to sound like a gear snob. Using quality dedicated mastering plugins is a better option. T-racks and Ozone are OK and if you know how to use them can produce some good results, but they don't replace tons of outboard gear, or stuff like the UAD Precision Limiter or Sonnox etc.

Compare Live's limiter to Voxengo Elephant ($89 but for me as good as it gets in a mastering limiter) - customizable GUI, up to 8x oversampling, several different modes giving you everything from almost total transparency to crush like a ripe tomato, adjustable release, dithering and dc offset filter options,

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:55 pm

leedsquietman wrote:Live's tools are OK for demo purposes, but still lacking what what you would expect from a pro mastering job.

I don't think Ozone and T-racks are really sufficient for that either, without wanting to sound like a gear snob. Using quality dedicated mastering plugins is a better option. T-racks and Ozone are OK and if you know how to use them can produce some good results, but they don't replace tons of outboard gear, or stuff like the UAD Precision Limiter or Sonnox etc.

Eh, I don't believe the hype. If ableton named the plugins "Pro Master Multiband Compression" would that help? teehee.

To me mastering is about the talent of the person doing it, not the particular software/hardware used.

A good mastering engineer can get better results with freeware plugins than a newbie could get with Sonnox.

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:58 pm

tempus3r wrote:now that Live 8 has spectrum, multi band compression, and true limiter I think i may actually be able to master with just native Live tools.

+1

While I agree with Leeds about "pro" mastering, I think for the "home mastering" most of us do, Live may be plenty good enough in v.8 with these new additions.

edited for clarity

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:00 pm

yes of course. But a good mastering engineer can also get more out of better quality plugs than freeware ones or some of the cheaper mastering solutions such as Ozone.

The extra price gives you more control. I mean the average formula One driver can drive a ford taurus around a race circuit faster than a noob in a McClaren or Ferrari F1 race car, but they couldn't win against another formula one driver IN a McClaren or Ferrari.

I personally have been involved in mastering projects for several years. I know I can't compete with guys with Weiss outboard gear or algorithmix EQs costing 1,000 dollars plus and I don't have a room that stakes up, no top of the line lavry converters and avocet cranesongs etc. However, I have some nice software mastering tools and with my experience I can get better results out of it, so it's worth the cost. Ask Tarekith if he masters exclusively with freeware plugins. Ask Bob Ludwig or Bob Clearmountain or Doug Sax or Bob Katz if they use freeware tools exclusively. I'm not saying that some good freeware can't do a functional job, but you have LESS control. For engineers who know what they're doing, you can take it up a level using better tools.

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:09 pm

Depends. what if the race was to see who can drive a shittier car in a circle. Mr. Taurus would win!

Teehee. Yes I agree with you. Better stuff is better. No doubting that. I guess the point though is that I think what abes provides in Live 8 will give most of us enough to work with without the need for stuff like T-racks or Ozone.

mholloway · Post by **mholloway** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:24 pm

so speaking of Ozone 4 again, I glanced through the website and the only difference I can see between 3 and 4 is some GUI changes...??? what exactly is the selling point here?

xzusa8ky · Post by **xzusa8ky** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:26 pm

the new live 8 plugs will also do Pro jobs without any problems i guess

sounds very nice to my criticaly ears......

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:43 pm

Depends what you need from your music as to whether they will suffice.
For most home demo purposes, the new Live tools will be fine.
For preventing speaker blowing peaks on live music good too.

And definately a plus point that they are included. I think though that if you have any kind of budget for mastering, you will notice a difference if an experienced ME with great tools and a great room masters your music.

synnack · Post by **synnack** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 8:47 pm

leedsuietman: FYI. broken link in your sig.

should be www.distinguishedrecordings.com

not wwww.

rustyman1 · Post by **rustyman1** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:02 pm

so what is the best software for mastering?

opinions?

rustyman1 · Post by **rustyman1** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 9:05 pm

anybody else that is older than 12?