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Mastering Software by
Voxengo
Voxengo has dedicated its efforts to producing a number of its plug-ins for mastering. They range from equalizers to limiters with options for total transparency to various ranges of colouration, as well as some best suited for mastering only.
All have a fair degree of tweaking built in to them, if you have the time for that. But the presets are rather good starting points without being totally inappropriate for mastering.
Aleksey Vaneev is the brains behind the company. He's created a high number of extremely useful plug-ins very quickly and provided continuous updates based on user suggestions. Much of his designs are based on his research into transients, and has applied this to tube simulations, sample rate converters, and unique software like Transmodder.
Beginning with the 'standard' mastering chain, there are three equalizers suited for the job of mastering: CurveEQ - GlissEQ - HarmoniEQ.
CurveEQ is a linear phase EQ that has curve matching, a choice of colouration characters, and a mid-side option – a feature I really like. The curve matching option is something very popular with do-it-yourself-ers – it lets you analyse a source audio file's EQ curve (say from a commercial CD) and apply settings to your current file to give a matching EQ output with the source track.
GlissEQ is a special dynamic equalizer with an oversampling option built in. It works like this: boosting a frequency a certain amount will enhance the transients rather than the actual gain. But this can be controlled! You set the amount of enhancement or just set it to behave as a regular equalizer. I like the way I can control the subtleties of a track if I need to; but I also like using it just as a “straight” equalizer.
HarmoniEQ provides many options for some very pleasing phase colouration. It also provides an oversampling option for processing. The main characteristics of this plug-in are the harmonic enhancements it provides – this is definitely not what you'd call a transparent equalizer and that's not necessarily a bad thing. But for certain mixes I really like its magic.
Next in line are some of Voxengo's compressors.
First off, there is the Polysquasher. This is a single band or wideband compressor. I'm amazed at how far I can push a signal into this plug without giving the music a squashed distorted sound. By way of compliment, it does the opposite of what it's name implies.
Next there is the Marquis Compressor. Voxengo has gone all out on this one – it offers a variety of compression types, control over colouration and release contour. This last point is an important feature in audio mastering. Also offered is an adjustable knee and key signal filtering eq – this lets you adjust what part of the frequency spectrum affects the compressor action the most. This is useful, for example, if you have a lot of bass in your mix but don't want it affect the overall compression level, you would simply eq out that portion of your mix. However the bass still stays in the final output. Lots to adjust, but very powerful.
Finally, there is Soniformer. I prefer to think of this as a spectral compressor as opposed to a multiband compressor. The range of control this software gives over a mix is phenomenal. In addition to being able to compress (or expand) various frequencies with their own attack & release times, it also has a mid-side operating mode. For instance, I can compress just a section of the high frequencies but in the centre image only. This is extremely useful when I get a mix with a sibilant vocalist and don't want to interfere with the cymbals' spread. This would save you the time and expense of a remix. You can also adjust the width, panning, output levels, and wet-dry mix of individual frequency regions!
Onward to limiting. Voxengo's Elephant has a variety of release actions, important for the final audio result. It also offers oversampling, DC offset removal and dithering with noise shaping options. This is great for finishing CD masters and also preventing inter-sample overs which can translate to distortion on playback equipment. I'm rather fond of the 'punchy' presets and like using them if a track needs a certain extra kick to it.
Finally, two more plug-ins I like are Voxengo's Warmifier and Transmodder.
Although I use them only occasionally, Warmifier simulates various types of tube effects, and Transmodder alters user-selected transients determined based on (also) user-defined inputs. You can, for instance, have the overall level gently amplify bass and cymbal frequencies giving your mix more punch and sparkle. Both offer oversampling options.
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