The original NI Massive was arguably the best best VST plugin soft synth on the market for many years. With MASSIVE X, it’s newest version, you can expect some improvement on the industry standard. They have over 170 wavetable options available. And the plugin gives you two different oscillators so you can layer your sound within the plugin. The question of what are the best Waves plugins for mastering always come up in forums and discussions around the web So to settle this once and for all, and to make it easier for those that want to know, we’ve put together this guide to instruct you on the best choice to make out of Waves Audio’s massive collection.

It’s true that you can mix your music using stock plugins, but mastering engineers require specialized tools. Part of the reason for this is that they’re usually working with mixes that have been sent to them as a stereo track. Instead of opening up a mix session to turn a kick down 2 dB, they need to resort to other methods that will not only fix the issue but preserve the quality of the overall track.

1. If you are considering mastering your own tracks, the best place to start is by downloading some high quality mastering VST plugins. There are many incredibly powerful mastering VST plugins available, and all DAWs will come with one or two decent mastering tools.
2. A case in point is the game-changing rise of dynamic and automatic EQ plugins in recent years, applying cuts and boosts in response to the volume level of the target frequency band, and taking us all one step closer to the controversial dream of AI-driven mixing, respectively. The best VST plugins 2020: the finest synth effects and instruments.

Every plugin company mentioned in this list has had sales in the past, some offering over 80% off their products. Be patient and keep an eye out for sale announcements on the social media pages of these plugin manufacturers; you should be able to pick up a majority of these mastering tools at a heavily discounted price. Check out 'The Ultimate List of Plugin Companies' to see which plugin manufacturers are worth keeping an eye on.

8. FabFilter Pro-Q 3 ($179)

I mostly use stock or analog-modeled EQs while mixing, since I’m either looking for convenience or color at that stage in the production process. Things change a little bit once I get around to mastering either my own music or the music of others. At a mastering level, I want a digital EQ full of features, with the ability to perform surgical processing; this is where the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 steps in.

This EQ offers up to 24 bands, 9 different filter types, linear phase, zero latency, and natural phase modes, the ability to toggle bands into dynamic mode, per-band mid/side processing, full surround support (up to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2), the ability to solo bands, optional auto gain, a customizable spectrum analyzer, and a resizable GUI.

There’s a feature called Spectrum Grab included with the Pro-Q 3 that automatically identifies peaks for you and allows you to create new bands at resonant frequencies. I find this to come in handy quite often since it prevents the need to go frequency fishing. FabFilter’s Pro-Q 3 offers plenty of surgical processing options, making it ideal for mastering purposes.

7. Oeksound Soothe (149 €)

Soothe is a spectral processor for suppressing resonances in the mid to high-frequency range of mixes. When the different elements of a song sum together when they reach your stereo bus, specific harmonics can sum together to create resonant frequencies that unpleasantly stick out of the mix. Soothe offers a solution to this common mastering problem, and also has several useful mixing applications.

This plugin can tame vocal sibilance, fretboard noise on acoustic guitar, whistling from cymbals, and overly bright electric guitar and piano tracks. I’ve had soothe rescue many recordings that not many other tools could have saved. This is absolutely a specialty plugin, but one with a wide range of applications. Whether you’re a mixing or mastering engineer, soothe will provide tremendous value, on top of an easy-to-use interface.

Soothe made its way into “4 Essential EQ Techniques to Get Clean Mixes,” which touches on some mastering EQ tips as well. Read the full article for more information on cleaning up your mixes and masters.

6. UAD SSL 4000 G Bus ($299)

The UAD SSL 4000 G Bus compressor offers a lot of punch and does a great job of preserving the transient information of mixes, while effectively gluing together the components that make up the song you’re working on. Most of the characteristic sound that the SSL 4000 G Bus offers is due to the feedback-style approach to compression that its analog counterpart takes.

In his article on “Feedback Vs. Feed-Forward Compression: The Differences You Need to Know,” Rick Slater of SonicScoop explains that “The SSL bus compressor is designed so that faster attack release times will deliver smaller amounts of reduction while slower settings provide lots more, making for more even gain reduction as you cycle through the attack settings.” The SSL 4000 G Bus is perfect for Pop, Country, and Folk songs; it does a great job of maintaining the articulation and clarity of tracks.

If you’re looking for a bit more color, a strong alternative to the SSL 4000 G Bus is the Vertigo VSC-2 ($299). Like the SSL 4000 G Bus, the Vertigo VSC-2 is a VCA (voltage controlled amplifier) compressor, but instead of providing crisp compression, it adds an often-desirable thump and roundness to mixes. I particularly like the sound of this compressor on Hip-Hop and grungy EDM tracks.

Having quality plugins is a must when you’re mastering in the box. You’re going to need a good EQ, compressor, limiter, and a handful of other tools to get the best sound possible.

In some cases, companies have created plugins with a combination of functions allowing you to manipulate just about every part of your music in one interface. Others have compiled bundles of their “best” software to give you everything you need to complete a successful master.

If you’re new to mastering or a professional looking for new tools to up your game, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best mastering plugins out there.

Let’s check them out.

Top 9 VST Plugins for Mastering

1. FabFilter Mastering Bundle

As a company, FabFilter is still relatively young in the audio processing world. Even still, they happen to make some of the most forward-thinking VST plugins on the market. Grabbing the Mastering Bundle will equip you with FabFilter’s best tools all in one bundle.

The Mastering Bundle comes with the following plugins:

• Pro-C mastering compressor – Comes with a variety of compression modes allowing you to change the tone of your mix. You can also work in M/S or L/R mode which is a big deal in the mastering world.
• Pro-Q – By far this EQ is one of the most flexible on the market. The Pro Q comes equipped with a very precise frequency analyzer allowing you to make better mastering decisions all while use 24 bands simultaneously! Left/Right and Mid/Side processing are both available here as well.
• Pro-L Limiter – Want that brick wall sound? You go it here. You get 4 limiting modes to help shape and tone your track. The Pro-L also include some other parameters an adjustable Lookahead control and Channel Linking options for transient detection.

Overall, we like the FabFilter Mastering bundle for its flexibility. What makes these plugins much more powerful, however, is that they can also be used for in mixing sessions as well. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a competent mixing engineer that doesn’t have FabFilter products in their toolbox.

Pros

• Can apply to a wide variety of situations
• Amazing for detailed tasks
• L/R and M/S options

Cons

• Pro-C Output volume can get hot quickly

2. iZotope Ozone 9

Izotope is a well-established brand and has created some of the best mastering software. Ozone, Izotope’s flagship product, is an all-in-one solution for mastering in the box and has been favored by engineers for mastering solutions, since it’s first iteration.

Ozone 9 acts as a wonderful standalone solution for all your mastering needs. Probably the best feature is that you can use their plugin outside of your DAW, helping to create a much-needed alternative perspective.

While inside your DAW, you can easily bring up the Ozone’s wide selection of processors like their dynamics section, limiter, exciter, and more. Even though the plugin looks complicated at first glance, Izotope tries to make it as beginner-friendly as possible by including a ton of presets. Browse the preset library to find something that best matches your sound or better yet, use that as a starting point to “dial-in” your sound.

We couldn’t end our Izotope overview without mentioning their Master Assistant. This is by far the one feature that sets it apart from other mastering VSTs. Just click a button and the Master Assistant will analyze your song before deciding on the best combinations of settings. A truly customized “done for you” solution. Just be aware you will most likely still need to do some tweaking.

Pros

• A Vast catalog of processing modules
• The Master Assistant
• Beautiful and intuitive interface

Cons

• No zoom controls for trimming and fading
• Lacks song-spacing ability for Compact Discs

3. Eventide Elevate Mastering Bundle

It’s no secret that Eventide has high-quality reverb plugins, but many producers and engineers aren’t aware of their mastering bundles. In the Elevate bundle, you’ll get four quality plugins but the crown jewel lies in the Mastering/Limiting plugin, which will give you all the loudness you want all while maintaining as much dynamics where possible.

After journeying through a 26-band filter, the signal hits a limiter with dynamic transient emphasis and spectral clipper controls. A nice feature with the filter bank is that the built-in AI assists with setting the amount of gain, speed and transient variation into each band. The AI can also be applied to other limiting parameters, which can go a long way in helping to create a more natural end result. Obviously, tweaking is a must as that’s where all the fun is!

Beyond the limiter, you get another 3 high-quality plugins.

1. Equivocate – An EQ with 26 bands based on the human ear, giving you natural sounds for your mix.
2. Saturate – is a spectral clipper, to help with the peaks.
3. Punctuate – A transient shaper that lets you breath some life back after limiting.

Elevate is basically a complex processing plugin which can automatically raise the loudness of your tracks without sacrificing the original tone or character. Whether you want to use the vast amounts of presets or experiment your heart out, it’s totally up to you.

Pros

• Auditory filter bank concept is unique
• Offers a transparent and natural sound
• Intuitive interface

Cons

• filters on Equivocate are not very flexible

4. Audified MixChecker

The Audified MixCheker isn’t a set of mastering tools like you’d normally think. It’s a software bundle comprised of multiple speaker simulations for mix reference. You can toggle through 12 different buttons allowing you to hear how the mix would sound in different environments such as inEar, radio, PA, etc. The plugin comes with a total of 62 models giving you a variety of reference points.

Because the plugin is set up to “monitor” and not “tweak”, there aren’t any modifications built-in. What you can do is rename buttons, check distortion and noise levels as well as change speaker models. In terms of presets, you can save 5 at time, allowing you to bundle together your favorite hi-fi models into a single button.

A limiting factor that we see for this VST is that you need to be listening on a set of really good monitors to begin with. If you want to replicate a pair of Ns-10’s for example, you won’t be doing yourself any favors listening on cheap speakers.

With that said, it doesn’t mean the plugin won’t replicate a reliable impression of the different speaker models. It shines in the fact that it can give you different mixing perspectives, allowing you to make broad-stroke decisions you may not have thought of without it. For improving the overall sound of your record, we’re happy to report that MixChecker Pro is a great tool.

Pros

• detailed response provided by the simulations
• Mono mode
• A plethora of models to choose from

Cons

• Play back system could affect the accuracy
• Uninspiring interface

5. Mastering the Mix EXPOSE

Think of Expose like a second set of ears on your mix – a set that has the knowledge to tell you exactly where your record needs improvement and what you can do to make the necessary changes to come out with a professional sound. It only takes but a few seconds to load and could potentially be the audio lifeline you have been looking for.

Just load the program and drag your song into the dashboard. From there, you can choose between a number of different presets for your track like Spotify, YouTube, SoundCloud, CD, Broadcast, etc. Surprisingly, the software provides a vast amount of information on the peaks, dynamic range, overall loudness, phase, stereo information, etc. If any audio issues arise, they are highlighted in red so you can visualize exactly where the problem(s) exist.

Nomad factory free bundle vst. An interesting feature is that you can highlight your mouse over the problem area and the software will give detailed information about the problem as well as some suggestions on how to fix it.

Basically, Expose is a data-driven plugin helping to get your mixes to the level of some of the top masters in the business. This mastering VST plugin certainly isn’t the flashiest on our list, but it is high-quality and one that will help you craft flawless mixes every time.

Pros

• Details the technical issues in your records
• Offers helpful tips and solutions
• Budget-friendly

Best Mastering Software 2020

/vst-effect-plugin-slow.html. Cons

• Some users have seen errors when uploading professional masters

Best Mastering Plugin Vst Plugin

6. Softube Weiss MM-1

Weiss first made a name for themselves with the DS1-MK3, a master processing unit that became a centerpiece for a number of mastering studios worldwide.

The Softube Weiss MM-1 mastering VST replicates the best components of the DS1 hardware and transfers them into a digital format for the modern ages. The unit comes with 5 different limiting options: Loud, Transparent, Wide, Punch, and De-ess.

Best Professional Vst Plugins

For a more natural and precise sound, the MM-1 comes with a Mix knob (should be standard in all plugins), as well as an Amount knob.

Even though the MM1 doesn’t have as many features as some of the other plugins on our list, it does have a top notch mastering algorithm, allowing you to easily compete with any song on the radio today.

Pros

• Straightforward interface with professional results
• Very Transparent
• Includes 5 different modes

Cons

• For the price, it’s not as flexible but the few things it does, it does well!

7. Leapwing Audio DynOne 3

Oh no, not ANOTHER multiband compressor. We get it! But the Dynone 3 is definitely worth taking a look at. The Dynone really stands out in its ease of use. While other multiband compressors feel like they need a lot of tweaking to “get it right”, the Dynone has a very intuitive workflow and makes it easy to dial in the right tone.

A unique feature of the Dynone is that it automatically applies variable timing values in a transient dependent manner, assisting you in achieving the most natural sound possible. You can also blend in the processed signal with the original to give your sound a bit more impact.

The controls on the unit are enhanced specifically for mastering and they include stereo linking percentages, variable RMS vs. peak detection, smart variable controls, and an adjustable retina interface with a smooth and ultramodern design.

In our opinion, there is no digital multi-band compressor available right now, better for mastering, than the Leapwing Audio Dynone 3.

Pros

• Interface is very intuitive and simple to operate
• Non-intrusive compression design
• Helps to achieve loudness while still sounding natural

Cons

• fixed crossover points

8. Softube Weiss DS1-MK3

Ask any engineer and they’ll tell you that the Weiss DS1-MK3 is the gold standard for mastering applications. The reason is because the MK3 provides compression, limiting and de-essing all while retaining the original sound. If you’re after the “perfect” master, you can certainly achieve it with the DS1-MK3.

Though the DS1 plugin is based on the hardware unit from the 1990’s, the plugin actually offers much more versatility. It can perform the same tasks as the original unit and then additional tasks that the DS1 never could while giving you a number of settings to play around with.

The DS1 allows you to de-ess mid-side separately and compress with variable soft-knee settings, while also having one of the most transparent brick wall limiters of any mastering plugin.

If you’re looking for a plugin that allows you to maintain dynamics all while creating a mix that feels punchy, natural and loud, then the DS1 algorithm is unparalleled.

Pros

• Can be transparent or add character
• Waveform view is very informative
• RMS and True Peak limiters are helpful

Cons

• Lacking presets. I guess if you’re a pro, you don’t need them
• A bit pricey

9. Sonnox Mastering Collection

At first glance, the Sonnox Mastering Collection might not look like much, but included in the bundle are some of the most dynamic and transparent plugins on the market. To make things easier for beginner and intermediate mastering engineers, Sonnox hand-picked these plugins specifically from their extensive collection.

Included in the bundle are the following five plugins:

• Oxford Dynamic V3 compressor
• Oxford EQ V3
• Oxford Inflator V3
• Oxford Limiter V3
• Fraunhofer Pro-Codec

The V3 compressor offers musical-sounding compression while retaining sonic clarity throughout. Besides that, the compressor ships with six independent parameters allowing for more control.

The EQ V3 is transparent and flexible allowing you to boost or cut with confidence. Want to achieve overall loudness without adding any pumping compression? That’s where the Inflator shines as it adds both power and presence, without the dreaded “pump”, perfect for helping the focus points stick out.

The true-peak limiter, which lies at the end of the chain, offers enhanced accuracy and maximum loudness. This plugin Collection bundle is all you need for mastering, making it easy to create a reliable chain every time you sit down to master a song.

Pros

• High-quality and transparent
• The Transient Modulator is a unique take on dynamic processing
• Available in multiple formats

Cons

Best Mastering Vst Plugins Free

• Can be costly for non-professionals

Nailing the Master

Best Mastering Plugin Vst

Before purchasing any mastering plugins, be aware that the ones you choose will ultimately shape the entire mix. Dev c gta v scripthookv. It’s impossible to polish a turd (excuse my French), but you can certainly make a really good mix sound even better with the right tools. Whether you are shaping the EQ curve of an entire album or adding in some power and emotion to a hit single, having quality plugins can make all the difference.