# Masterbus Processors



## Jem7 (Mar 11, 2014)

I used to use IK Multimedia T-Racks as a masterbus/stereobus processor. Usually happy with results but few days ago I noticed it's not transparent enough when you push it a little more. When I insert the Tube Compressor module even with no compression it gets less transparent but it may be my ears too. 

I always liked T-Racks and the little flavor it adds which helps to give some life to samples but now this question was tickling my head been few days.
So what are you guys using as a masterbus comp and limiters(plugins of course)?

Also what do you think about NI Passive Eq and Vari Comp if you used it?


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## jamwerks (Mar 11, 2014)

I just bought the Slate buss comps. Haven't used them yet though...


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## reddognoyz (Mar 11, 2014)

I use MOTU MW leveler, Ozone, and the Kush Clarphonic. In that order.


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## Jem7 (Mar 12, 2014)

I have Slate stuff too but never tried on scores yet. Not sure if it will work.

MW Leveler looks like it's been modeled after LA2A. Never been fan of Ozone because it's offer too much stuff I usually don't need.


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## MichaelL (Mar 12, 2014)

reddognoyz @ Tue Mar 11 said:


> I use MOTU MW leveler, Ozone, and the Kush Clarphonic. In that order.



I'd like to know more about how you're using those, Stuart.

I have DP8 and Ozone5 Advanced. Also have the Slate Master Buss plug.

Thanks,

Michael


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## Marius Masalar (Mar 12, 2014)

I've had the Slate plugs on most everything I've done since I got them; they work great on all sorts of material.

Ozone is also nice, just remember that it's modular and you can turn off any component that you don't need for that particular mix—in fact, you can even load the modules as separate plugins.

As for the NI plugs, I'm a big fan of them—the ones you mentioned as well as the Solid Mix Series and Vintage Compressors are terrific and very lean.

When it comes to limiters I'm almost always using FabFilter's Pro-L. I own most of their plugins and they show up on everything I do. Best bread-and-butter plugs out there as far as I'm concerned.


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## Vin (Mar 12, 2014)

I use Variety of Sound's superb plugins very often. BaxterEQ, BootEQ and new SlickHDR end up on majority of my tracks.

I prefer The Glue to Slate compressors. TDR Feedback Compressor is one of the most transparent bus compressors I've heard, free or paid.


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## ceemusic (Mar 12, 2014)

When you place compression on your 2 buss it will change the dynamic range, stereo image & if emulating a specific comp the sound quality.

I too have Slate's VBC & FG-X & they're all good but I compress while mixing so I rarley stick one on my 2-buss, sometimes a tape emu. (Nebula)


Try this freebie on your 2-buss for non-coloration.
http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-feedback-compressor-2/


I also use Pro-L for b/w limiting, another inexpensive one is ToneBoooster's Barricade & Voxengo's Ele4 is great too.


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## Jem7 (Mar 13, 2014)

*Marius*
I was just wandering about NI Passive EQ and Varicomp if they add some extra mojo even you just instert it like real thing but I didn't notice anything like that.
I have Fabfilter stuff too but still never tried yet. Their stuff seem very good but I just need something hardware like gives some life to samples when used on 2bus.

*Vin*
I'm already using The Glue too but that's for another purpose.  

*ceemusic*
Yeah I know that when you insert a compressor on masterbus, that can change stuff. That's actually what I'm looking for than regular compressing. Gives a bit life to all that samples and add some color but still sound transparent. Maybe I need to push my Inflator more.


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## Marius Masalar (Mar 13, 2014)

VBC are the compressors to go with if you want some voodoo without even touching the dials. Paired with VCC it's a great way to subtly boost that "mojo" factor.

EDIT: And they're on sale! http://www.slatedigital.com/online-shop


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## jamwerks (Mar 19, 2014)

Used the Slate VBC on a mix (the Red going into the Mu, a combo I'd read about), and reeeeally liked what I was hearing.


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## ThomasL (Mar 19, 2014)

Well, it's in 9 times out of 10 either UAD SSL G Bus Compressor or the UAD Neve 33609. I've tried a few others but tend to come back to these two.


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## Soundmagic (Mar 19, 2014)

Jem7 @ Tue Mar 11 said:


> I used to use IK Multimedia T-Racks as a masterbus/stereobus processor. Usually happy with results but few days ago I noticed it's not transparent enough when you push it a little more. When I insert the Tube Compressor module even with no compression it gets less transparent but it may be my ears too.
> 
> I always liked T-Racks and the little flavor it adds which helps to give some life to samples but now this question was tickling my head been few days.
> So what are you guys using as a masterbus comp and limiters(plugins of course)?
> ...



I can recommend two plugin to do the job
Neo MasterTool
http://www.supremepiano.com/product/mastering.html
Neo DynaMaster
http://www.supremepiano.com/product/neodyna.html


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## guydoingmusic (Mar 19, 2014)

jamwerks @ Wed Mar 19 said:


> Used the Slate VBC on a mix (the Red going into the Mu, a combo I'd read about), and reeeeally liked what I was hearing.



I still haven't picked it up yet! Ughhh!! I need to just get it! Do you have the FG-X as well?


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## jamwerks (Mar 20, 2014)

Don't (yet?) have FG-X. Just bought Ozone thinking in that direction. But I am thinking of picking up the Slate VTM (Virtual tape machines). Might instill a nice tone on certain tracks or even subgroups (Brass?). And of course Tape does compress a bit.


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## José Herring (Mar 20, 2014)

I use a combination of a free compressor and Ozone. Works like a charm. Careful with Ozone though. A little goes a long ways.

The link to the compressor is below. Don't let the price tag fool you. This little thing is better than just about anything I've tried. 

http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-feedback-compressor-2/


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## Jem7 (Mar 20, 2014)

Thanks a lot for your messages guys! 
There is lots of suggestions and some plugins I have never heard of here. I'll check them out.

Next time I'm gonna try NI Passive EQ and Varicomp together and see how it handles it.


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## dgburns (Mar 20, 2014)

reddognoyz @ Tue Mar 11 said:


> I use MOTU MW leveler, Ozone, and the Kush Clarphonic. In that order.



Wow,that's a bizarre order.I would have thought the kush should go before limiting...?

fwiw,i love the kush,but place it on individual tracks,not the master.Suppose it depends on the settings.

I've been having much love for the brainworx BX digital and the V2 limiter.

my chain,program dependant-

satin (not for orchestral work,too much color )
slate mixbuss (ssl or neve)
ssl g channel(usually off unless rock)
ssl comp (usually off)
bx digital (very light touch if at all)
bx limiter ( much love for this,especially if mojo needed)
FGX (light touch)

lots of finessing on the tracks,less on the master


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## José Herring (Mar 20, 2014)

Jem7 @ Thu Mar 20 said:


> Thanks a lot for your messages guys!
> There is lots of suggestions and some plugins I have never heard of here. I'll check them out.
> 
> Next time I'm gonna try NI Passive EQ and Varicomp together and see how it handles it.



These are great plugins. They do sound just a tad thinner though than their UAD counterparts. But at the prices, it's hard to beat them.


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## EastWest Lurker (Mar 20, 2014)

UAD, baby!


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## mathis (Mar 20, 2014)

Check the PSP stuff, that's my go-to stuff.
psp-audioware.com


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## Dom (Mar 20, 2014)

(Mostly) live orchestral music for TV:
Sonnox Oxford EQ
Waves Linear Multiband max 2dB of gain reduction
Sonnox Limiter (just to catch peaks, 1dB of reduction max)

contemporary cues that need a bit of attitude (for TV):
API 2500 (hardware compressor) or Waves API 2500 plugin
A Designs HM2EQ Hammer (hardware valve EQ) or SPL Passeq plugin
Sonnox Limiter

surround for cinema:
SPL Passeq plugin for a bit of sizzle, or Sonnox Oxford EQ
rarely limiting or compression


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## bryla (Mar 20, 2014)

I must say that I love my combo of Ozone and FabFilter Saturn and Pro-L on my masterbus.


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## Vin (Mar 20, 2014)

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/201 ... on-vol-12/

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/201 ... ease-info/

Very interested in this one.


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## germancomponist (Mar 20, 2014)

Sonnox and Waves, especially the Inflator and L3.... .


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## ThomasL (Mar 20, 2014)

Vin @ 2014-03-20 said:


> http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/what-im-currently-working-on-vol-12/
> 
> http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/201 ... ease-info/
> 
> Very interested in this one.


Interesting, thank you!


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## Giant_Shadow (Mar 21, 2014)

Does UA have a proper Masterbus or mastering Plugin per say ? Saying that, I have tried and liked the Fairchild, Shadow Hills, Ampex, and Massive Passive all on Master buss so far. Any other UA suggestion more than welcome.


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## EastWest Lurker (Mar 21, 2014)

Giant_Shadow @ Fri Mar 21 said:


> Does UA have a proper Masterbus or mastering Plugin per say ? Saying that, I have tried and liked the Fairchild, Shadow Hills, Ampex, and Massive Passive all on Master buss so far. Any other UA suggestion more than welcome.



The Precision Limiter, Precision EQ and Precision Multiband also make a great mastering chain for many things. And when LOUD is your goal, the Oxford Inflator is hard to beat.


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## Giant_Shadow (Mar 21, 2014)

How is the cpu hit Marius on all the Slate stuff ?



Mathazzar @ Thu Mar 13 said:


> VBC are the compressors to go with if you want some voodoo without even touching the dials. Paired with VCC it's a great way to subtly boost that "mojo" factor.
> 
> EDIT: And they're on sale! http://www.slatedigital.com/online-shop


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## Marius Masalar (Mar 21, 2014)

It's quite reasonable.

For reference, I have a unit of VCC on every single track or group in my sessions and the mixbus on the output and altogether it's only eating a few percent of my CPU tops.

VTM seems to be the most CPU hungry, but I only use single instances of that on the output of certain cues so it doesn't really matter. VBC is not the leanest compressor I have but it's also not going to break any sessions, especially if you use the individual compressors rather than loading the entire rack (assuming you only intend to use one or two of them).


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## PMortise (Mar 21, 2014)

Has anyone tried the Waves REDDs or J37?


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## Ryan (Mar 21, 2014)

Is no one using outboard gear? like the classic ssl master bus compressor for x-rack or the 500 series?

I would love to get some people to chime inn with more information about outboard. I've been looking a lot into analog summing and compressors lately. Something like the ssl x-rack or a 500 series.


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## Giant_Shadow (Mar 21, 2014)

I got rid of my large format mixer last year and have a Radial Workhorse 500 rack/mixer. I have a couple Neve pre's (liked them better than the API), Kush UBK EQ's, etc. and a external stereo tube pre and UBK Fatso. To be honest I havent used it much yet, but hope to more soon. But I love the way everything sounds as a front end into the UA Apollo. 

quote="Ryan @ Fri Mar 21, 2014 12:33 pm"]Is no one using outboard gear? like the classic ssl master bus compressor for x-rack or the 500 series?

I would love to get some people to chime inn with more information about outboard. I've been looking a lot into analog summing and compressors lately. Something like the ssl x-rack or a 500 series.[/quote]


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## pkm (Mar 21, 2014)

Ryan @ Fri Mar 21 said:


> Is no one using outboard gear? like the classic ssl master bus compressor for x-rack or the 500 series?
> 
> I would love to get some people to chime inn with more information about outboard. I've been looking a lot into analog summing and compressors lately. Something like the ssl x-rack or a 500 series.



I use a fair amount of outboard processors, but since they're not recallable and can only be used in real time, I don't use any of them on the mix bus. Mostly for tracking, but occasionally something like an H3000 for delay/pitch/modulation effects that I print right away. 

500 series stuff is great, and only getting better.


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## RiffWraith (Mar 21, 2014)

Ryan @ Sat Mar 22 said:


> Is no one using outboard gear? like the classic ssl master bus compressor for x-rack or the 500 series?



I use a Neve 33609 on my op bus. There is no sw that compares.

Cheers.


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## Ryan (Mar 21, 2014)

pkm @ 21/3/2014 said:


> Ryan @ Fri Mar 21 said:
> 
> 
> > Is no one using outboard gear? like the classic ssl master bus compressor for x-rack or the 500 series?
> ...



As far as I know the x-rack is recallable (in a way). Light showing the last/saved setting. 
There is something about the sound with outboard gear that I like more then the ITB things. 
Thanks for chiming inn guys! & that Neve 33609 is a killer.


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## Tanuj Tiku (Mar 21, 2014)

I user a variety of plug ins for pusedo mastering - I call it that because a real engineer brings a lot more to the table.

But for situations where I must deliver a mix myself or an idea to the engineer, I use the following plug ins not in any particular order.

VSL Exciter, SPL Vitalizer, Brainworx Digital EQ V2, Sonnox Limiter, Inflator (sometimes on the bus but mostly on individual tracks), Manley Massive Passive Mastering version. 

Sometimes I will use Harrison 32C on a bus and definitely on tracks. 

I have a bunch of plug ins on my UAD and they are fantastic.


I recently got an API Lunchbox with two Shadow Hills Opto compressors and Alta Moda AM-25 EQ's but I have not used them yet as I am completing two feature film projects. 

But in the future, I will use them to track stuff. 


Compression on the master bus is tricky specially with orchestral elements in the mix. I usually avoid that and get a chain working from the start on various tracks instead of putting a bus compressor. Perhaps an engineer can do better. I usually work with the sounds and programming a lot more than using compressors. 


Tanuj.


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