# Ozone 7 questions



## Zhao Shen (Mar 29, 2017)

Anyone use it? Does it introduce/improve anything in your post-production workflow that you were missing? I've been wondering for some time if I should go for it or not.


----------



## JT (Mar 30, 2017)

Zhao Shen said:


> Anyone use it? Does it introduce/improve anything in your post-production workflow that you were missing? I've been wondering for some time if I should go for it or not.


I just picked it up, I'm happy so far with it. But, all of us have different needs and goals. Your best bet would be to try out the demo and decide for yourself if it works for you.


----------



## dannymc (Apr 1, 2017)

> Anyone use it? Does it introduce/improve anything in your post-production workflow that you were missing? I've been wondering for some time if I should go for it or not.



Hey Zhao i'm in the same boat as you. my feeling about Ozone 7 is that unless in the hands of a proper mastering engineer it could end up being a curse rather than a blessing. two reasons. 1. us composers prefer to spend time composing and less time mastering therefore i feel we might have a tendency to reach for those presets. the problem with that is that i feel this habit could end up masking problems in the mix that should of been fixed by proper EQ and compression. 

the second reason is too much tweaking could result in us just ruining our mixes causing us to get frustrated with the plugin. so i asked myself what do i mostly want to achieve at the mastering stage with my tracks and for me the answer was to get my mixes sounding louder. therefore i'm going to look into limiter plugins first find a good one and work with that as i continue to try get better at the fundamentals i.e. levels, balance, arrangement, orchestration, EQ, compression, dynamics, reverb etc. 

but as JT said try the demos of these plugins and see what suits your needs. 

Danny


----------



## charlieclouser (Apr 1, 2017)

I have a fetish for mastering processors - for many years I relied utterly and completely on TC MasterX5 to get my hastily-mixed television scores to *bump*. It was (and is) possibly the simplest, quickest, and best-sounding way to get in-the-box mixes to sound "glued" together and as though there was organic motion going on, even when all the source instruments were static (no automation). The floating auto-make-up-gain deal with MasterX (and TC's Finalizer hardware products) has a fantastic psychoacoustic effect - they really do sound good and it's very hard to ruin things.

Ozone is right up there, sonically, with my old TC mastering processors - *but* - it can be a little less quick-n-easy to use. The Maximizer module in Ozone sounds fantastic, but it is full-band, as opposed to the five-band setup in MasterX5. The multi-band dynamics in Ozone can also sound amazing, but it is *not* an auto-make-up-gain deal, and you do have access to the individual attack, release, threshold, and ratio controls per-band. MasterX5 kept all of those precision controls hidden, which was a blessing for less experienced users or users who were in a big hurry (like me).

The simple solution with Ozone is to use the multi-band dynamics followed by the Maximizer module, which then brings the output of the multi-band up to the desired level automatically. The combination is pretty bad-ass for sure. Although Ozone is probably aimed more at pop/electronic producers who want the mix to *slam*, it can be utterly amazing for quieter, more dynamic music as well. (Says the guy who in a previous thread boasted about compressing every track *and* stem by 12db or more!).

The Harmonic Enhancer / Saturator module in Ozone is also pretty choice, and the eq can do dastardly things like hi-pass filters with basically infinite slope, so the concept of super-precise, utterly brick-wall eq with no overshoot or "corner bump" becomes a reality.

I have Ozone Pro since v5, and I kind of prefer the old green user interface, and some users complained when the reverb module was removed in v7 (I never used it), and I don't know what elements are missing from the cheaper version. But in general, Ozone is *killer*. If you buy the pro version, you can use each module as a separate plug-in, and they give you Insight, which is a fantastic metering plug-in. The presets are extensive, and flipping through them is a great way to learn how various mastering effects are achieved. Now that MasterX5 and the PowerCore card on which it ran have been deprecated, the only other mastering plug-in I use is Waves L3-LL MultiMaximizer (which is far more basic but is like a five-band version of Ozone's Maximizer module).

If I was starting from zero, I would buy Logic, Ableton, Kontakt, Zebra, Diva, Omnisphere, Ozone Pro v7, Waves L3-LL, and then think long and hard about what else (if anything) I actually needed. It's a monster.


----------



## ghobii (Apr 2, 2017)

I bought it solely based on how good the newest Maximizer module sounds. I had been using FabFilters limiter, which sounds great, but the new one in Ozone is incredibly clean and transparent sounding. And the original maximizer module is great for thickening a mix. I use most of the other modules - EQ, exciter, compressors, etc. pretty regularly too, as they are all top notch. But as Charlie said, you need to know what you're doing to get the most out of it. It's pretty easy to wreck a mix with it otherwise.


----------



## Katzenjammer (Apr 2, 2017)

Why not download the demo and try it out for yourself? You get 10 days. Always easier to make a decision based on your own experience.


----------



## petejonesmusic (Apr 2, 2017)

Hey @charlieclouser - have you tried the McDSP ML4000 as a master buss processor? I've been trying to get Ozone to work for me but keep coming back to a bit of UAD pultec to pump some high end and low end into the McDSP ML4000 and can't seem to find anything better in the box.


----------



## Arbee (Apr 3, 2017)

Zhao Shen said:


> Anyone use it? Does it introduce/improve anything in your post-production workflow that you were missing? I've been wondering for some time if I should go for it or not.


I found the presets to be a masterclass tutorial in themselves, learnt a huge amount. Great tool, though yes, easy to overdo it. Less is more...


----------



## artomatic (Apr 3, 2017)

Had it for a while now and it's been an essential and vital plugin(s) since day one. Take an ear break often and A/B your masterpiece with your favorite composer.


----------



## charlieclouser (Apr 3, 2017)

petejonesmusic said:


> Hey @charlieclouser - have you tried the McDSP ML4000 as a master buss processor? I've been trying to get Ozone to work for me but keep coming back to a bit of UAD pultec to pump some high end and low end into the McDSP ML4000 and can't seem to find anything better in the box.



Haven't used any McDSP products since 15 years or so ago... They always seemed a little plain-jane to me. Back in the day they were first out of the gate with some pro features, but these days they seem a little pedestrian. I know a lot of post guys use their stuff though - I see them a lot on the dub stage.

I prefer "maximizer" type limiters for stem duties - where you set a desired output ceiling, then adjust threshold until you're digging into the signal as much as you want, and the plugin calculates the make-up gain to hit that ceiling every time. Waves L3, Ozone, MasterX - they all work that way, and I've become accustomed to working that way. It looks like most of the McDSP stuff doesn't work like that - I see no "auto-gain" buttons, but I do see manual make-up gain controls. Me no like.


----------



## JVitolins (Apr 8, 2017)

Zhao Shen said:


> Anyone use it? Does it introduce/improve anything in your post-production workflow that you were missing? I've been wondering for some time if I should go for it or not.


Depends on what plugs you already have and use. It definitely won't introduce anything new in your workflow, but will improve it if all you have used so far have been your DAW's stock plugs.

Ozone's Maximizer module has a tendency to scoop the mids when pushed hard. (But in fairness they all do that). The Exciter is pretty good tho. It'll help in opening up a dull sounding mix nicely. Metering unit is also very good. The codec preview is pretty cool feature. The rest of the stuff is pretty average. But for the price of it I think it's pretty damn good if you know how to use it. The latter being the most important part.


----------



## Living Fossil (Apr 8, 2017)

JVitolins said:


> The rest of the stuff is pretty average.



The stereo widening is excellent; so is the vintage limiter, so is the vintage EQ. 
I liked the Multiband Compressor in version 5 (and before) much more since its had additional noise gates (per band).


----------



## dannymc (Apr 13, 2017)

> Anyone use it? Does it introduce/improve anything in your post-production workflow that you were missing? I've been wondering for some time if I should go for it or not.



hey Zhao. thought you might be interested in this one. i follow this guy on youtube, he does really good tips and tutorials mainly using logic. anyway he done an over-view of Ozone 7 yesterday. check it out here. its made me re-assess the plug-in, sounds great.




Danny


----------



## robgb (Apr 16, 2017)

dannymc said:


> 1. us composers prefer to spend time composing and less time mastering


And herein lies the problem with many composers nowadays. You need to know it all. You need to learn it all. Mastering? Maybe not. But you should understand the process and you should certainly have the ability to create a mix that's only a hair away from a master. Your competition knows how to do it and makes the time to do it.


----------



## charlieclouser (Apr 21, 2017)

robgb said:


> And herein lies the problem with many composers nowadays. You need to know it all. You need to learn it all. Mastering? Maybe not. But you should understand the process and you should certainly have the ability to create a mix that's only a hair away from a master. Your competition knows how to do it and makes the time to do it.



Yup. Plus, many of us have or will move through different roles in music production over the years (decades), so hopefully one can gain experience in a variety of phases of the production chain at different points in their career.

If one is thirsty for knowledge, one will tend to seek out and soak up information and experience wherever it can be found - whether it's YouTube tutorials about Ozone v7 or analysis of Bernard Hermann's string arrangements.

Same difference. If it will improve your music, your process, or just your satisfaction level, then it's relevant.


----------



## dannymc (Apr 22, 2017)

> If one is thirsty for knowledge, one will tend to seek out and soak up information and experience wherever it can be found - whether it's YouTube tutorials about Ozone v7 or analysis of Bernard Hermann's string arrangements.



for me its not a problem, i'm addicted to learning it all, the composing, orchestration, mixing, arranging, mastering etc etc. its just trying to find enough hours in the day to learn it all. but yes i agree we should be able to work well in all the disciplines of music making.

Danny


----------



## JasonAndrews (Apr 22, 2017)

Ozone 7 is great, though it's very easy to ruin a mix very quickly


----------



## cAudio (Apr 22, 2017)

JasonAndrews said:


> Ozone 7 is great, though it's very easy to ruin a mix very quickly


Before I needed hours, or days even, to ruin a mix but with Ozone 7 I'm able to ruin it in minutes.


----------



## Living Fossil (Apr 22, 2017)

cAudio said:


> Before I needed hours, or days even, to ruin a mix but with Ozone 7 I'm able to ruin it in minutes.



Don't use presets. 
Start with an "empty" ozone, think what the mix needs, choose the modules that are supposed to do this, and then set them according to the needs.
The Multibandcompressor is probably the most difficult module. Leave it out if you're unsure.
(in 95% of the cases i prefer Fabfilters MB Pro; it has an easier workflow).


----------



## cAudio (Apr 22, 2017)

I was just trying to make a joke @Living Fossil  My mixes are ruined long before I slap Ozone on the stereo bus.
But seriously, I like Ozone 7 a lot. I agree with your tips and seems to get the best result when I resist to use every module. I do however think some of the presets are a good starting point. I mostly use the Eq, the Vintage Tape module (which is great) and the Maximizer. I love the new IRC IV algorithm and use it almost exclusively in modern mode. My "mastering" needs are simple, and for my needs Ozone is perfect. And the fact that you can use the modules as separat plug ins in Ozone 7 is a extra bonus. And it seems lighter on the cpu than its predecessors.


----------



## Living Fossil (Apr 22, 2017)

@cAudio: yes, but there was lot of general truth in your statement. 
I still remember when i bought Ozone 3 in 2004.
I had worked with the TC finalizer (hardware) etc. before, but Ozone was so overwhelming that i massively "overused" some of its possibilities in the beginning... 
(btw. i have to add that since then, i had not a single project where i didn't use Ozone)


----------



## catsass (May 5, 2017)

JasonAndrews said:


> Ozone 7 is great, though it's very easy to ruin a mix very quickly


That's when Ozone becomes the "Oh no!" zone.


----------



## JasonAndrews (May 5, 2017)

Izotope mix blown


----------

