# Awww yeah - TC MasterX HD native!



## charlieclouser (Jun 17, 2020)

Well, it took 'em long enough - but TC has released a native version of one of my all-time favorite plugins, MasterX. Even though it is only the three-band version (roughly equivalent to the Finalizer hardware or their original MasterX3 plugin), and not a five-band version like MasterX5, I am still excited and hit the add-to-cart button in record time. 





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TC Electronic | Product | MASTER X HD-DT







www.tcelectronic.com





The old MasterX plugins had a very different sound than even their more high-spec MD3 algorithm, and totally different from more modern mastering processors and brick wall limiters like Waves "L" series, Ozone, FabFilter, Barricade, etc. Even though you had a simplified user interface with less granular control over a zillion parameters, it seemed like there was a "floating make-up gain amount" or something, that would raise quiet sections and push loud sections down invisibly, and without squaring off the resulting waveform.

I am a little disappointed that it's only a 3-band version, since with the 5-band Mx5 I got better results - having separate bands for "subs / bass notes / honk / clank / fizz" was my secret weapon on television scores for a decade. Set curve to "smiley", adjust threshold for 12db of crush, and go. Nothing sounded flattened, no transients were clipped, and everything just sounded fat and loud. It was so good that I never needed to automate anything - a quiet section would be magically made loud, and then when the big stuff kicked in it would get pushed back by as much as 12db without sounding weird at all.

Purists deride MasterX as a "noob limiter" with limited parameter control, and pooh-pooh it while they spend all afternoon adjusting a zillion parameters on MD3 or whatever, but that's exactly why I liked it so much. High hopes that this new jam will not disappoint.

Requires iLok, optional hardware controllers (!!!), and demo versions available.


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## heisenberg (Jun 17, 2020)

Despite your caveats Charlie, thank you for dispensing your knowledge on this.


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## gsilbers (Jun 17, 2020)

nice. so between this, the vss3 its pretty much the good stuff fro mthe TCsystem 6000.
A virus powercore would be the icing on the cake though


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## Virtuoso (Jun 17, 2020)

I'm demoing both the plugins now. I really missed MD3 when I finally gave up on the Powercore several years ago, but times have moved on and FabFilter L2 and Softube Weiss are both more than up to the job. It will be interesting to see if TC have raised their game with the new stuff.


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## Ashermusic (Jun 17, 2020)

charlieclouser said:


> Well, it took 'em long enough - but TC has released a native version of one of my all-time favorite plugins, MasterX. Even though it is only the three-band version (roughly equivalent to the Finalizer hardware or their original MasterX3 plugin), and not a five-band version like MasterX5, I am still excited and hit the add-to-cart button in record time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hey Charlie, how does it differ to my go to, the UAD Precision Multiband?


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## dgburns (Jun 17, 2020)

I still use a finalizer, lol when I can. I remember liking the finalizer better then the master x3.

In the wrong hands it can seriously screw up your balance, but I agree it has the uncanny ability to upward expand the quiet stuff, they must have set the cresting factor to RMS in the plugin.

Have fun with it.


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## charlieclouser (Jun 17, 2020)

Ashermusic said:


> Hey Charlie, how does it differ to my go to, the UAD Precision Multiband?



I haven't given it a serious test yet, I gotta wait a couple days for that. But when I do I'm going to fire up the old Mac Pro tower with PowerCore Mx5 and do a major shootout, and I'm going to go through all the mastering plugs I have (yet again).


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## muk (Jun 18, 2020)

Because of Charlie's recommendation I bought a TC Electronic Powercore. It works perfectly well on my Windows 10 machine. MasterX5 is a fantastic piece of software. I use it on every master now. It's easy to use, and does leveling even on extremer settings without ever sounding distorted or compressed. I found a Powercore unit locally that was way cheaper than this Master HD Native plugin. It also has VSS3 fully licensed on it, so it was double the bargain


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## tmhuud (Jun 18, 2020)

Awwww yeah baby! Bout time!


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## jamwerks (Jun 18, 2020)

It'll be interesting to read here how it stands up to the current competitors. Great plug's but maybe 5 years too late?


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## Zedcars (Jun 18, 2020)

Oh cool. I still have my PowerCore FireWire sitting in my rack. With a hodgepodge of different adapters I am able to use it to a point on my Mojave Mac. Unfortunately there’s some weird graphics issue that makes clicking on anything very hard.

Let’s hope they continue to port these plugins over.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jun 18, 2020)

charlieclouser said:


> subs / bass notes / honk / clank / fizz



I'm stealing that.


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## gsilbers (Jun 18, 2020)

be nice to read poeples reviews here comparing it to other similar plugs


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## suburst (Jun 18, 2020)

Hi Charlie! Do you have a youtube channel maybe?


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## charlieclouser (Jun 18, 2020)

suburst said:


> Hi Charlie! Do you have a youtube channel maybe?



Nope.


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## rhizomusicosmos (Jun 18, 2020)

I wonder if they'll offer a crossgrade for owners of the Powercore MX3 as they do with the VSS3.


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## dgburns (Jun 18, 2020)

Curious about the ‘Limiter‘ plugin companion.

Actually I like the little hardware thingy. And to @jamwerks naw, it’s still current, actually.


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## suburst (Jun 18, 2020)

charlieclouser said:


> Nope.


Then where we will see the shootout? :D


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## charlieclouser (Jun 18, 2020)

suburst said:


> Then where we will see the shootout? :D



Nowhere. I do that sort of thing purely to inform my own opinions, which won't necessarily translate or have any meaning or usefulness for anyone but myself.

But I may make a text post with my opinions, and perhaps include some audio examples if they convey anything useful. But since there's a demo version of the plugin available it hardly seems worth the effort. Just download it and try it.


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## LamaRose (Jun 18, 2020)

You had me at "noob limiter..." well, that and the cool Master X HD kung-fu vibe.


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## KerrySmith (Jun 18, 2020)

charlieclouser said:


> Nowhere. I do that sort of thing purely to inform my own opinions, which won't necessarily translate or have any meaning or usefulness for anyone but myself.
> 
> But I may make a text post with my opinions, and perhaps include some audio examples if they convey anything useful. But since there's a demo version of the plugin available it hardly seems worth the effort. Just download it and try it.


Hell yes text posts! Having to sit through so many vids, even at 1.75 speed, in order to get to the meat... I think I’m feeling my age.


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## Ryan (Jun 19, 2020)

Interesting. I'm getting a Powercore unit this weekend with all off this good stuff for free. Looking forward to test it out.. Even tho it's only 32bit plugins.. But there are ways of overcoming those issues now


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## ludvik (Jul 19, 2020)

DRIVERS FOR WINDOWS 7?
POWERCORE 6000


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