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I was looking at my next purchase in hte SFP manual, the optimaster when I thought, how much of this can I achieve with my current plugins. I set up a multiFX rack inserted it on the master channel in my 2448. I then inserted in the following order

Soft Clip
Expander
Compressor
Limiter

So how much of a change is there in my mix of drums, bass, guitar and vocals, a HUGE difference.

Can anyone give their comments on the optimaster, is the compressor and expander differant to the standard plugins ? In theory i guess there would be a crossover at the front of the rack.

Cheers
Andrew Turner

well, optimaster definitely is a multi comp so there is a cross over, 2 of them. And there's also a comp for each of the bands. Then the 3 bands probably get mixed, and sent to a limiter, and then through a softclip. You definitely won't get the same results by compressing everything.

Another difference is probably that the compressors can do a real 0ms attack or, "brickwall". The SFP standard comps can't do this for some reason. And I think the free multi comp, called Finaliza can't do real 0ms attack, as it seems to use the standard compressor atoms. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Finaliza does a great job tho, in combination of a limiter and a saturator (like softclip).

also, don't forget the "wizard" function of optimaster... if you are not able to do a mastering by yourself this is a great help, at least at the beginning of your career!

Hi Andrew,
This is an ongoing question to which there are many posts if you look around this forum.
I've been learning how to master lately, and these are my thoughts....
You certainly need multiband compression. To experiment a bit try the Finaliza 3(free). You also need some sort of acoustic enhancer, like PsyQ or an exciter(also free in the devices section)Optimaster is a pro tool that with practise can get great results. However I often resort to this:
Finaliza on the output of a mix then, to master.....
Expander
STW Vintage EQ
Exciter
STW Mastering Compressor.
I think the EQ is essential, the compression in Optimaster is good but the STW is far superior to my ears. Practise a bit with free stuff and then you'll really appreciate what the PsyQ and STW bundle can do.

I will tell you flat out that you CAN master music using the standard plug-ins.

In fact, I used to master audio using the original tripleDAT plug-ins (including Osiris & Firewalkers). This was way before Scope/Pulsar came out. And long before Optimaster/PsyQ.

I can also tell you it's much more difficult working like that. But it can be done. It's a great learning experience to try. But I might suggest, in an effort to save you hours of needless work, that you're much better off buying or acquiring the tools that we suggested and learning how to apply them instead.

If you want to hear an example of the two ends of the spectrum, make a quick visit to my studio website (www.LnLRecording.com) and listen to a couple of the MP3's on my website. There is an MP3 file from the No Mercy Band which I mastered using only 3DAT. Compare that against a few of the other MP3's which were mastered using SFP/Optimaster. I think the 3DAT song holds it's own against the others. But I'll let you be the judge.

Thankyou everyone for your comments. Ricardo, I could not find anything on the finaliza plugin you talk about. Can you post a link for download.

I am still tunning my ears to recognise a certain frequency right of the bat but untill then I was looking for some sort of frequency analysis software. A plugin for scope would be fantastic. I have seen software that was analyzing in realtime when setting up a P.A for a huge arena, also informed that it cost an arm and a leg. Somebody told me recently that logic has a plugin for this.

Continue to learn something everyday with the flexability of scope...

Cheers

final liza...
http://www.d-media.dk/index_eng.htm

Thanks Borg