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according to you,what is the best compressor plug in for pulsar ?

for fine mastering I mean...

For mastering? Got to be the STW Mastering compressor. Some will say Optimaster, I use both, but if your mix is good, you don't need to rely on Optimaster for final output.

what makes a good compressor ? (or a bad one...)

the talent of the person who applies it to the tracks...

Lol Tom, short and correct.

There was a finalizer device for SFP, let me search:
http://www.planetz.com/forums/viewtopic ... 7&forum=16
I never tried it, but it has a good response. And multi band comps are a very good way to master your tracks.

I stopped using compressor for masters.. somehow, I've settled to overdriving it together with a simple p4eq. I get much more precieved frequency range with overdrive while preserving original dynamics. (atleast more than bad comp settings) Definitely sounds better than a "Wizard" job from optimaster.

Otherwise, I think Vinco + detailed EQ can do the job if your mix is polished. I think strategic master EQing creates more punch and clarity than anything.

Not finished yet but:
http://www.planetz.com/forums/viewtopic ... orum=16&44

Best,
Andre

in the thread above mentioned by ChrisWerner there's a post by kimgr about his free Finalizer device - downloaded about 3000 times.
If only half as much people would be willing to honor some work with a little cash the 3rd party situation could improve significantly
Isn't it what we're all after ?

Aside from that the Sonic Timeworks Mastering Compressor does a great job without much effort, very effective.
It just did sound pleasing when I tried the demo - but I have nothing to master yet

Not to forget the SPL Transient designer, though not a mastering tool, it can add tremendously to certain parts of a track.
Since it can add punch (but avoids compression at all) it usually yields more transparency.
Not to be applied inflationary (which is tempting), but SFP is the ONLY platform where this marvel runs.
You'll get six channels for 200 Euro and it's no heavyweight on DSPs

cheers, Tom

hi again,
my mastering chain:

eq (plugin)
finalizer (mb compressor, extern)
steinberg loundness maximizer (plugin, style @ -3)

best,
andre

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: AndreD on 2004-06-20 14:47 ]</font>

On 2004-06-20 14:12, astroman wrote:
in the thread above mentioned by ChrisWerner there's a post by kimgr about his free Finalizer device - downloaded about 3000 times.

imho, unfortunately, it has phase problems...

is it fixed, by the way?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: AndreD on 2004-06-20 15:00 ]</font>

Overdrive and Vinco for mastering?!?!? Really, Ken?

By the time you get to this stage, you've done a mix that sounds good and you want to keep that sound. Generally the only colouring that should be done in mastering is adding a 1/3 octave EQ to boost / trim problematic frequencies. These days everyone also wants to maximize the volume of their mix. So a "transparent" compressor or limiter is generally best. (Unless you want to deliberately muddy up your mix. )

With outboard compressors and limiters, the electronics have various effects on colouring the sound, including EQ-type effects and "pumping and breathing". In mastering you generally want to avoid these effects. Avoiding them with electronics is expensive.

But in the DSP world it's actually hard to add colouring to a compressor or limiter. Vinco adds some colouring. But it's modelled on a real world compressor (Urei 1176) that I doubt has ever been used as a mastering compressor.

So I'm sure all these suggestions for best mastering compressor are great, and a lot of them probably provide helpful tools that get the compression you want.

But honestly, I would feel pretty comfortable putting just your stock CW compresor or limiter across the mastering bus. Seriously! It sounds transparent to me.

The only issue with the stock compressor + limiter might be the "hard knee". I don't do mastering, so I don't know whether that sharp "on or off" effect would be a concern. Usually your ratio isn't very high though anyway, so I duobt it would be noticeable...?

Actually are there any "soft knee" compressors for CW? I'd be interested in trying one out if there is...

Cheers,

Johann

P.S. The "lookahead" feature is fantastic in mastering!

..and don´t forget d-mute!
http://dev.d-mute.com/freedevices_en.html

the stock compressor and especially the limiter are horrible for mastering IMHO...

D-Compressor is great for tracks. I like a lot Andre's MasterCompressor too

I use the Vinco for mastering but just a tiny little bit. Using the RMS setting at 2:1 with the gain reduction meters just lighting up. Then usually I run it trough the (VST) Endorphin multiband compressor, again with very light settings.
Of course it depends on the kind of music. I make dance tracks so it needs a bit of compression to keep it all together.