Plugins on the Master bus

[reapermusic]

Curious on what plugins everyone uses if any at all on the Master bus for mastering purposes/adding that sheen and glue.
For example when using Reaper I tend to put a couple of compressors and some tape saturation as well as a limiter.

However on MIXBUS I almost feel like you don't really need to place anything on the masterbus and just use the compressor and saturation that are already on the Masterbus channel and things just sound really nice, warm and gooey.

I'm wondering if it is a placebo effect or maybe I'm just hearing things or perhaps I suck at using all those other plugins haha

[Matt]

I have izotope ozone and will usually put it on the master buss and let it do it’s auto thing to get an idea of what might can be a bit better. I don’t always leave it on there. I also have softube’s drawmer s73 I sometimes pop on for a quick and dirty “master”. I can usually get a rough mix pretty polished quickly with it.

[Theotherguy]

I usually use what MB has. Occasionally I will use Limiter No. 6 when I need something extra. I like to get as much as I can out of MB itself.

[Tassy]

Hi Reapermusic
I have a video regarding my mastering general plugin chain just to give ideas what plugs and their results for better sound can be.
Sorry for my voice being not loud enough when music also plays. It is one of my early videos. Though it may answer some of your questions, I hope
Tassy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOruCJWAIBM&t=230s

[DanteMurphy]

I’ve been using a combination of UAD2 plugs - Studer A800, Precision Multiband, Brainworx MasterDesk Classic and the Fairchild Limiter in series.

But now that I’ve upgraded to the full BX MasterDesk I might cut that back to just the Studer and the BX Masterdesk. Since the BX is supposed to cover a one stop mastering tool.

But I have been missing my Scope Brickwall Limiter — so @Tassy - what is the one you are using in that video ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JamieLang]

Harrison might hate me for saying this, but all their bus compressors are bypassed for the Waves API2500. Universally. So, that would mean it will often end up on a master bus.

If I'm mixing single rate digital (in a double rate session), there WILL be an EQ on the master to globally band aid that. It needs to have Mid'Side capabilities--not that I use it that way all the time, but sometimes--and I don't want to switch.

So, my whole remix of old (largely 44.1) tracks jamielang.bandcamp.com --I had the API 2500 and the Elysia MusEQ Mastering Version on nearly globally. Mixing double rate I don't use EQ as often--s that's largely a problem solver. But, sometimes I do.

[madmaxmiller]

Curious on what plugins everyone uses if any at all on the Master bus for mastering purposes/adding that sheen and glue.

I'm using a separate mastering session, just to draw the line and avoid temptation. There very often I use OverToneDSP PTC-2A/PTM-5A and FC70.

MMM
(not that I think I'm a master-masterer...)

[reapermusic]

I have izotope ozone and will usually put it on the master buss and let it do it’s auto thing to get an idea of what might can be a bit better. I don’t always leave it on there. I also have softube’s drawmer s73 I sometimes pop on for a quick and dirty “master”. I can usually get a rough mix pretty polished quickly with it.

I usually use what MB has. Occasionally I will use Limiter No. 6 when I need something extra. I like to get as much as I can out of MB itself.

Hi Reapermusic
I have a video regarding my mastering general plugin chain just to give ideas what plugs and their results for better sound can be.
Sorry for my voice being not loud enough when music also plays. It is one of my early videos. Though it may answer some of your questions, I hope
Tassy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOruCJWAIBM&t=230s

I’ve been using a combination of UAD2 plugs - Studer A800, Precision Multiband, Brainworx MasterDesk Classic and the Fairchild Limiter in series.

But now that I’ve upgraded to the full BX MasterDesk I might cut that back to just the Studer and the BX Masterdesk. Since the BX is supposed to cover a one stop mastering tool.

But I have been missing my Scope Brickwall Limiter — so @Tassy - what is the one you are using in that video ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Harrison might hate me for saying this, but all their bus compressors are bypassed for the Waves API2500. Universally. So, that would mean it will often end up on a master bus.

If I'm mixing single rate digital (in a double rate session), there WILL be an EQ on the master to globally band aid that. It needs to have Mid'Side capabilities--not that I use it that way all the time, but sometimes--and I don't want to switch.

So, my whole remix of old (largely 44.1) tracks jamielang.bandcamp.com --I had the API 2500 and the Elysia MusEQ Mastering Version on nearly globally. Mixing double rate I don't use EQ as often--s that's largely a problem solver. But, sometimes I do.

Curious on what plugins everyone uses if any at all on the Master bus for mastering purposes/adding that sheen and glue.

I'm using a separate mastering session, just to draw the line and avoid temptation. There very often I use OverToneDSP PTC-2A/PTM-5A and FC70.

MMM
(not that I think I'm a master-masterer...)

Thanks for all your responses guys including the video Tassy very cool!
It's so interesting seeing how different everyones plugin selection and choices are
I guess it's true after all that there is just not one correct way to do it and of course it's the end result that counts and perhaps not necessarily how you get there.
So the general concensus is that most use a number of plugins on the Master.
My chain prior to MIXBUS was IK Multimedia tape machine...Bus Compressor...670 compressor....EQ ....Stealth Limiter and other times also use Lurssen Mastering Console which is an all in one.

Being that MIXBUS already has that analog sound as well as a compressor and saturation section on the Master bus I'm wondering if I should omit a couple of plugins such as Tape Machine and maybe the 670 compressor hmmmmm......

Anyhow I will experiment with different configurations anyway..that's the fun! I was just curious since with Reaper I used all these plugins to GET that colored analog-y sound and it seems MIXBUS kinda has that even without adding these plugins.

Thanks again for all your responses they have been helpful

Pete

[JamieLang]

I just have to draw the line between my VERY traditional buss compressor and occasionally EQ....and latent "mastering" chains of plug in kit.

The mastering stuff is a bad idea on many many levels. I feel like I should leave it at that....you're going to have to trust me (or you know, don't )...but, there's a functional reason to use a compressor on the mix bus...>NOT>.....a limiter....a compressor. It WILL need to be full control, and if you're not up for that, you're better off without. If you think there's a such a thing as presets for such a function as example--you want "none". While you can certainly save presets that become a kind of starting point....they'll need to be adjusted often significantly for every song. I tend to use the "medium knee" on the 2500 more than soft or hard--as example...."loud" on the detector....individual channels or 60% linked rather than 100....but, where the threshold goes....where the attack and release go...is completely different every time.

[reapermusic]

I just have to draw the line between my VERY traditional buss compressor and occasionally EQ....and latent "mastering" chains of plug in kit.

The mastering stuff is a bad idea on many many levels. I feel like I should leave it at that....you're going to have to trust me (or you know, don't )...but, there's a functional reason to use a compressor on the mix bus...>NOT>.....a limiter....a compressor. It WILL need to be full control, and if you're not up for that, you're better off without. If you think there's a such a thing as presets for such a function as example--you want "none". While you can certainly save presets that become a kind of starting point....they'll need to be adjusted often significantly for every song. I tend to use the "medium knee" on the 2500 more than soft or hard--as example...."loud" on the detector....individual channels or 60% linked rather than 100....but, where the threshold goes....where the attack and release go...is completely different every time.

Thanks Jamie,
You know what, I think I have the API2500 I have gotten many Waves plugins during their huge sales but haven't gotten around to trying a number of them honestly due to plugin overkill lol
Thanks for the suggestions and settings you have posted I'm gonna try