Sonalksis Releases Mastering Suite
Sonalksis has unveiled the Mastering Suite, a bundle of four plug-in processors for PC and Mac, which provide an intuitive interface and quality audio processing for mastering action.
MultiLimit – Multiband Mastering Limiter
MultiLimit gives you the ability to define how much each band is limited with regard to its own narrow band frequency content, and how much it is limited within the context of the entire broadband mix. You can therefore precisely determine how much broadband and how much narrowband limiting takes place. This flexibility, coupled with the unique smoothing feature that defines the density of the limiting, allows you to achieve results ranging from subtle frequency dependent limiting to general volume enhancement to ultra hard ‘radio-mix’ maximization.
The plug-in includes a unique ‘smoothing’ feature, which allows direct control over the balance between limiting transparency and volume maximization. The independent bands are separated by linear phase crossover filters, providing distortionless EQ and dynamics capability finished off with a program maximiser, making MultiLimit suitable for the most demanding mastering environment.
Features:
» 5 independent bands of limiting
» Unique ‘Smooth’ parameter determines transparency
» Ability to balance between narrowband and overall broadband limiting
» Linear Phase Crossovers and Equalisation ensures zero phase distortion
» Automatic Release option allows for program dependent release times
» True analogue ‘Clip’ option for more creative control
» Large selection of user preferences to define display and processing options, including K-System metering options
» Up to 192 kHz support
» 64bit floating point precision internal processing throughout
» Efficient processing, with specific optimizations for all native processors
» Support for all major native plug-in formats on OS X and Windows XP/Vista
MaxLimit – Maximizing Mastering Limiter
Brick-wall limiting is a ubiquitous process in the age of digital audio. Initially developed purely for practical purposes to prevent digital overload. It has in recent years been widely used for volume maximising purposes, to give the audio greater impact during the final mastering phase. This power maximisation can however destroy the mix dynamic, creating a fatiguing sound. The unique ‘smoothing’ feature in MaxLimit allows the ability to define the density of the maximisation, which gives the processor greater subtlety and flexibility than typical digital limiters, enabling a broader range of applications.
Although MaxLimit is primarily intended for mastering applications, this flexibility coupled with the inclusion of an analogue modelled ‘Clip’ option, makes it conceivably very useful for general tracking situations too, for example to tame an inconveniently peaking solo track or to provide a creative effect.
StereoTools – Stereo Imaging Processor
One of the most neglected areas of stereo mastering, in terms of available products, is professional grade stereo imaging tools. StereoTools is a highly effective tool that encapsulates the complete range of standard stereo manipulation functions, including phase reversing, channel flipping, M/S decoding, balance, pan and width filtering.
The rich set of features together with detailed visual feedback of frequency, phase and positioning information, to ensure that every detail of the stereo field can be minutely analysed and if necessary, processed, StereoTools present the ultimate choice for industry professionals and demanding users looking for total control of their stereo image.
Features:
» Various metering styles and ballistics, including K-System metering options
» Selectable Pan and Balance Law settings, with compensation options
» Polar and Lissajous scope graphs
» Phase meter with ‘memory’ for better interpretation of general phase
» High resolution Spectrum Analyser
» Pre and Post-processing monitoring options
» Large selection of user definable display options
» Up to 192 kHz support
» 64bit floating point precision internal processing throughout
» Ultra efficient processing, with specific optimisations for all native processors
» Support for all major native plug-in formats on OS X and Windows XP/Vista
Ultimate-D – Ultimate Dithering
Re-quantization is a necessary process that usually takes place at the end of an audio processing chain, when very high resolution recordings are tailored for the final lower resolution listening medium. Of all ‘standard’ digital audio processes, re-quantization is arguably the least understood, and is certainly the least intuitive process to apply, given the usual array of ‘noise shape’ and ‘dither type’ options.
The Ultimate-D perceptibly increases the quality of the audio after re-quantization. It achieves this by applying a combination of proprietary dither and/or noise shaping algorithms which through our research we have determined are psychoacoustically optimal. However the main difference between Ultimate-D and other re-quantization processors is that the arcane dither types and esoteric noise shape curves are concealed behind an intuitive, simple interface that automatically determines the amount of dither, the type of dither, and the shaping of the noise depending on definable characteristics of the audio signal. In short, the Ultimate-D interface is the first dither plug-in designed for creative audio professionals, and not mathematicians!
Features:
» Innovative, totally unique, simple and intuitive interface
» Proprietary superior noise-shaping and dithering algorithms
» Allows re-quantization to 8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 bits.
» Up to 192 kHz support
» 64bit floating point precision internal processing internally
» Efficient processing, with specific optimisations for all native processors
» Support for all major native plug-in formats on OS X and Windows XP/Vista
Sonalksis’ Mastering Suite costs $599 / €479 and is available now for Mac and PC in the VST, AU and RTAS flavors. More information on Sonalksis Mastering Suite.
