Essential Analysis Tools for Mastering

While the old saying goes to always trust your ears, sometimes its nice to get some additional information. Here’s an overview of some of the different tools we use for analyzing all aspects of audio, including loudness, balance, stereo image, dynamics and more.

iZotope Insight

iZotope Insight is an advanced metering plugin that offers a comprehensive set of tools for audio analysis and measurement, catering to various professional audio mixing and production workflows. It includes a wide range of meters to analyze aspects of your mix, such as loudness, spectral balance, and more. Insight 2 also features an Intelligibility Meter to ensure dialogue clarity and a Sound Field to analyze audio channel spread. The plugin supports loudness compliance with industry-standard loudness profiles and provides a detailed 3D Spectrogram for a complete spectral content monitoring. It supports stereo to 7.1.2 Atmos, making it versatile for music or post-production sessions. Its features include peak and average metering, standardized loudness metering with comprehensive displays, stereo and surround sound-field displays, a spectrum analyzer, and 2D and 3D spectrograms. The plugin is available in 64-bit VST format and offers a high degree of user customization. It is, however, relatively expensive and comes with a green color scheme that might not be to everyone's taste​.

ADPTR MetricAB

The ADPTR MetricAB plugin is designed to streamline the mix comparison process. It allows users to compare their mix with up to 16 reference tracks. The plugin includes real-time meters to compare various loudness metrics, such as Integrated, Short-term, and Momentary Loudness alongside Loudness Range, PLR, RMS, and True-Peak metrics. Other features include a history graph to track loudness metrics throughout a track, filters to isolate key frequencies, and a range of playback modes to suit different workflow needs. The plugin also includes a loudness-matching feature, various monitor options to check mix integrity, and cue and loop points for easy navigation within tracks. Its disk streaming feature minimizes RAM overheads, and it supports a range of file formats and operating systems. MetricAB offers a compact GUI and multiple display options for its A|B visualizers. It is recognized as an indispensable tool for mastering, providing a clear and intuitive workflow with unique analysis tools.

ADPTR Streamliner

ADPTR Audio's Streamliner is a comprehensive mastering plugin designed to optimize audio for digital streaming platforms. It features advanced metering tools for loudness, dynamic range, and true peak levels, crucial for ensuring that tracks do not clip when played back by streaming services. This plugin also helps to understand how loudness normalization algorithms will affect mastered tracks on different platforms.

One of the key features of Streamliner is its ability to offer A/B comparisons with reference tracks. This feature is particularly useful for mastering engineers, as it allows them to compare their mix with tracks released by industry-leading artists. Moreover, the plugin includes a codec auditioning feature that simulates how audio will sound when streamed, providing a realistic preview of the final output.

Streamliner is equipped with state-of-the-art metering tools and supports loudness, dynamics, and true peak level measurements. These tools are essential for fine-tuning audio to meet the requirements of various streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and others. The plugin also offers a batch export feature, enabling the export of all codec profiles from the current platform preset in a single click, thereby simplifying the workflow and saving time.

Voxengo SPAN

that are crucial for analyzing and enhancing audio tracks. Its primary function as a spectrum analyzer allows engineers to visually examine the frequency content of audio, which is a key aspect of achieving a balanced and polished final product. This feature displays a real-time frequency spectrum, giving an immediate and clear picture of the entire range of an audio signal. By identifying specific frequency ranges that may be too prominent or lacking, mastering engineers can make informed decisions to adjust the mix, using tools like equalization or multiband compression.

The metering options provided by SPAN are equally valuable. These include peak and RMS meters, a spectrogram, and a correlation meter, each offering different insights into the audio signal. The peak meter is essential for monitoring the highest levels in the audio to avoid clipping or distortion, while the RMS meter provides an average loudness level, helping to maintain a consistent volume throughout the track. The spectrogram offers a visual representation of the audio signal's frequency content over time, making it easier to spot dominant frequencies or areas that need adjustment. The correlation meter, on the other hand, is vital for ensuring a proper stereo image and avoiding phase issues.

Additionally, SPAN's flexibility in customization is a significant advantage. Users can adjust the display modes, resolution, and size of the analyzer window to focus on specific frequency ranges or details. This level of customization ensures that the tool can be tailored to the specific needs of any mastering project.

iZotope Tonal Balance Control 2

iZotope's Tonal Balance Control 2 is designed to assist mastering engineers in achieving an optimal mix, ensuring that it translates well across various listening environments. The tool provides a visual representation of the frequency spectrum of a track compared to standard target curves derived from different music genres. This feature is particularly useful for identifying and correcting tonal balance issues in a mix, guiding users toward achieving the low-end power and high-end brilliance typically found in professional productions.

The software includes genre-specific targets based on extensive analysis of numerous masters, allowing users to reference their work against established norms in a variety of music genres. Additionally, it offers the flexibility to create custom reference curves from individual tracks or a folder of songs, catering to unique or hybrid genres. This allows for more personalized tuning of the tonal balance to match a specific style or sound.

Beyond its primary function as a spectrum analyzer, Tonal Balance Control 2 integrates seamlessly with other iZotope plugins, such as Neutron and Ozone. This integration enables users to adjust EQ settings and gain directly within Tonal Balance Control 2, streamlining the workflow and enhancing efficiency. This feature is particularly useful for making detailed adjustments and ensuring the tonal balance aligns with the desired sound profile.

The software features two main view modes: 'Broad' and 'Fine'. The 'Broad' view provides a condensed overview of the spectrum, divided into four frequency regions, making it easy to quickly assess the overall balance of a mix. The 'Fine' view offers a more detailed spectrum analyzer, useful for pinpointing specific areas that require adjustment. This dual-view approach ensures that users have the necessary tools to assess and refine the tonal balance of their tracks comprehensively.