Uad Best Mastering Plugins
Lottie Dedinas
Some of the plugins on this list offer you a full suite whereas others only do a particular thing. Unlike mixing, mastering generally uses a set list of processing to achieve its goals, and most all-in-one suites will include at least one of the following:
There are other mastering tools like spectral analysers and metering plugins that enable engineers to get a visual on what the mix is doing, but most mastering engineers in receipt of a good mix will use compressors, EQ, and a limiter to get the final master over the line.
Based on one of the solid-state consoles in Abbey Road that has been in use since the 70s, Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain gives you a legendary mastering console from the comfort of your home studio.
You get five modules to play with, all switchable in order (apart from the input and output) and all with various options for tweaking your mix. Keeping true to the real thing, you also get a Tape Equalizer that can add some real depth to your music via four response curves.
The DS1-MK3 is a compressor/expander with a brickwall limiter that allows fluid tone shaping during your project's mastering phase. You also get frequency-specific dynamics shaping, a handy tool that enables you to compress specific frequencies (eg,just the lows or highs). A de-esser helps to tame that annoying, harsh high-end.
The GUI itself is absolutely stunning, super detailed and clearly labeled. The preset browser is a bit annoying, with its oversized window and clunky feel, but we can forgive that because of the incredible sound this plugin imparts upon your mixes.
Featuring a host of individual mastering processors - including EQs, limiters, compressors, and clippers - T RackS 5 enables you to set up your mastering chain exactly as you want it to be. This freedom to chop and change can add an extra creative boost to your music-making, enabling you to try some lesser-used techniques and get some great results.
The metering section has been drastically improved to include Peak, RMS, LUFS, and Dynamic Range meters, as well as a spectral analyser and plenty of configuration choices. The Master Match, meanwhile, enables you to drag in a reference track, match it to your own, and then automatically apply similar EQ curves - very handy.
By enabling you to apply changes to specific frequencies, you can add a lot of shine to the highs, while the Air section brings a huge sense of space to the mix. It works really well on tracks where the vocals are the focus, adding just enough to help pull out all the fine detail.
Essentially ,CLA Mixdown boils down to three main components: EQ, bus compression, and saturation. You get control over both treble and bass to add relevant tweaks, whilst the glue compressor and saturation help tame the low end and control your transients.
Mastering audio is a critical step in music production, and utilising high-quality plugins can transform your tracks, providing exceptional clarity and depth. These tools are essential in achieving the polished, professional sound that listeners expect.
Powered by over a decade of AI mastering technology, LANDR Mastering Plugin is the perfect solution for those on a tight deadline or beginners looking to eliminate the guesswork of highly technical mastering processes.
Analysing your track in real-time and producing three customisable masters, you have control over EQ, Compression, Stereo Field, Loudness, Saturation, Presence, and De-esser to tweak the outcome to fit your vibe.
Years of research and development means the intelligent algorithm behind the scenes can adapt to any kind of genre or style you throw at it. Powerful orchestral, punchy modern trap, or underground metal, the LANDR Mastering Plugin can handle it all.
iZotope have really thought about everything. Audition different codecs, add personal references, or choose genre-specific targets for a master that resonates with audience listening expectations, and you can add Dither and gain match all within the plugin itself!
Essential for mastering, the mid/side mode per band makes it ideal to do all the processing you need in one window, creating a cleaner stereo image. Visual feedback is extremely prominent with a responsive frequency graph to see any changes you make.
Using incredibly advanced AI technology, Smart:EQ3 uses profile-based learning to remove frequency masking from your tracks through 24 EQ bands. You can select one of the pre-made profiles or upload a reference track for it to analyse, meaning the output EQ curve will ensure your track sounds uniform with other tracks in similar genres and styles.
When you need punch and unmistakable analog character when mastering, consider the Universal Audio Distressor. This official emulation delivers the same crunching compression tone as the hardware original, the perfect match for more aggressive musical genres such as trap, rock, metal, and punk.
A bit of a sleeper plugin, the Sonnox Oxford Inflator is the perfect mastering-grade maximiser. It delivers impressive enhancements to hard-clipped signals by adding perceived dynamic range. Its standout ability is that it preserves the transients and subtleties of your audio, effectively avoiding undesirable pumping effects.
The Oxford Inflator also boasts Band-split and Direct modes, providing customisable responses tailored to unique instruments. This level of flexibility ensures precise audio output across a wide variety of musical elements.
Despite not being the snappiest compressor, it shines with slower material, providing a unique personality to mixes and productions. The plugin exhibits a distinct mid-range push and evenly distributes harmonics across the frequency range. This results in a rich sound and analog vibe that has contributed to historic catalogues and chart-topping hits alike.
Though not the most glamorous aspect of mastering, comparing and referencing your track is essential. MCompare is the perfect tool for this job. Filled with a huge range of functionality that you will probably never even get to, if you want to reference your track against a published professional master, MCompare is more than capable.
Offering an exceptional suite of features for meticulous audio metering, the DP Meter Pro is a fantastic option at a good price. With capabilities for peak, RMS, and Crest Factor level measurements, it ensures precise monitoring of audio dynamics. The impressive support for K-System scaling facilitates adherence to industry-standard loudness levels, one of the few that utilises this measurement.
Mastering is the final stage of audio production. The purpose of mastering is to balance the sonic elements of a mix and enhance the overall sound, create consistency across an album, and optimise playback across all devices, from small phone speakers to headphones to large concert hall sound systems.
Mastering a song involves taking a stereo mix and putting the final touches on it by elevating certain sonic characteristics. This can involve processes like EQ, compression, saturation, and stereo enhancement to achieve a polished final sound, helping to focus the listener on the aspects the artist intended. To help understand the processes involved in mastering, a full article on the topic has been posted here.
As the last step in the process, mastering can also be used to quality control the audio, identifying any errors that can distract the listener from the music. The end result is a polished, clean sound that is optimised for consistent playback across different formats and systems with competitive volume levels.
Exceeding a loudness of -7 LUFS is too loud for a master and degrades the quality of music. Beyond this level, music does not sound louder but, instead, loses its quality. Optimum loudness greatly depends on the genre, however, modern streaming services generally recommend a level of around -14 LUFS.
Neither mixing nor mastering is more difficult than the other. Mixing uses more tools across more tracks, and so some producers find this more challenging. Mastering uses highly technical processes and subtle changes to achieve a professional standard, making it more difficult for some producers.
Mastering engineers use a variety of effects plugins inside a DAW. Things like compression, EQ, limiting, saturation, and stereo enhancement plugins are used to achieve a finished product. Most importantly, an acoustically-treated studio and high-quality studio monitors are also used.
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FL Studio is one of the most comprehensive and industry-leading Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) available today. Formerly known as Fruity Loops, this software includes all the essential components for composing, mixing, and mastering professional studio tracks. The DAW offers a rich selection of instruments, effects, and plugins to bring your musical ideas to life. These can be applied to numerous channels within a timeline, allowing you to write, edit, compose, and mix each individual component. Think of a blank project file as your playground, where you can craft each element into a complete song.
Mixing involves combining multiple layers of a song together so that they gel together. There are 5 basic technical and creative aspects of mixing: levels, panning, dynamics processing, EQ, and time-based effects. The plugins you use while mixing will differ slightly from the ones you use mastering.
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