It’s a question we get asked regularly, and our answer may surprise you. To answer the question, we put together a “shopping list” for the ultimate DAW, and then discuss which of the applications is the best fit, and why.
Topics include:
- Which DAW sounds best ?
- What does that mean ?
- Do all digital EQs sound the same ?
- What’s a DDP file ?
- Pro mastering applications
- Workflow versus features
Links
Wavelab
Reaper
Sonoris DDP Creator
HOFA CD-Burn.DDP.Master
TMS #28 – Remastering & Restoration
Sample rate converter comparisons
Good example: iZotope 64 bit
Bad example: JUCE 2.0.13
Ian Shepherd/Meterplugs Perception Plugin
So you didn’t mention Triumph I believe?
We didn't.
I've used it a bit when it first came out and the DDP workflow was pretty bad. Pretty much forgot about the app since then.
Hi, this is my first comment here but I’m a long time follower of the show. Thanks a lot for this fantastic show, it’s really unique. I’m looking forward each episode.
I’m made a recent switch from Samplitude to Reaper, so this topic was very relevant for me. Then I tried and bought Wavelab 9.5. In it last version, working with hardware is as handy as in Reaper (ReaInsert), with the equivalent « External Gear » insert.
I can’t say Wavelab is better than Reaper because as you said, it’s just personal tastes and workflow, but I’m really happy with this all-in-one solution. In Wavelab I’m not distracted by anything else like in other DAW and I do my job faster than before.
Thanks again for the show, it’s priceless.
Hi, fantastic podcast. Wondered if you’d come across DSP Quattro mastering DAW. Has lots of the features mentioned in this episode including creating and opening DDP files, separate master and monitor chains etc. Worth a look.
Interesting episode! It nicely expands on what I've been discussing with Ian on the phone and via e-mail a few years back. (Cheers, Ian! 🙂
So, for the record, I'm also still following Ian's advice from back then, i.e. to work with what I already have and what I know how to use inside out. And that's LOGIC PRO 9. It took some experimenting to figure out the most efficient way to use Logic for mastering. But the good news is that Logic is extremely flexible and customizable to almost any personal needs, and that the built-in effects are pretty good to start with. In particular I like some of the Compressor's circuit types very much (no, not the "Platinum" mode). In fact, all 3rd party plugins that I'm using are freeware, my most used ones being A1StereoControl and TDR Nova, the latter being an extremely flexible tool capable to handle anything from plain parametric EQ over de-essing up to some absurdly "esoteric" multiband compressing that came in handy recently when I was dealing with restoration and remastering of some badly recorded underground live tapes from the 1970s.
Since the Logic Studio 9's own WaveBurner's DDP export is badly broken, I opted for DSP-QUATTRO to create DDP in its "CD Layout" mode. I strongly dislike DSP-Quattro as an audio editor though, so for me it's a one trick pony, using it to assemble the mastered files individually bounced from Logic, to adjust track gaps, and to add CD-Text. But it does a good job at that given the initial costs (I got it at a one-time discount).
Back in the day I also tried Audiofile-Engineering's "Wave Editor" for DDP creation, but it sucked. That said, I still use it as an additional "DDP test tool": if DSP-Quattro, Wave Editor and XLosslessDecoder all can *import*, play and burn my DDP, then I'm pretty confident that all will be fine with it. (Other than that, Wave Editor is a great "destructive" audio editor though, and I'm still using it daily, even though it's been discontinued years ago! I also demo'ed its successor "Triumph" a few times, but unfortunately it sucked just for everything I wanted to do with it.)
Keep up the great work with the Mastering Show! cheers
Thank you! for clarifying that there is no difference concerning DAW’s, I’ve used most and tracking is tracking regardless, how we choose to color those tracks after the fact is what it always comes down to. There’s a plethora of plugins available, and I’ve found that once you find plugzzz your comfortable with and suits your needs is to stick with it and learn its capability. I personally like rendering a dry mix to a single file and then work on mastering it separately.
Hi Ian and Jon,
I enjoy your informative Mastering Show, and just caught the mastering "question" in the latest session.
I didn't hear T-Racks mentioned. Although I use REAPER for mixing (and sometimes tracking) I prefer mastering as a totally separate activity when I need to master tracks, and T-Racks 5 is excellent. It has features like loudness matching with FX on or off, a pile of excellent processors available, and the ability to export single high quality master audio files or the whole project in various formats such as WAV, AIFF, standard DDP image, and Wav Cue files.
I agree that any DAW can be used to master (albeit, with DDP creation maybe needing a separate program, and the Perception plug-in used to match loudness when adjusting EQ, etc.), but after using REAPER for years to master tracks, I've found using a separate program, with a different workflow, actually helps me to get into a mastering mood (and keeps me from going back and forth, tweaking a mix that should already be 'finished'). But for those who want to stick with a single program, they can surely use the DAW they already know and love.
Cheers from Colorado
We mentioned it briefly after Ozone, or maybe that was cut. We weren't sure if DDP was possible, I have the app and I still can't find it lol.
Hi Jon,
Whoops, I missed your comment on T-RackS (I guess I was off to the kitchen to fill my coffee cup!). I believe the Assembly window (which includes the DPP capability under Export/Audio Montage) is new in version 5. I find it very capable and flexible. You can simply lay out the album tracks, drag and move them as you please, even overlapping for a cross-fade, and the DDP (or Cue file) will figure out the numbers.
I hadn't tried T-RackS before last year since I had thought of it as a limited "all-in-one magic mastering box", but it's really a dedicated mastering suite. After using it a few times I found I liked working in its environment more than mastering in REAPER, and I can use any of it's fine processors as plug-ins when I'm mixing in REAPER.
One downside is you cannot use all of your favorite plug-ins in T-RackS (unless they happen to be IK Multimedia plug-ins), but the range and quality of the available dedicated plug-ins are impressive. Of course, another downside is cost - if you already have a good DAW you like, you can master tracks without spending much more for a DPP processor and a few "mastering grade" plug-ins.
Cheers,
Sound Guy
Hi Jon and Ian 😉
Enjoyed the show - as ever.
I tried mastering in Cubase Pro and whilst it can be done I just didn't like the workflow. So I now record & mix in Cubase and master in Studio One as I love the workflow.
The advantage of having a separate DAW for mastering is it helps with the mindset change that you discussed in your HMM course Ian.
Horses for courses though and also budget plays a part. Keep up the great work and great mastering maxim 🙂
Regards
Bob
Hi guys, Sequoia ticks most all of the boxes you laid out for a full-featured mastering DAW. (Built-in restoration tools, DDP creation and import, metadata support, analysis and visualization, loudness management tools, excellent sample rate conversion, multiple export formats, etc.)
I will use RX for problematic restoration tasks, but 90% of my work is done within Sequoia itself (along with 3rd-party plugins for EQ and limiting.)
My only complaint is that it is Windows-only. We also have soundBlade here at our shop, but I find the workflow unbearable. Coming from REAPER, Pro Tools, and Cubase, Sequoia was a very quick study.
Funny you should mention the 2015 remaster of led zep - it's still distorted.
I did a remix - here's a comparison
http://www.ajawamnet.com/ajawam2/lzcompare_0006.mp4
This is from the FLAC dump of the original Scully recorded 8 Track 1" session
They need to remix that stuff - if I can get cleaned up I'm sure someone else can