Izotope Mastering Essentials issue - Pro 6.1 Build 204 XPsp3

[SoundSquire]

I love this plug! It can add awesome dimension to a mix, nice roundness with the eq and some grit to a track with the saturation.

Here's the issue:
I have used it exclusively on the Master track and no problems. I decided on a recent mix that I didn't want the kick drum processed in Izotope so I tried a Send track. I routed everything but the kick to the Send (with Izotope) and noticed a flange effect or a delay. This was very prominent with transients and made the snare sound like it had an echo. I also tried Izotope on an Output Bus and got the same issue. Hmm?

I thought at first it was a latency issue but keep in mind I don't hear this with Izotope on the Master. My next step was to try more plugins. I tried the Mid/Side Harmonic Vitalizer and some Classic Reverb on the Send and they sound fine. I also tried the Broadcast Multiband Compressor and it sounds great as well...no flange or delay.

I am wondering if I am doing something funky here or if this is isolated to Izotope? Can multiple Sends cause this delay?

More information:
M-Audio Fast Track C400 interface set to 128 or all the way to 4096 buffer makes no difference.

Intel Pentium D CPU 3.00GHz
4GB RAM
500GB HDD (2x250GB) Raid 0
NVIDIA GeForce 6800 256MB
Win XP SP3

[SoundSquire]

Did I do a FUBAR here and post in the wrong section?

[Mark Bliss]

Sam,
I have not yet had occasion to experiment with this, since I am still just getting started messing with MC6 PS.
I'll do a little experimenting with the plug in in a send track and see what happens.

Mark

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Beta testing is over for build 204, and I didn't want your post to be overlooked, so I moved it up here.

That plugin isn't really designed to be used on Send tracks, it's really designed to be used on master tracks. What's happening is that the processing that goes on in the plugin is introducing a tiny bit of latency, enough so that you hear phasing when the original audio and the processed audio is played at the same time.

You could avoid the phasing on the track itself by right-clicking setting on the Send knob and selecting "Pre Volume Adjustment," then turning off the volume on the Kick drum track.



When you select "Pre Volume Adjustment," the send track gets the audio from the track before any volume controls are applied to it, so you can turn the volume off and the send track will still receive audio.

Greg

[Mark Bliss]

That makes sense, as the Izotopes stuff is pretty resource intensive. You can think of it as multiple plug-ins built into one, since that is effectively how they work.

[SoundSquire]

Greg - Thank you for moving my post.

The core of the problem is the kick sound I am going for is eluding me on this track. I can get it fat and round and then throw in Izotope on the master for sweetening the rest of the tracks and the kick gets muddy.

I think this is because of the reverb in the room simulation. I will try again with all the settings dry except the speaker widening and report back.

Thank you guys for the feedback and suggestions!

[msnickybee]

Hi Sam, all

Can I (humbly) just add my own observations? (a bit late to the party!)

As for kick/bass becoming muddy... I feel that the issue can relate to removing clutter from the stereo field... The iZotope Mastering essentials is *brilliant* (I love it!), and when used on the Master track (where it should be used as Greg says) it's obviously affecting the entire mix. The alternative of course, would be to split out the mastering stage, by exporting the overall mix as WAV then creating a new "mastering" project, but the issue would remain that a lot of Izotope is focussed on widening.

Ok, here's what I plan to do to remedy this:

(1) Create a submix (new feature!) to include the ENTIRE song's tracks, *apart* from the bass/kick
(2) Apply the Izotope mastering to this Submix
(3) Look at "mid/side" EQ on the bass and/or kick track, this is something mentioned in this excellent brief article http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/ ... ips-523509

After years with home recording, I'm still learning! (loving it, and Mixcraft too!)

Nicky

[msnickybee]

oh, and to address the mid side issue... which I have in my own mixes (muddy bass/kick after using mastering/widening tools)...
I'm thinking of trying some of the Voxengo VSTs, which claim to offer mid/side decode/EQ options:
MidSide encoder: http://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/
Overtone GEQ (which has a mid side EQ mode): http://www.voxengo.com/product/overtonegeq/

can but try!
N

[SoundSquire]

Hi Sam, all

Can I (humbly) just add my own observations? (a bit late to the party!)

As for kick/bass becoming muddy... I feel that the issue can relate to removing clutter from the stereo field... The iZotope Mastering essentials is *brilliant* (I love it!), and when used on the Master track (where it should be used as Greg says) it's obviously affecting the entire mix. The alternative of course, would be to split out the mastering stage, by exporting the overall mix as WAV then creating a new "mastering" project, but the issue would remain that a lot of Izotope is focussed on widening.

Awesome idea! I have done something like this before but we tend to forget.

Ok, here's what I plan to do to remedy this:

(1) Create a submix (new feature!) to include the ENTIRE song's tracks, *apart* from the bass/kick
(2) Apply the Izotope mastering to this Submix
(3) Look at "mid/side" EQ on the bass and/or kick track, this is something mentioned in this excellent brief article http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/tech/ ... ips-523509

Great article. Thanks for the link and the suggestions. I will post my mix here when I am complete and hope for more feedback.

After years with home recording, I'm still learning! (loving it, and Mixcraft too!)

Nicky

Indeed. Still learning. Thanks again!

[SoundSquire]

Hi Nicky,
Checking out the Voxengo plugs. I have Stereo Touch and used it on this song. It is on the vocal and one of the guitar tracks.

Ok all...here is the song. No Izotope but was still able to get some widening using the Broadcast Multiband Compressor side function. BMC works great on a Send btw. I think it sounds pretty good. The genre is Funk Rock. Give me some feedback please.

Listen on Mixcraft Live:
Louis Cressy Band - Good Time (Sound Squire Remix)

[Mark Bliss]

Very nice Sam, enjoyed that very much!

[SoundSquire]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.