8 Best Mastering Plugins of 2024

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The mastering process is the final step of music production and the cherry on top of a music project that's ready to be shared with the world.

In the digital era we live in, where time is of the essence and we need to release music regularly, investing in a professional studio for our masters whenever we have new music ready is a financial risk often not worth taking.

Luckily, modern mastering plugins have gotten so good over the past decade that we can handle the process from the comfort of our home studio without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a professional mastering engineer.

Today, we’ll take a look at the best mastering plugins you can use to enhance the clarity and beauty of your tracks. From high-end equalizers to analog-modeled compressors, we’ll cover all the most valuable plugins to give the final touch to your tunes.

If you're short on time, you can't go wrong with the FabFilter Pro-Q 3: an exceptional EQ plugin that can revolutionize your sound thanks to ultra-versatile band EQ, cutting-edge features, and an impressive tonal balance control that makes it the Swiss Army knife of professional mastering engineers.

Keep reading to find out more about all the other great mastering plugins that can upgrade your productions!

Best Mastering Plugins

1. Best Overall – FabFilter Pro-Q 3

SPECS

• High-quality sound with both transparent and analog-like modes.
• Flexible EQ options.
• Features like dynamic EQ, mid-side processing, and Piano Roll display.

The FabFilter Pro-Q 3 is a dynamic equalizer that has transformed the digital audio production landscape: it's the perfect mastering plugin for every music producer who is serious about postproduction.

With a 24-band EQ and the ability to switch between the Natural Phase for analog warmth and the Linear Phase for digital precision, the Pro-Q 3 is versatile and perfectly adaptable to various genres and applications.

The intuitive interface, featuring a Piano Roll display, helps you make musically-informed EQ decisions while sculpting your sound. Coming with state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos support and an advanced spectrum analyzer, the FabFilter Pro-Q 3 masterfully handles immersive audio production while simplifying frequency conflict resolution.

Notoriously efficient in CPU usage, the Pro-Q 3 also comes with an intelligent Auto Gain mode, ensuring balanced output even with significant EQ changes.

Thanks to the 24 EQ bands and an extensive range of filter types, the Pro-Q 3 is a comprehensive solution for mastering engineers for both studio recording and mastering situations.

2. Best Mastering Plugin for Vintage Sound – Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

SPECS

• Emulates the iconic sound of Abbey Road's TG12410.
• Modular design with customizable signal flow.
• Versatile for mastering and mixing with unique tonal characteristics.

The Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain plugin is a faithful digital recreation of the iconic Abbey Road EMI TG12410 Transfer Console, which helped bring to life the sound of countless classic recordings since the 1970s.

This modular plugin comes with plenty of modules like EQ, compressor/limiter, and filters, bringing the console's legendary solid-state sound to the digital realm. It offers exceptional flexibility in signal flow, allowing customization for both individual track processing and master bus applications.

The compressor module features two unique modes: the '70s-style Original for a gritty sound and Modern for cleaner, louder output.

Furthermore, Abbey Road TG’s innovative Meter Bridge offers intuitive visual feedback for all plugin settings, allowing you to have total control over the mix.

This extraordinary collaboration between Waves and Abbey Road Studios makes the TG sound available outside the historic recording studio, allowing users to infuse their productions with the same magic that defined albums by Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Radiohead, and countless more.

3. Best Mastering Plugin Under $200 – Newfangled Audio Elevate Mastering Bundle

SPECS

• Advanced adaptive limiter with multiband dynamics.
• Unique transient emphasis and harmonic generation.
• Integrates EQuivocate EQ with human-ear filter models.

Developed in collaboration with Eventide, the Newfangled Audio Elevate Mastering Bundle is a high-quality mastering tool that stands out for its precision and cutting-edge Elevate option that enhances the loudness of mixes while preserving their dynamic integrity.

Another impressive feature is the high-quality multiband limiter, which automatically analyzes and adjusts 26 frequency bands in real time, offering a balanced output that doesn't compromise the mix's tonal quality. Furthermore, the linear-phase EQ design ensures clarity and avoids phase issues.

Included in the bundle is the EQuivocate paragraphic EQ, featuring human-ear-modeled filters that provide a remarkably natural and transparent sound. Complementing this bundle are Saturate, a spectral clipper that maintains tonal balance even when pushing signals into overdrive, and Punctuate, a multiband transient modulator that allows detailed shaping of transients across the frequency spectrum.

4. Best Mastering Bundle – iZotope Ozone 11 Advanced

SPECS

• Comprehensive mastering suite with AI-assisted features.
• Modules for EQ, compression, and audio enhancement.
• Versatile for different genres with a user-friendly interface.

iZotope Ozone 11 Advanced is a household name in the world of mastering, and its latest comprehensive mastering suite combines advanced processing and AI-powered workflows to elevate the sound quality of your productions.

Its Clarity Module enhances loudness without introducing unwanted artifacts, breathing new life into dull mixes. Plus, the innovative Stem Focus feature allows you to make detailed adjustments on isolated stems, avoiding extensive mix revisions.

Ozone 11 offers impressive dynamic control thanks to its Transient/Sustain and Upward Compress tools, providing total transparency when enhancing the attack and sustain. These features work together to boost quieter sections while maintaining the integrity of fast transients, bringing to life a rich and detailed sound.

The Izotope mastering suite also includes Assistive Vocal Balance for critical vocal adjustments and Delta buttons for precise mastering moves. All packed in a user-friendly interface with intuitive metering to undertake complex mastering tasks with confidence.

5. Most Complete Mastering Plugin – LANDR Mastering Plugin

SPECS

• AI-powered mastering for modern streaming platforms.
• Provides detailed loudness adjustment and EQ control.
• Offers real-time audio analysis with three mastering styles.

If you're an independent artist, you must have heard of LANDR. With over a decade of online instant mastering experience, the LANDR Mastering Plugin Advanced Mastering Software Suite brings an AI-powered mastering solution directly into your DAW.

This real-time plugin enhances the power and beauty of your tracks with custom-tailored EQ, compression, saturation, loudness, presence, and de-essing, adapting to the unique characteristics of each composition. It comes with three mastering styles — warm, balanced, and open — perfectly fine-tuning with the vibe of your mix.

Featuring seven advanced processing algorithms, LANDR Mastering is an all-in-one solution for all mastering needs: it can adjust frequencies with its EQ, enhance dynamic range via compression, and widen the stereo mix.

The loudness function has a LUFS meter for precise level targeting, and the saturation feature adds harmonic depth to your productions. Finally, the Presence effect emphasizes vocal clarity, and the de-esser smoothens out harsh frequencies.

The LANDR Mastering Plugin Advanced is a comprehensive tool that can help you achieve a polished, industry-standard sound, ideal for novices thanks to an accessible interface but versatile enough for professional users, too.

6. Best Analog-Meets-Digital Mastering Plugin – UAD Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor

SPECS

• Emulates the famous Shadow Hills hardware compressor.
• Dual-stage compression for versatile sound shaping.
• Features unique tonal options with a vintage vibe.

Inspired by the legendary CM5511 used by Capitol Records, the UAD Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plugin is a perfect combination of vintage allure and modern mastering versatility.

This digital emulation of a hand-built variable-gain stereo tube compressor goes beyond its analog roots. It comes with cutting-edge features like Mono Fold, M/S Controls, and a Saturator, which enhance its flexibility and make it also suitable for various mixing processes.

The UAD Shadow Hills plugin excels across a wide range of studio tasks. It comes with stepped controls for precision, diverse attack and release options, multiple compression ratios, and a super-intuitive sidechain filter.

Finally, the Mix control for blending signals and the headroom adjustment option further highlight its flexibility in the studio, making it a multifaceted tool that brings the legendary Capitol Studios sound into the modern production environment.

7. Best Vintage Harmonic Distortion – Softube Chandler Limited Zener-Bender

SPECS

• Combines the sound of classic Abbey Road gear.
• Five-section channel strip with extensive tonal control.
• Authentic emulation with modern features for contemporary production.

The Softube Chandler Limited Zener-Bender is a channel strip plugin designed to replicate the legendary sound of late-'60s Abbey Road, as you heard it on iconic albums of the era, from Pink Floyd to the Beatles.

This plugin, inspired by Chandler Limited's Zener Limiter and Curve Bender hardware, provides a rich, musical quality to tracks thanks to five fully adjustable sections: Input, Dynamic Shaper, Equalizer, Compressor, and Output.

In the Input section, the lowpass and highpass filters from the Curve Bender mastering equalizer can give a distinct musicality to any track. The Dynamic Shaper, inspired by Softube's SSL SL 4000 E-series, features a gate and transient shaper that gives boundless, versatile dynamic control.

The Equalizer section comes with a 4-band semi-parametric EQ, and the Compressor section provides three operational modes with adjustable parameters. Lastly, the Output section adds the warmth and punch of vintage EMI/Abbey Road hardware, adding a pleasant distortion to the mix.

8. Best Mastering Tool for Digital Releases – NUGEN Audio MasterCheck Plugin

SPECS

• Advanced loudness metering tailored for modern streaming.
• Provides real-time insights for loudness standards compliance.
• Features like Offset to Match for accurate A/B comparisons.

The NUGEN Audio MasterCheck Plugin is tailor-made for mixing and mastering engineers working mainly with digital mastering. This advanced plugin provides heavy dynamics processing and precise loudness metering that meet contemporary streaming requirements while offering all the versatility you need to personalize your tunes.

MasterCheck delivers detailed loudness measurements through its program loudness, PLR (Peak to Loudness Ratio), short-term loudness, and true peak. These metrics are crucial when preparing audio to meet the -16LKFS standard.

The plugin's ability to simulate how mixes will sound on various streaming services, with presets for standards like EBU R128 and ATSC A/85, makes it highly flexible and compatible.

One of the best features of the MasterCheck is its Offset to Match function, which allows seamless A/B comparisons of processing chains against reference standards. This, alongside the included Send plugin, enables users to compare their mix with a reference track, making the MasterCheck a valuable companion for producers who want to streamline their mastering processes.

Best Mastering Plugins Buyer's Guide

Mastering is a subtle art that can bring out the full potential of a music track. An often-neglected part of the production process, mastering actually requires a careful selection of tools that can represent and enhance your sonic signature.

Let’s identify the most important aspects to consider when looking for the best mastering plugins for your personal or professional studio.

Features

The right set of features can dramatically streamline your mastering workflow and enhance the final result of your postproduction process.

Basic tools such as equalizers, compressors, limiters, and stereo imaging options are a must. An equalizer helps in fine-tuning the frequency balance so that each part of the spectrum is appropriately represented.

Compressors and limiters control the dynamics of your track, making quiet parts more audible and preventing louder sections from causing distortion. Stereo imaging tools are crucial for achieving the desired spatial balance, ensuring that your track sounds good on as many playback systems as possible.

More experienced producers and engineers might want more advanced features that can open up new possibilities. Mid-side processing allows separate treatment of the center and sides of a stereo image, offering a subtler control over the stereo field. This can be particularly beneficial for ensuring clarity and space in a mix.

Multiband capabilities, where you can apply different settings to different frequency bands, offer a more targeted approach to dynamics and tone shaping. Accurate metering tools allow you to make informed decisions about the loudness, dynamic range, and overall balance of your track.

All in all, while basic tools are great for all levels of producers, advanced features can enhance your ability to fine-tune and define your tracks.

Suite vs. Single Plugin

Suites are packed with specialized tools that offer you greater control and customization over each aspect of your project. However, they can be a bit complex to use and may come with a higher price tag.

Single plugins, on the other hand, offer a simpler approach by integrating multiple processes into one interface, but they might be limiting in terms of what you can do with them. By buying single plugins, you’ll be able to further personalize your mastering toolkit, picking only the effects that you love, building and evolving your library over time.

Short answer? Suites might be better for beginners or artists who want to do everything themselves. A professional mastering engineer might prefer to cherry-pick their mastering plugins.

CPU Efficiency

If you’re working on higher-resolution audio or multiple tracks, your system's CPU can be put to the test. Not only can a plugin that strains your system slow down the creative flow, but it can also lead to technical issues in your mastering process.

Imagine getting completely absorbed in your work, only to have your system crash or freeze up due to an inefficient plugin. Let us tell you from our experience: it's a frustrating and time-consuming experience that can set you back in your workflow.

Take the time to do your research and find plugins that work seamlessly with your system. Don't just go for the most high-end if your computer can't cope with the CPU demand. Prioritize CPU efficiency and make sure you're using the best plugins for the job so that you'll be able to focus on your creativity and produce high-quality tracks without any technical hiccups.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the difference between mixing and mastering plugins?

Mixing plugins are designed to work on individual tracks or buses within a mix. They shape the sound of each element (vocals, drums, guitars) and do so using equalizers, compressors, reverbs, delays, and other effects that help in blending and balancing all parts of the mix.

Mastering plugins, on the other hand, are used on the stereo mixdown (a single track with all the elements recorded) to enhance the overall sound. The mastering process brings consistency across all tracks and prepares the song’s final version for distribution.

These plugins often have more subtle and precise controls compared to the mixing effects and include tools for overall EQ, compression, limiting, stereo enhancement, and loudness optimization.

What is a mastering chain?

A mastering chain is a sequence of processing steps to ensure a track sounds at its best across multiple systems. A typical mastering chain includes equalization to balance frequencies, compression to control dynamics, stereo imaging to adjust spatial balance, and limiting to maximize loudness without clipping.

Other processes, like harmonic excitation to add warmth and dithering for bit-depth reduction, can further enhance the quality of the final sound.

Can one mastering plugin handle all aspects of mastering?

Some all-in-one mastering plugins are designed to provide everything you need for mastering. These plugins often include EQ, compression, limiting, stereo imaging, and possibly other features like harmonic excitation or loudness metering.

While they can be convenient and efficient, especially for simple projects or users with limited experience, they often don’t offer the specialized capabilities and fine-tuning offered by dedicated, single-function plugins.

Do mastering plugins significantly affect the CPU load?

Mastering plugins vary in their CPU usage, with some being more demanding than others. It’s important to consider your system’s capabilities before buying a mastering tool.

High-quality mastering plugins, especially those that emulate analog gear or offer advanced processing features, generally need more processing power. Some plugins are optimized for better performance, and modern DAWs offer features like freezing or bouncing tracks to mitigate CPU load.

How do I choose the best mastering plugin for my genre of music?

Mastering plugins are generally designed to be versatile across genres, but certain features make some plugins ideal for specific styles.

For instance, if you work in the fields of electronic and pop music, your best bet is mastering plugins designed to create clear, punchy dynamics and precise stereo imaging. Acoustic or classical genres might require plugins that provide transparent dynamic control and subtler enhancements. Analog-inspired plugins are great for retro sounds and rock music.

How do I integrate a mastering plugin into my existing DAW setup?

Integrating a mastering plugin into your DAW setup is usually super simple. Mastering plugins are usually inserted on the master bus or the final stereo output channel of your DAW. Ensure that your DAW supports the plugin format (VST, AU, AAX, etc.).

After installing the plugin, it should be available in your DAW's plugin list. When using the plugin, check the proper gain staging: the levels going into the mastering plugin should be well-balanced and not too "hot" to avoid clipping.

Most importantly, use the mastering plugin at the final stage of your mixing process after all individual tracks and buses have been mixed.

Final Thoughts

Whether you're a mastering engineer or a new music producer, the mastering tools mentioned above will help you shape your sound and take your productions to the next level.

These top mastering plugins are designed to bring to life a polished sound you can carefully fine-tune and personalize as much as you want. Whichever you choose, I'm sure you'll be able to create exceptional masters.

Our top pick, the FabFilter Pro-Q 3, is the essential tool for professional mastering. It's versatile and intuitive enough to satisfy the needs of newbies and seasoned audio engineers alike. Alternatively, you can't go wrong with the iZotope Ozone 11 Advanced or the LANDR Mastering Plugin: with similar features and price tags, these two suites offer everything you need to master tracks easily and professionally.

Have fun, and stay creative!

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