What type of compressor is best for mastering?
Two examples are the SSL G-Master Buss Compressor and the API 2500 Compressor. These types of plugins are usually the best choice for mastering, although there are times when you may want to insert a secondary compressor for multiband compression or for “color” (see tips #6 and #7 below).
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What are Opto compressors good for?
Opto compressors are often chosen to help smooth out audio with fewer transients, helping to fit tracks into the mix without colouring them too much. They are typically avoided for bus compression and mastering.
Do you need a mastering compressor?
In truth, mastering engineers hardly use any compression. Even if they do, it’s at low ratios and high thresholds. Here are some general guidelines if you want to use compression while mastering: Start your ratio at 1.25:1 or 1.5:1.
What is the difference between Opto and FET compressor?
FET compressors add both punch and colour to a sound and can be extremely useful on percussive sounds or sounds that need a snappy transients. The most famous FET compressor is the Urei 1176. Opto (optical) – Uses a photocell as a detector and a light bulb to determine the gain reduction.
Do you compress every track?
It can be easy to get in the habit of throwing a compressor on every track because we assume we should. But not every sound needs to be compressed. You aren’t doing yourself any favors throwing compression on tracks that already sound fine. The intention should come first.
How does optical compression work?
In an optical compressor, electricity (from the audio input signal) is converted into light, and the intensity of that light is registered by a sensor which controls the amount of gain reduction. The louder the input signal, the brighter the light, and the brighter the light, the more the gain is reduced.
What DB should your mix be before mastering?
How Loud Should My Track Be Before Mastering? If you want to send your mix off to get mastered, you should aim for around -6dB Peak, and anywhere from -23 dBFS RMS or LUFS to -18 dBFS RMS or LUFS average. That’s the quick answer, but as usual, it’s a bit more nuanced than that.
How many DB should my mix be before mastering?