IK Multimedia announced today a new release of its mixing and mastering plug-in, T-RackS CS 4.5.
T-RackS Custom Shop 4.5 offers a mixing and mastering shell system that enables the user to have up to 26 outboard processors all available in one application for your DAW or desktop, singularly or together, for the “highest-end sonic experience.”
The new version of T-RackS CS includes a model of what some consider the “holy grail” of mastering EQs, the Master EQ 432, along with enhancements of the T-RackS Custom Shop environment aimed at streamlining its usability for existing and new users.
Details after the break:
New Master EQ 432 The Master EQ 432 is based on the true “gold standard” of mastering EQs, and features an unrivaled level of sonic transparency, high-end magic and intuitive ease-of-use. The Master EQ 432 is a stereo 5-band parametric EQ featuring 2 bands of shelving EQ plus 3 bands of peaking EQ.
One Installation, All Available Processors. New users of T-RackS CS 4.5 will have a one-time installation process, installing all of the available modules into the DAW at the same time. This provides the user immediate access to all the individual T-RackS processors from the plug-in selection area in DAW channel strips plus immediate access in the T-RackS Mastering chain plug-in.
14-Day Demos. T-RackS users can also now demo each processor for longer, 14 days, allowing time to fully evaluate each unit.
Pricing and Availability. The Master EQ 432 is available from the IK Store or from the T-RackS Custom Shop for an introductory price of $149.99 / 119.99 Euro (tax not incl). All other T-RackS processors are also available for purchase from the IK Store or directly from within the T-RackS CS “Custom Shop” app. Individual pricing varies. T-RackS CS is a free application that can be downloaded after registration from IK Multimedia’s T-RackS web site.
For the complete detailed list of available processors, please visit the T-RackS site.
I really like the look of this. I could easily see it becoming a regular go-to app. The thing to remember is that actual mastering engineers make the big bucks because of their finesse. That only comes with time in the saddle, where you learn those vital subtleties that can make the difference between a good mix and a stellar one. A plug-in like this is only as good as its user. If you already have more than just a newbie’s background, I’d still say it would take you a year of steady use to learn the thing’s finer points. I’m happy with Logic’s tools, but it never seems to stop showing me new things. Many users don’t seem to program all that many of their own synth sounds, so mastering seems even further away from the process. Sure, you can use it in a superficial manner and get some desirable outcomes, but its like a big new synth. You’ll have to invest some sweat to get the bigger rewards under the presets. Mastering is like audio origami and not perfected the first time you try to build a swan. BTW, kudos to IKM for getting so much right. In the midst of all the techno-bickering, everything they release is solid, like the uncle who resolves half of the family’s fights because he’s the only one who doesn’t lose his head in Round 1. If I wasn’t already covered in this arena, I’d buy this. Thumbs up.
Hey Fungo,
Your insight, words of wisdom, and balance are something I find so refreshing time and time again on these comment sections.
That’s much appreciated. A lot of my blather comes from having experienced a few of the pitfalls, so I always hope to nudge people away from them. Some problems teach you; others just bog you down. Playing e-music in particular means you are always on a certain high wire, trying to better engage the complex nature of it. The most important “trick” for me is simply remembering my first grand piano and how pleasurably locked-in I was when playing it. It taught me how to SHAPE what I did. Its odd to see that be so useful with synths, but the specs mean jack if you don’t take pleasure in laying hands to them. Several key things have come together in the past few years, in part due to the focus of using Logic, so I’m enjoying it more than ever. Persistence is the best road to intuition, which is where the real fun lives. Having T-RackS won’t turn you into a mastering engineer, but a year or three using it could help you become 15% of one, MAYBE. 😛
I have been using T-Racks CS for the last few months, and I’m very impressed. I’ve used Ozone in the past, and as good as it is, I think the Custom Shop model is superior in that you can have a choice of a wide range of original processors and emulations of classic gear. I have to agree with a lot of what Fungo said, there are so many subtle things about the mastering process and knowing your tools that it’s an artform that demands a great deal of time to master…. no pun intended.
What IKM finally did right is offer all the plugins as singles, that is you can use them without the shell and metering. That is so great. I’m particularly fond of their compressors, but I demoed this new EQ and I must tell you they did a really good job. It does sound like a mastering EQ. It seems like I’m going to part with some money soon. 🙂
Say what you want but that “shell” was such a big deal for me that I stayed with the previously released 1176 and 2A singles for quite a long time without any upgrades. Now’s the right time to give them a boost for listening to users [I was quite vocal on KVR…] even though it took them quite a long time to finally get it. The new installer and the authorisation process is now as it should have been from the get go.