Best Mastering Plugins to Master In-the-box in 2023

by Claudius Woods

Getting your songs to have professional sound takes more than just having a good voice or having a music production app or software. Mastering a song means you are giving the song the best professional fine-tuning it can get.

As basic as this sounds, finding the best mastering plugin can be difficult and quite difficult. The main reason for this is because there are lots of plugins on the internet with equal strengths and weaknesses. Because of this, we have searched the internet for the best reverb plugins in 2023 . Hence, if you are looking to install the best mastering plugin today on your system, you are in good hands.

Best Mastering Plugins to Master In-the-box in 2023

Mastering Plugins have different purposes. While some are specifically designed to be used for mastering, others are not. Many of the plugins on the internet are plugins with no specific function. They have all-round use and are very good to have around. The need to give your songs a professional sound cannot be overlooked. The money it can take to get this done can also not be overlooked. This is why knowing the best mastering plugins in 2023 comes into play.

1. Ozone 9Standard - Mastering Plugin Link

Ozone 9Standard
Ozone 9Standard

Ozone is one of the best mastering suites today. It is not just the only thing you need to be very good at mastering, it is also the best mastering plugin to people need to mastering. This invariably means that the Ozone 9 software should be your first go to.



Asides from being very easy to use, it comes with limiter, saturation, an EQ and a Pre and post-compression feature. While it is a very good plugin for beginners, it is not so useful for pros . This is not to say someone already adept at mastering cannot use it, it simply means a pro can get a lot out of another plugin.

Some of the reasons why Ozone 9 is good for beginners are listed below:

  • The software comes with an auto-match function. This means you do not have to apply all the features yourself.
  • Ozone 9 automatically creates an EQ curve for your track by analyzing its frequency spectrum.

2. Waves -Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain - Mastering Plugin Link

Waves -Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain
Waves -Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

A list of best mastering plugin won't be complete without a plugin from one of the most famous studios in the world, right? Abbey Road Studio is a famous studio that has produced some of the best works of George Martin and the Beatles .

It is not news that the studio is fitted with top-class equipment making the recording environment a class place to record.

One of the reasons why this mastering plugin is among the very best is because of the punch it packs. This mastering chain collection contains all the mastering suites used in Abbey Road Studios since the '70s.

The collection also has the TG Mastering chain which are the mastering tools that were used in Ed Sheeran's +. The tools were also used on The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd.

There are lots of reasons why you should buy this mastering suite. Apart from getting access to a breath-taking collection of plugins, you will also get high-quality results from using it.

NOTE: Getting the software currently costs $199.

3. Brainworxbx_masterdesk - Mastering Plugin Link

Brainworxbx_masterdesk
Brainworxbx_masterdesk

The bx_masterdesk is the best mastering plugin if you are looking to make masters quickly. It is fast and easy to use. Every feature on the software is uniquely designed to complete its purpose as fast as possible.

For instance, unlike other plugins where you have to dial in exact compression settings, with bx_masterdesk, you only have to pick from a set of compression styles to tune your track.

Simply put, Brainworx bx_masterdesk is a very good mastering plugin for beginners . It is however not useful for pro mastering engineers.

4. EventideElevate Bundle - Mastering Plugin Link

EventideElevate Bundle
EventideElevate Bundle

This software is a bundle that contains four different plugins. One of the plugins, the main plugin, in the bundle has AI algorithms that automatically maintain the dynamic perception of the song while also increasing its loudness. This feat makes sure the track sounds natural and pleasing. Clever right? Well, there's more.

The main plugin comes with a 26-band filter bank, Transient Emphasis, Spectral Clipper, Speed, threshold among others.

The best thing about the main plugin is that it allows you to manually adjust your tracks using the audio processing plugin or sit back and let the AI do the work for you.

Three other plugins feature exclusive features of Elevate and simply focus on it. One plugin, EQuivocate , as the name suggests lets you finetune the EQ using 26 auditory filter bands . Another plugin, Punctuate, lets you tweak transient emphasis . The last plugin, Saturate , lets you smoothen and even overdrive the peaks of your tracks.

5. IKMultimedia T-Racks One - Mastering Plugin Link

IKMultimedia T-Racks One
IKMultimedia T-Racks One

T-Racks one is one of the nine processors of mastering and effects processing tools . Though the processor is just one of many other tools the full IK Multimedia suite has, there is an option to buy the T-Racks one as standalone.



This plugin is easy to control as all you need to do is turn the knobs till you are satisfied with what you are hearing. Each knob on the plugin controls a specifics element of your music. One controls EQ, another controls high frequencies, there's another knob for bass, another for harmonic enhancements, another for Bass Punch, among others. This software makes mastering easy and effortless.

6. FabFilterPro-Q3 - Mastering Plugin Link

FabFilterPro-Q3
FabFilterPro-Q3

As earlier stated, not all plugins are specifically designed for mastering. Some have all-round features that make them good plugins while others have specific features making them mastering plugins only.

FabFilter Pro-Q3 is an all-around plugin that has one of the best EQ finetuning features right now. The plug packs a lot of punch and allows you to cut and boost the tone of your songs without running it.

FabFilter Pro-Q3 efficiently controls the spectrum of your song's frequency without changing the tone of your song.

7. LeapwingDynone 3 - Mastering Plugin Link

LeapwingDynone 3
LeapwingDynone 3

With a simple and easy to use interface, one might think the Leapwing Dynone 3 does not have what it takes to rank as a good plugin.

Dynone 3 comes with different features that make mastering an easy task. it has a perfect optional multiband compression system as well as high-quality filters. It comes with mid-side processing which ensures high quality and detailed compression.

Dynone 3's best features are its program-dependent attack and release feature . This feature allows you to pre-set the range of compression you want your song to have and the program will do the rest. This plugin lets you add a tone of excitement to your tracks and songs like never before.

8. SonarworksReference 4 - Mastering Plugin Link

SonarworksReference 4
SonarworksReference 4

This plugin is a must-have if you want to get the best masters possible. The best thing is that it can even be used alongside another mastering plugin. The reason for this is because Sonarworks Reference 4 only modifies the effect of Speakers and Headphones on your song.

Whenever you record songs using your speakers and headphones, the kind of sound you get is greatly influenced by them. Regardless of how expensive it is, there will always be dips and boosts in the song's frequency spectrum. A plugin like Sonarworks Reference 4 works to remove this.

It automatically adjusts its Frequency spectrum so that the dips and boosts of your headphones and speaker do not affect your song. The tool is very good for pros and beginners alike.

9. CytomicThe Glue - Mastering Plugin Link

CytomicThe Glue
CytomicThe Glue

Simply referred to as The Glue, this plugin is good for mixing songs . When applied, it makes the mix sound and feels like a unified song. Its compressor makes it very easy to pull tracks together and make the tracks pleasing to hear. Cytomic The Glue is limited in features and purchasing it can be a bit expensive. However, it serves its purpose efficiently.

10. SonnoxOxford Limiter - Mastering Plugin Link

SonnoxOxford Limiter
SonnoxOxford Limiter

One of the oldest mastering plugins that still has enough features to make it relevant in 2023. Though it is still a good plugin, there are a lot of features it lacks.



One of the best things that make the Sonnox Oxford Limiter a good plugin to have on hand is its " Enhance" feature . This feature lets you add saturation to your song with ease. In other words, it makes the song sound much more natural without you having to tweak a lot of settings.

NOTE: Tampering with the saturation of a song can also be bad. This is because distortion and saturation are pretty close. So, ensure you do not oversaturate your song to prevent it from having crackling distortion.

Conclusion

Good music is not just about having a good voice or using a good music production app or software. Mastering your tracks will go a long way to improve how loved your tracks are. Asides that, having a coherent tracklist will always go a long way to making your album well-loved.

About Claudius Woods

Claudius began his blogging journey in the early 2000s, sharing his experiences and knowledge about Microsoft Windows on his dedicated website. His ability to simplify complex technical concepts and provide practical solutions to common Windows-related issues quickly gained attention within the tech community.

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