Recording - September 2020 - 39

Take Me To Your Master(s)

NUGEN Producer Bundle has two end-of-chain
plugins, ISL 2 and Master‑
Check. The former is a
True Peak limiter and the
latter a tool to check a mix
against modern platforms
and codecs. Not only will
it limit your mix, but ISL 2
uses a True Peak detection algorithm to identify
intersample peaks that
can cause distortion when
digital audio is converted back to analog or when working with
modern compression codecs. The GUI is simple and well laid out
and includes a compact view that can be toggled on if screen real
estate is an issue. Input, reduction, and output metering are sharp,
with customizable ballistics. Reduction metering can be switched
to a history view, featuring a scrolling waveform showing peak
reduction in red. There are separate limiters for each side of the stereo signal that can operate independently as required. The steering and ducking meters can help you sort out which mode works
best. When downsampling mixes for distribution, ISL 2 offers an
optional dither function with selectable types and shapes. ISL 2 is
a sophisticated yet easy to use tool that always yields excellent
results. Again, many great presets are included. [ISL 2 is my mostused peak limiter, especially for video and voiceover work -Ed.]

Check One, Check Two

We work in a world where audio is increasingly being deployed
on platforms that adhere to loudness standards-iTunes, Spotify,
YouTube, film, broadcast, etc.
MasterCheck is a meter that helps
you confirm your mixes against
the standards of the day (such as
LUFS) and make informed mixing
and mastering decisions. MasterCheck is an invaluable tool for
modern music creators who want
to ensure that their mixes shine as
brightly as possible on the plethora
of platforms we now distribute our music on. Great tool! [Mastering engineer Justin Perkins reviewed MasterCheck, Stereoizer,
and ISL 2 in the September 2018 issue. -Ed.]

Show a Little Spline

This past June, I reviewed
the excellent NUGEN
SEQ-S EQ, which is included in this bundle. SEQ-S is
a surgical EQ that divides
the sound spectrum into user-definable divisions and
displays them as splines
on the curve. To make adjustments, you paint in EQ curves by
clicking and dragging individual points or clusters of points.

SEQ-S also has match and morph functions. This is a formidable
tool for comparing tracks or performances to reference material as
well as for EQ matching from session to session.

A Question of Balance

Stereoplacer is a slick take
on panning that allows you
to isolate specific frequencies and move them around
in the sound field. The unselected portion of the audio
stays put in the pan position
indicated by your mixer. Like
all the other plugins in this bundle, the level of detail that you
can apply to get the effect you're after is vast, and Stereoplacer
is a very sophisticated tool. It works best when you focus on the frequencies that define the character of the source you wish to pan, and
preferably ones that aren't shared with other elements of the mix.
Subtly shifting these can make a track sit better in the overall mix.

Mods and Rockers

Rounding out
this collection is
the unique SigMod plugin-a
virtual audio Swiss
Army Knife. SigMod is made up
of multiple modules that you can chain together to accomplish
specific utility-type tasks, add functionality missing from your
DAWs channel strip or master section, and create sophisticated
audio routing. The interface is a left-to-right, input-to-output signal
flow diagram. Modules are automatically connected when added to the signal flow and can be combined and dragged into
any order for the task at hand. The module list includes Mid/
Side, Mute/Solo, Phase, Mono, Switch, Delay, Trim, Protect, DC
Offset, Crossover, Tap, and Insert. The output of SigMod can
be routed to any number of tracks in your project using the included Receive plugin, offering extensive multi-band processing
possibilities. Modules' titles are mostly self-explanatory, such as
Protect, which will mute your audio outputs at a user-defined
threshold. Hands up if you've ever blown a speaker with a blast
of feedback (both of my hands are in the air!). Insert allows you
to place one or more VST2, VST3 or AU plugins anywhere in
the plugin signal path for unique and complicated processing
chains. I have to confess-I was initially the least interested in
the Insert module, but creatively, it's a real gem-you can build
your own multi-effects processors and more.

Doctor My Ears

When polishing a mix, we need clean, precise tools to hone in
on specific audio tasks. The NUGEN Producer bundle puts eight
of these in your toolbox. Sometimes you need to be a surgeon to
be an artist, so scrub in! This is a beneficial bundle of plugins.
Bill Stunt (stunt@recordingmag.com) is a recording engineer,
producer, and recording musician living in Ottawa.
Price: $499 More From: nugenaudio.com
RECORDING September 2020

http://www.nugenaudio.com

Recording - September 2020

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