User Manual
MASTER X HD NATIVE / MASTER X HD-DT
Multiband Dynamics Processor Plug-In with Optional Hardware Desktop Controller
V 1.0
2 MASTER X HD User Manual
Table of Contents
Important Safety Instructions ...................................... 3
Legal Disclaimer ............................................................. 3
Limited warranty ............................................................ 3
1. Introduction ............................................................... 4
2. Plug-in Installation .................................................... 4
2.1 Installation on a PC ............................................................. 4
2.2 Installation on a Mac ......................................................... 5
3. Activate your MASTER X HD ......................................
iLok license ..................................................................... 5
3.1 Activation when you have purchased the NATIVE
version ............................................................................................ 5
3.2 Get a Free Demo License ................................................. 5
4. Connection and Setup .............................................. 6
4.1 Connecting the MASTER X HD-DT Desktop Controller
(optional) ....................................................................................... 6
4.2 Operating the MASTER X HD ......................................... 6
4.3 Insert vs Aux Eect............................................................. 6
4.4 Mono/Stereo Operation ................................................... 6
4.5 Plug-in and Hardware Controls ..................................... 7
6. Navigating the MASTER X HD Desktop Controller
(optional).......................................................................17
7. Dynamics Processing In-Depth ..............................18
7.1 Compressor .........................................................................18
7.2 Limiter ................................................................................... 19
7.3 Gate/Expander ................................................................... 19
7.4 Modern Mastering, Loudness and ..................................
Tru e -Peak s ................................................................................... 20
8. Presets ...................................................................... 22
8.1 Factory Presets ................................................................... 22
8.2 User Presets ........................................................................ 22
8.3 Presets and the optional hardware unit ................. 23
8.4 Favorite Presets ................................................................. 23
8.5 Make Current Preset Default ........................................ 23
8.6 Reveal User Preset Folder in Explorer .......................23
9. Software Updates ................................................... 24
9.1 Hardware Unit Software Updates (optional) ..........24
10. Specications ......................................................... 24
4.6 Connection Status to the Hardware Unit ................... 7
5. User Interface ............................................................. 8
5.1 Bypass On/O ...................................................................... 9
5.2 Main Display ......................................................................... 9
5.3 Meters ..................................................................................... 9
5.4 Static Response View ...................................................... 10
5.5 Target Curve And Target Factors................................. 10
5.6 Expander .............................................................................. 12
5.7 Compressor .........................................................................13
5.8 Limiter ................................................................................... 14
5.9 Crossover Frequencies and Band Gains.................... 15
5.10 Soft Clip .............................................................................. 15
5.11 Mi x ........................................................................................ 16
5.12 S/C, IO, Mix Controls .......................................................16
3 MASTER X HD User Manual
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
20. Please keep the environmental aspects of battery
This apparatus may be used in tropical and moderate
Important Safety Instructions
Terminals marked with this symbol carry
electrical current of sucient magnitude
to constitute risk of electric shock.
Use only high-quality professional speaker cables with
¼" TS or twist-locking plugs pre-installed. Allother
installation or modication should be performed only
by qualiedpersonnel.
This symbol, wherever it appears,
alertsyou to the presence of uninsulated
dangerous voltage inside the
enclosure-voltage that may be sucient to constitute a
risk ofshock.
This symbol, wherever it appears,
alertsyou to important operating and
maintenance instructions in the
accompanying literature. Please read the manual.
Caution
To reduce the risk of electric shock, donot
remove the top cover (or the rear section).
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to
qualied personnel.
Caution
To reduce the risk of re or electric shock,
do not expose this appliance to rain and
moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping
or splashing liquids and no objects lled with liquids,
suchas vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
Caution
These service instructions are for use
by qualied service personnel only.
Toreduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any
servicing other than that contained in the operation
instructions. Repairs have to be performed by qualied
servicepersonnel.
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including ampliers) that produce heat.
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. Ifthe
provided plug does not t into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Use only attachments/accessories specied by
themanufacturer.
12. Use only with the
cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table specied by the
manufacturer, orsold with
the apparatus. When a cart
is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug
is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen
into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed
to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has
beendropped.
15. The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket
outlet with a protective earthing connection.
16. Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is
used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall
remain readily operable.
17. Correct disposal of this
product: This symbol indicates
that this product must not be
disposed of with household
waste, according to the WEEE
Directive (2012/19/EU) and
your national law. This product
should be taken to a collection center licensed for the
recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment
(EEE). The mishandling of this type of waste could have
a possible negative impact on the environment and
human health due to potentially hazardous substances
that are generally associated with EEE. At the same time,
your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product
will contribute to the ecient use of natural resources.
For more information about where you can take your
waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local
city oce, or your household waste collection service.
18. Do not install in a conned space, such as a book
case or similar unit.
19. Do not place naked ame sources, such as lighted
candles, on the apparatus.
disposal in mind. Batteries must be disposed-of at a
battery collection point.
21.
climates up to 45°C.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Music Tribe accepts no liability for any loss which
may be suered by any person who relies either
wholly or in part upon any description, photograph,
or statement contained herein. Technical specications,
appearances and other information are subject to
change without notice. All trademarks are the property
of their respective owners. Midas, Klark Teknik,
Lab Gruppen, Lake, Tannoy, Turbosound, TC Electronic,
TC Helicon, Behringer, Bugera, Auratone and Coolaudio
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Music
Tribe Global Brands Ltd. © Music Tribe Global Brands
Ltd. 2020 All rights reserved.
LIMITED WARRANTY
For the applicable warranty terms and conditions
and additional information regarding Music Tribe’s
Limited Warranty, please see complete details online at
musictribe.com/warranty.
4 MASTER X HD User Manual
1. Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of your MASTER X HD.
MASTER X HD is a supreme 3 band Expander/Compressor/Limiter that is specially
designed for audio professionals in the studio or using modern live setups.
Combining award-winning multiband compression technology with a fast and
intuitive user interface, as well as a super smooth expander, the MASTER X HD is
made for the uncompromising sound engineer. The optional Desktop Controller
adds intuitive and exciting hands-on control, while providing ways to optimize
your workow. This new take is highly rened and optimized, while staying true
to the award-winning legacy of TC Electronic multiband technology featured in
products like Finalizer, Master X3 and C400XL.
Multiband Dynamics Technology
MASTER X HD uses advanced TC Electronic multiband dynamics technology to
compress and adapt to any source - from vocals and percussion, to guitars and
even keyboards. Due to the per fectly split- and recombining crossover lters
the inherent transparency of the multiband compressor brings out the qualities
of the source material, yet secures a rm and consistent level at all times. The
optimized and super-fast expander oers smooth and high precision expansion
of any source. The MASTER X HD is equally aimed for channel, sub-mix and master
bus insert.
Three Strikes and you're in!
MASTER X HD stands out in three distinct areas that make it the ideal unit for
demanding use in the studio or in modern live setups:
• • Sound quality – this quality is ensured by proven and optimized source-
based multiband compression, limiting, and smooth expansion.
2. Plug-in Installation
The combined MASTER X HD plug-in installer for both the NATIVE and DT Desktop
Controller products can be downloaded from the following page:
www.tcelectronic.com/masterxhd-dt/support
The MASTER X HD plug-in requires an active PACE iLok license to work. See
Chapter 3.
Using the Desktop Controller is optional, and all parameters are available in the
plug-in.
Save the installer le (.pkg or .msi le) in a convenient location on your hard
drive.
2.1 Installation on a PC
Double click the installer (.msi le). If you get a security warning, click ‘Run’.
• • Versatility – decide on expansion, compression, limiting, or a combination,
adaptable to any source, and the MASTER X HD is up for the task.
• • Intuitive – the fast and intuitive user interface and a mix knob for parallel
compression, makes for a fast, professional product.
Intuitive – yet advanced
The rened user interface features extremely fast and easy tuning of the many
parameters in a complex multi-band multi-dynamic processor. The overall
processing characteristics are controlled via a “Target Curve” that simplies the
handling by providing a global processing style for all bands in all processing
blocks. The interaction between the bands can be ne-tuned by applying
“Target Factors” which determine the frequenc y focus of each processing
block, signicantly reducing the number of required user parameters to set this
complex process up.
Additionally, MASTER X HD features a 'Mix' knob allowing parallel compression
without complicated routing schemes. The unique Parallel compression will lift
hidden details in every vocal or drumkit track.
Last but not least, MASTER X HD features a new take on Softclipping that includes
emphasis, which optimizes use on bass dominated material.
For enhanced precision in modern mastering, the TC Electronic Brickwall HD
plug-in features top shelf True Peak limiting and is perfec t in combination with
Master X HD.
About this manual
Read this manual to learn how to install and use your TC Electronic MASTER X HD
multi-band dynamics processor unit. This manual is only available in PDF format
from the TC Electronic website. To get the most from this manual, please read it
from start to nish, or you may miss important information.
Accept the license agreement and click ‘Next’.
Select which VST and/or AAX components you want to install. Pro Tools uses AAX
and most other DAW programs use VST. The installer will oer a default location
to save the le, but you can choose another location by clicking
the ‘Browse’ button.
To download the most current version of this manual, visit the web page:
www.tcelectronic.com/Categories/c/Tcelectronic/Downloads
If you still have questions about your TC Electronic product after reading its
manual, please get in touch with TC Suppor t:
www.tcelectronic.com/brand/tcelectronic/support
Click ‘Next ’ to begin the installation. When installation is complete, click ‘Finish’.
5 MASTER X HD User Manual
Note: If your DAW fails to detect the newly installed plugin, this can often be
xed by adding the following paths to the Plug-in Manager (or similar) of the
DAW. The default paths on a PC are "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2" and
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3" for VST2 and VST3, respectively.
2.2 Installation on a Mac
Double click the installer (.pkg) le.
Proceed through the prompts to begin installation.
3. Activate your MASTER X HD iLok license
3.1 Activation when you have purchased the NATIVE version
Step 1: Install iLok
The rst step is to create an iLok user account at ww w.iLok.com and install the
PACE iLok License Manager on your computer if it’s your rst time using iLok.
Step 2: Activation
In the received mail (when buying the NATIVE version) or on the rear cover of the
printed quick start guide (when you have bought the DT Desktop Controller
version) you will nd your personal Activation Code. To activate your sof tware,
please use the "Redeem an Activation Code" feature in the PACE iLok License
Manager.
Click ‘Continue.'
A default location will be selected for installation, or you can select another
folder manually. If you have administrator authorization in place, you will need to
enter your password before beginning installation.
Click 'Close' when done.
3.2 Get a Free Demo License
Make use of this hassle-free oer to try out our plug-ins before you buy.
• 14-Day Trial Period
• Fully Functional
• No Feature Limitations
• No Physical iLok Key Needed
Step 1: Install iLok
The rst step is to create a free iLok user account at www.iLok.com and install the
PACE iLok License Manager on your computer if it is your rst time using iLok.
Step 2: Get your free license
Go to:
www.tcelectronic.com/brand/tcelectronic/free-trial-masterxhd-native
and enter you r iLok User ID.
Step 3: Activation
Activate your software in the PACE iLok License Manager.
6 MASTER X HD User Manual
4. Connection and Setup
4.1 Connecting the MASTER X HD-DT Desktop Controller (optional)
Getting the Desktop Controller up and running couldn’t get any easier. Plug the
included USB cable into the unit ’s rear micro-USB port, and connect the other end
to a free USB port on your computer. The Desktop Controller is bus powered, so no
other power cables are necessary, and no additional drivers need to be
manually installed.
MASTER X HD-DT
Laptop
The Desktop Controller will light up upon successful connection. You can now
apply the plug-in to a channel in your DAW to begin using the eect. This process
may vary slightly depending on your software, but generally should require
these steps:
• Select a channel or bus in your DAW to which you would like to add the eect.
Access the mixer page where you should see a section dedicated to eect slots
• Open the menu where you can select from a list of eect types, which
probably includes many stock plugins that are included with the DAW.
There should be submenu to view general VST/AU/AAX options.
• The plug-in will likely be found in a dedicated TC Electronic folder. Select the
MASTER X HD and it will now be added to the signal chain.
Double click on the eect slot that contains the MASTER X HD to view the plug-in
UI. There should be a green link icon at the bottom, and text that indicates
successful connection between the plug-in and the Desktop Controller.
4.2 Operating the MASTER X HD
After you have installed the plug-in, activated the iLok license and optionally
connected the MASTER X HD-DT Desktop Controller via USB, you can begin
inserting the plug-in to your tracks.
Adjustments to the eect are done in two ways. Either by using the plug-in user
interface or via the physical Desktop Controller.
4.3 Insert vs Aux Eect
The MASTER X HD is intended for insertion directly into an eect slot on a single
channel, sub mix bus or master bus, which passes the entire signal through the
eect. Should you prefer to have some of the original signal passed through the
plug-in, please use the built-in MIX parameter, which is ideal for that purpose.
Be careful if using MASTER X HD on an auxiliary bus, as mixing the output of
MASTER X HD with the original track sound will potentially create a phasing issue
depending on your DAW's ability to correc tly compensate for latency in plug-ins.
Mixing of signal from before and after the MASTER X HD is best and most reliably
done using the built-in MIX parameter.
4.4 Mono/Stereo Operation
The MASTER X HD can be used both as a mono instance on mono tracks and a
stereo instance on stereo tracks.
In the case of a mono out instance, the output signal is made by outputting the
left plug-in channel only. In this case, panning should not be used.
7 MASTER X HD User Manual
4.5 Plug-in and Hardware Controls
After you have installed the plug-in, activated the iLok license, and optionally
connected the MASTER X HD DT desktop controller hardware unit via USB, you
can begin using it.
The controls of the plug-in and desktop controller are described in more detail
later in this manual.
Plug-in User Interface:
Optional Desktop Controller Hardware Unit:
4.6 Connection Status to the Hardware Unit
The TC Icon family all use the same method to show the connection status
between the plug-in and the hardware unit.
Connection status is indicated on the lower left side of the plug-in window.
Successful connec tion is indicated with a green chain icon. The Tooltips area will
show the plug-in instance name that the hardware unit is currently connected
to. This is often the DAW channel name. If your DAW does not support this, you
may enter a name for the instance. This may be especially convenient when using
DAW project templates.
When using the NATIVE version only, this chain icon will remain grey:
If another instance of the plug-in already exists on another track, the chain icon
will appear yellow, and the text box will notify you where the plug-in is currently
active. Click the chain icon to connect the hardware unit to the new plug-in
location.
To summarize the connection status possibilities:
Most DAWs oer the ability to move or drag plug-ins from one track/bus to
another, and MASTER X HD supports this as well.
Most DAWs also feature an on/o switch for plug-ins, accessible inside the
plug-in window and/or the track itself. Muting the plug-in will make the eect
inaudible, but will not shut down the connection to the hardware unit.
8 MASTER X HD User Manual
Window
5. User Interface
Control of the MASTER X HD is done in the plug-in, or using the optional hardware
unit (when you have purchased the DT version).
Overview
As a general note, the parameters, controls, and graphs are color-coded as
follows:
• • Expander: Green
• • Compressor: Blue
• • Limiter: Yellow
• • Softclip: Orange
• • Curve: Purple (Use the overall Curve selection and an amount of Factor
for each of the Expander, Compressor, Limiter, to dial in the low and
high frequency band relative to the mid band)
For an example of the use of colour: anything coloured blue concerns the
Compressor controls, actions, and eec t
Controls
• • Any of the circular controls can be adjusted either by dragging on the
dials, or by double-clicking and entering a numeric value in the box.
• • Threshold controls and Soft Clip also show the current signal level as an
inner-ring, as a guide to setting the controls
The top part of the display:
• • Three Static Response graphs (Low/Mid/High), each with a combination
display of the Expander/Compressor/Limiter performance
• • Individual gain reduction meters for Expander/Compressor/Limiter in
each band
• • Each band can be auditioned individually by pressing the SOLO button
• • This display can be hidden or shown, by clicking in this area
The controls section at the bottom includes:
• • Curve, overall setting
• • Factor, individual setting for Expander/Compressor/Limiter. This applies
an amount of the Curve setting to Low/High band relative to Mid band
• • The main controls of either the Expander, Compressor, or Limiter, are
shown - depending on whether COM, EXP, LIM is selected.
• • Expander on/o/focus, Compressor on/o/focus, Limiter on/o/focus
• • Expander/Compressor/Limiter adjustment
• • Softclip on/o/ threshold, look ahead
• • Input gain, output gain
• • Mix on/o and adjustment, balance
• • Bypass on/o
The main display shows the Frequency, Band Gains and the amount of Gain
Reduction in each band for each of the Expander, Compressor and Limiter.
• • The gain of each band can be adjusted by vertically moving the white
node in the center of each band on the main display. Note that the Band
Gain sits before the Compressor
• • The crossover frequency of each band can be adjusted by horizontally
moving the 2 arrows shown below the main frequency axis
Low Band
Solo Solo Solo
Band
Gain
Gain
Adjustment
At the right hand edge:
• • Input meter and Output meter
At the bottom left:
• • Connection status "Chain" icon
• • Connection status message and Tool Tips
Mid Band High Band
Response Hide/Show
Input
Meter
L/R
Output
Meter
L/R
Input/Output
Soft Clip Mix
Status and Tool Tips
CurveModule Connection
Crossover Adjustment
Factor
Low/Mid
Exp/Com/Lim
Preset
Bypass (on/o)
Mid/High
Crossover Adjustment
Window Size
Adjustment
9 MASTER X HD User Manual
At the bottom middle/right:
• • Preset number, preset name, factory or user, favorite, preset up/down
• • Setup
• • Shopping cart
At the bottom right corner:
• • User Interface size adjustment
The controls and features are described in more detail below.
5.1 Bypass On/O
Press this very important button to bypass or engage the MASTER X HD. This
makes it easy for you to listen and compare the overall eect of your awesome
work.
Bypass On/O
5.2 Main Display
5.3 Meters
The PPM meters (Peak Program Meters) at the far right include a very accurate
Peak-Hold function.
• • Use the input and output gain controls in the IO area to adjust the levels
if required.
• • Use the Balance control in the MIX area to adjust the L/R balance if
required.
CAUTION: If the MASTER X HD sits as the nal insert on the Master Bus, you must
ensure that no peaks exceed 0dBFS. These peaks will be shown in red for a short
time, before decaying.
Note: For enhanced precision in modern mastering, the TC Electronic Brickwall
HD plug-in features very high quality True Peak limiting, and is perfect in
combination with Master X HD.
Peaks have
reached
maximum
Peaks
Enlarged view of the
top of the meter
The main display has a linear vertical dB scale, horizontal frequency scale, and we
show the auto-makeup gain.
The linear dB scale is informative because it is possible to read the gain reduction
while also seeing the auto makeup gain from the compression. It is also possible
to see that if the gain reduction curves hit “0 dB” you will have close to 0 dB gain
though the plug-in, assuming the Input and Output gain are set to 0 dB.
The dB scale can be varied (zoomed) between 12 / 24 dB, and this setting is saved
with the preset.The display will show the overall band gain across the three
bands, as a white line with three white nodes at the center of each band.
In operation, the display will show the variation caused by the operation of the
Expander (in green), Compressor (in blue), and Limiter (in Yellow). The total
(Compressor/Limiter) gain-reduction peak reached, is shown as a faint low-signal
mark.
Compressor
IO
Input Gain
Input L/R
Output L/R
Output Gain
MIX
Limiter
Expander, Compressor and Limiter
action during program play
Total
Gain Reduction Peak
Balance
10 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.4 Static Response View
Low, Mid, High Band
The top section of the display shows three Static Response graphs, one for each
frequency band.
The Static Response display give you a visual feedback of the static in-to-out gain
response of the Expander, Compressor, Limiter processing applied to each band.
Each band can be soloed using the SOLO buttons, so you can listen to each band
and the eect of your processing selections and adjustments. This is true even
when using Mix for parallel compression techniques.
Note: You can see how the overall Curve setting and the individual Factor setting
for each processing blocks (Expander, Compressor, Limiter) aects the behavior
of the MASTER X HD.
Low Band
COM LIM EXP COM
EXP
Slope = Ratio
• • The graphic representation of each band shows the Expander,
Compressor, and Limiter's Threshold and Ratio.
• • The vertical gain reduction meters show yellow at the top, if the Limiter
is engaged, green at the bottom if the Expander is engaged, and a
moving blue bar shows the Compressor's amount of gain reduction in a
simplied way. Exact readings can be done in the main view.
• • The white node on each graph shows the current music program level in
each frequency band.
• • Press the SOLO button to audition each band separately and judge the
eect of the settings. Note that SOLO will stay on, even if you change to
a dierent preset. So if something sounds odd, check that a SOLO button
has not been left on.
Mid Band High Band
Current Level
Threshold
Points
LIM
Gain Reduction
Meters
5.5 Target Curve And Target Factors
One of the very strong features of the MASTER X HD is to simplify the many
settings of the 3-Band Expander, Compressor, Limiter, so that each one presents
only one set of parameters, and not one set per frequency band.
The Target Curves and Target Factors simplify the handling of the Master X
HD by reducing the amount of parameters necessary to control the plug-in by
approximately 2/3. Thanks to these innovative parameters, you can easily keep
an overview of all relevant settings at all times – and quickly achieve great
results!
Overview
Although this is a 3-Band solution, there are only one set of parameters for each
(Expander, Compressor, Limiter) processing block. This is possible due to the
combined use of the Target Curve and Target Factor:
• • The displayed numeric values such as Threshold, Ratio, Attack, and
Release, always refer to the MID band only
• • Choose a CURVE to dene the basic “focus” (Air, Bass, Flat, or Smiley) as
displayed by the small curve in the Target Curve display
• • The Expander, Compressor, Limiter each use the same chosen Curve
• • The Expander, Compressor, Limiter can each have a dierent Target
Factor setting
• • Use Target Factor to apply an amount of the selected Curve to each of
the Expander, Compressor and Limiter
5.5.1 Target Factor
The Target Factor allows fast and intuitive adjustment of the complex relation
between the 3 bands, and it does this separately for the Expander, Compressor,
and Limiter processing blocks.
For example: With just one move of the Target Factor in the Limiter block, you can
increase the focus of the Limiter block on the high frequency spectrum.
In the 0% position:
• • The Target Factor is deactivated and has no eect – the Low and High
bands will be processed with the same Mid band parameter settings
you see on screen
• • For example, if the Compressor has a 0% Factor, then the Low band
and High band Compressor parameters are the same as the Mid band
Compressor parameters shown
In the 100% position:
• • The selected Target Curve will be applied to the maximum
• • For example, if the Compressor has a 100% Factor, then the Low band
and High band Compressor parameters will be dierent than the
displayed Mid band Compressor parameters, depending on the Curve
you choose
So in a way you could say: The Target Factor determines the amount of
dierences between the Low, Mid, and High bands.
11 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.5.2 Target Curves
The Curve setting determines how the 3 bands work together.
When you mouse-over the Curve or Factor area, three contour lines appear, that
show the factor setting for the Expander, Compressor, and Limiter.
Flat
All 3 bands are processed equally. So in this case, the parameters of the Low and
High Band are the same as those shown for the Mid Band. The Target Factor has
no eect. (Imagine the frequency characteristics of white noise.)
Note that when the Curve is set to Flat, the three static response graphs at the
top are identical for Low, Mid, and High.
Air
The High band will be processed more.
AIR FACTOR %FACTOR setting
Exp (G), Comp (B), Lim (Y)
Smiley
The Low band and High band are processed more.
FLAT
Bass
The High band will be processed less. (Imagine the frequency characteristics of
pink noise.)
BASS FACTOR %FACTOR setting
Exp (G), Comp (B), Lim (Y)
SMILEY FACTOR %
FACTOR setting
Exp (G), Comp (B), Lim (Y)
12 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.6 Expander
The following examples show a Curve of "BASS" and a dierent Factor set for
each Expander/Compressor/Limiter
Expander Example:
• • Curve is set to BASS (for all EXP/COM/LIM)
• • Expander controls are GREEN
• • Factor for the Expander is 0% (and so all bands have the same Expander
settings as the Mid band settings)
• • Mid Band Expander settings are: Threshold -65.0, Ratio 1:2.00, Release
time 250 ms. Only the Mid Band values are ever shown here
• • The Threshold inner-ring shows the average level of the currently-
playing program. The outer-ring shows the current Threshold setting
• • Click on the green light nex t to "EXP" to turn the Expander on/o
• • Click on "EXP" to highlight the text and show the Expander controls
• • Click on "COM" or "LIM" to show the Compressor or Limiter controls
Ratio
The Ratio determines how much the output signal will be lowered in proportion
to the original signal. The MASTER X HD’s Ratio parameter is a combined Ratio
and Range control, and you can see the max Expander action (Range) in the main
view at stopped DAW Playback.
Release
Release determines the time the Expander takes to return to the original
signal level. This parameter only has an eect, when the Threshold and Range
parameters are set in a way that the Expander is actually active.
Expander
Ratio
Expander
Release
Enable-Switch
3-Band Expander on/o
Expander
On/O
Show Expander
Controls
Threshold
Sets the Expander’s Threshold. Values below the Threshold will be lowered in
volume according to the Ratio setting.
Note how the Threshold can be easily set by viewing the inner-ring level meter
inside the Threshold parameter outer-ring. A highlighted overlap between the
signal level and threshold rings will indicate that the Expander is in action and is
reducing the gain.
Threshold Setting
Actual Signal
Level
13 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.7 Compressor
Compressor Example:
• • Curve is set to BASS (for all EXP/COM/LIM)
• • Compressor controls are BLUE
• • Factor for the Compressor is 50%
• • Mid Band Compressor settings are: Threshold -18.0, Ratio 2.50:1,
Attack time 40.0 ms, Release time 300 ms
• • The Threshold inner-ring shows the average level of the currently-
playing program. The outer-ring shows the current Threshold setting
• • Click on the blue light next to "COM"to turn the Compressor on/o
• • Click on "COM" to highlight the text and show the Compressor controls
• • Click on "EXP" or "LIM" to show the Expander or Limiter controls
Enable-Switch
3-Band Compressor on/o
Compressor
On/O
Show Compressor
Controls
Ratio
Determines the amount of compression, the higher the ratio the “stronger” the
processing and the lower the output dynamics range.
Attack
The Compressor’s attack time determines how fast the compressor will react on
signals exceeding the threshold. Shorter attack times will compress harder but
might introduce a “pumping” sound. Note: You may want to increase the Look
Ahead Delay in order to better catch transients.
Release
The Release time determines how fast the compressor returns to not
compressing, whenever the level falls below the set Threshold.
Compressor
Ratio
Compressor
Attack
Compressor
Release
Threshold
Sets the Compressor’s threshold,above which level it starts processing. Levels
exceeding the threshold will be compressed.
Note: Due to the auto-makeup of the Compressor, you may nd it suitable to
adjust the Input Gain in combination especially with the Compressor Threshold,
in order to balance the coloring and amount of compression in each frequency
band, otherwise dened by Compressor Threshold, Ratio, Curve, Factor and Band
Gains.
Note: The Threshold can be easily set by using the level meter inside the
Threshold parameter ring. A highlighted overlap between the signal level and
threshold rings will indicate that the Compressor is in action and is reducing the
gain.
Actual Signal
Level
Compressor
Threshold Setting
14 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.8 Limiter
Limiter Example:
• • Curve is set to BASS (for all EXP/COM/LIM)
• • Limiter controls are YELLOW
• • Factor for the Limiter is 23%
• • Mid Band Limiter settings are: Threshold -2.0, Attack time 1.00 ms,
Release time 150 ms
• • The Threshold inner-ring shows the peak level of the currently-playing
program. The outer-ring shows the current Threshold setting
• • Click on the yellow light next to "LIM"to turn the Limiter on/o
• • Click on "LIM" to highlight the text and show the Limiter controls.
• • Click on "EXP" or "COM" to show the Expander or Compressor controls
Enable-Switch
3-Band Limiter On/O
Limiter
On/O
Show Limiter
Controls
Attack
The Limiter’s attack time determines how fast the limiter will react on signals
exceeding the threshold.
Note: You may want to increase the Look Ahead Delay in order to better catch
transients.
Release
The Release time determines how fast the limiter returns to not limiting,
whenever the level falls below the set Threshold.
Limiter
Attack
Limiter
Release
Threshold
When the signal exceeds the set Threshold, the Limiter processes it with a ratio of
“innite-to-one” to limit the possible maximal level.
Note how the Threshold can be easily set by viewing the inner-ring level meter
inside the Threshold parameter outer-ring. A highlighted overlap between the
signal level and threshold rings will indicate that the Limiter is in ac tion and
limiting the signal.
Actual Signal
Level
Threshold Setting
Limiter
15 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.9 Crossover Frequencies and Band Gains
MASTER X HDs crossover lters are designed to not introducing any split- and
recombination lter anomalies, unlike many other multiband compressors on the
market, and is therefore ideal as both channel, submix-bus or master-bus insert.
You set the crossover frequencies for the 3 bands using the arrows underneath
the controls boxes and the band gains using the control balls. Both can be typed
in as well after double clicking the control handles.
You can set both the crossover frequency and band level of a band by holding Ctrl
+ mouse drag. The minimum bandwidth of a band is one octave. The exact gain
is displayed numerically next to the band gain controls.
Note that the band gains are applied on the compressor input and are therefore
aected by the amount of compression. Higher gain leads to more compression.
This way, the amount of compression in the 3 bands can thereby be relaxed or
increased.
The level of each band can be adjusted by either:
• • Selecting the white node in the center of each band, and dragging it up
and down. A vertical scale appears at the node position, showing the
adjustment level +/- 12 dB from level.
• • Selecting the white node and clicking on the pop-up text box, and
entering a dB level from +12 to -12 dB.
• • The vertical scale and the current dB level appear when the mouse is on
the node.
• • Note: It is possible to change the zoom level on the Y-axis in case
the main view graphs have reached the current view limits due to
less-subtle processesing settings. The vertical scale can be changed by
clicking on the +12 on the top right edge scale to change it to +24 dB.
Click again to return to +12.
5.10 Soft Clip
The analog-style softclipper sits at the output of the Master X HD, after the
Limiter and Mix, but before the Output Gain.
Actual Signal
Level
Soft Clip
On/O
Signal into
Soft Clip
When the signal exceeds the set Threshold, the softclipper starts sof t-clipping
the transients with a smooth and rened curve.
Note how the Soft Clip threshold value can be easily set by viewing the level
meter inside the Soft Clip parameter ring. A highlighted overlap between the
signal level and threshold rings will indicate that the sof tclipper is in action and
soft clipping the signal.
Note that the Soft Clip features low-frequency de-emphasis/emphasis ltering,
which makes it suitable for a wider variety of content, including bass-dominant
signals.
Using the Soft Clip Enable button you can easily check if the current setting is to
your liking on your specic audio content.
Soft Clip
Setting
The frequency of the Low/Mid and Mid/High crossover points can be adjusted by
either:
• • Drag the two arrows left or right at the bottom of the display.
• • Alternatively, click on the numeric value that appears when the mouse
is over the "arrow," and then type in the new value.
Toggle
12/24 dB
Vertical scale
of selected
node +/- 12 dB
dB level
Drag up
or down
Low/Mid
Crossover
Adjustment
Mid/High
Crossover
Adjustment
16 MASTER X HD User Manual
5.11 Mix
The Mix feature is new to the MASTER X HD, compared to MASTER X3 for Pro
Tools/Powercore. It enables parallel compression, where the Dry signal is mixed
with the Compressed signal, and the two signals are time-aligned perfectly
within the MASTER X HD, eliminating any potential phase issues. This is
something that can be a challenge in some DAWs, and makes the MASTER X HD
perfectly suited for placing as an insert on either a channel, a sub-mix bus or the
master bus output.
Note that the “WET” signal chain includes all three processing blocks, Expander,
Compressor and Limiter.
MIX On/O
MIX Setting
MIX = 0%
MIX = 100%
5.12 SoftClip/IO/MIX controls
Click on the S/C, IO, or MIX text to view or hide three pairs of controls. The
settings of these controls are saved with each preset.
On/O
Balance
Input
Gain
Soft
Clip
Input Gain
Use this control to adjust the input levels to suit, dependent upon where the
MASTER X HD is used, on a channel, a bus, or the master bus. Obser ve the input
level meters.
MIX
Output
Gain
Look
Ahead
Parallel compression, sometimes called New York compression, or upward
compression, reduces the dynamic range of your content by bringing up
the softest parts, enhancing the details while preserving the transients.
Sometimes, upward and downward compression is used in series for less audible
“compression” or for really “heavy compression." A setup with two instances of
MASTER X HD is ideal for this trick and there are suitable presets “pairs” located in
the Preset - Tools menu for this purpose.
The only processing done after MIX is Soft Clipping, Output Gain, and Balance.
Using the Mix Enable On?O button, you can easily check if the current setting is
to your liking on your specic audio content.
More details can be found in the Dry/Wet Mix or Parallel Compression chapter.
Note: Due to the auto-makeup of the Compressor, you may nd it suitable to
adjust the Input Gain in combination, especially with the Compressor Threshold,
in order to balance the coloring and amount of compression in each frequency
band, otherwise dened by Compressor Threshold, Ratio, Curve, Factor and Band
Gains.
Output Gain
Use this control to adjust the output levels to suit, dependent upon where the
MASTER X HD is used, on a channel, a bus, or the master bus. Obser ve the output
level meters. The gain control sits on the output of MASTER X HD.
CAUTION: If the MASTER X HD sits as the nal insert on the Master Bus, you must
ensure that no peaks exceed 0dBFS. Observe the output level meters and make
sure the peaks do not go into the red.
Balance
Use this control to adjust the output left/right balance. It sits before the Soft Clip.
Look-Ahead Delay
Master X HD can “look into the future” and in this way, be prepared for sudden
peaks in your material, thus ensuring a much better quality processing. Increase
the setting to better catch transients, or decrease the setting to add some
Compressor/Limiter punch.
17 MASTER X HD User Manual
Threshold/Ratio
6. Navigating the MASTER X HD Desktop Controller (optional)
Display
Left Encoder
Block Select
Bypass
Right Encoder
Curve/FactorAttack/Release
Edit
Preset
Band Gain
Note that the Compressor meter is a +/- lniear scale like in the plugin that show
both gain reduction and makeup gain.
Block Select Button
Selects between editing the Expander, Compressor, or Limiter.
Each block can be enabled/disabled by holding Block Select and Bypass.
The individual Block LEDs in the display will light up when a Block is enabled and
be turned o when disabled. The selected Block will blink. If the selected Block is
disabled, the red LED in the Block Selected button will also blink.
Thres/Ratio Button
For the selected block, the Thres/Ratio button will assign Threshold to the left
encoder and the Ratio to the right encoder.
The value for each parameter will be shown in the display above, and the LED bar
will show the value setting in the value range. This is similar to the circles in the
plugin.
Attack/Release Button
For the selected block, the Attack/Release button will assign Attack time to the
left encoder, and Release time to the right encoder.
The value for each parameter will be shown in the display above, and the LED bar
will show the value setting in the value range.
Curve/Factor Button
For the selected block, the Curve/Factor button will assign Curve to the lef t
encoder and the Factor to the right encoder.
Input and Output
Left Encoder
Readout and
Display
Softclip Status
PPM Meters
Low, Mid, and High
Gain Reduction Meters
Curve
Selected
Block
Selected
Right Encoder
Readout
and Display
The value for each parameter will be shown in the display above, and the LED bar
will show the value setting in the value range.
Note that Curve is an overall setting, while Factor is individual for the expander,
compressor, limiter.
Edit Button
This allows adjustment of overall parameters such as Softclip, Mix, In/Out Gain,
Balance, Look Ahead Delay, and Cross Over Frequencies.
Parameter selection is assigned to the lef t encoder, and the individual
parameter's setting is adjusted on the right encoder.
Band Gain Button
The Band Gain button assigns the Band selection to the lef t encoder, and the
selected Band's Gain to the right encoder.
SOLO the selected band by pressing Band Gain + Bypass.
While in SOLO mode, you can select other bands. Exit the SOLO mode by pressing
the Band Gain button again.
Preset Button
Press the Preset button to browse through the available presets. Either of the
encoders will browse to new presets, and while browsing, the Preset button
LED will blink. When a desired preset is reached, it can be loaded by pressing the
Preset button again, whereby the button LED stops blinking. An edited preset is
marked “xx.” in the module display.
Note: It is possible to browse all presets, or browse the favorite presets only. The
choice of browsing method is done in the plugin.
18 MASTER X HD User Manual
7. Dynamics Processing In-Depth
The multi-band compressor splits the signal gently into 3 overlapping bands the low, mid, and high frequencies. It will then compress each band somewhat
independently. Thereby, for example, a powerful kick-drum will not modulate
the processing of the lead vocals. After compressing/expanding, the 3 bands are
combined again. Although each "band" thus has its own compressor/expander,
the Curve/Factor and Threshold/Ratio provide a powerful means of controlling
them together.
7.1 Compressor
The very basis of compression can be reduced to "controlling the dynamic
content" of an audio signal. This basically means turning down the loudest parts
of the source material and raising the volume of the parts with low level content.
But how this is done, and how this is applied in audio production, is slightly more
elaborate.
Keep an eye on the illustration below and let us look at the basic compression
parameters:
Examples of Compressor Threshold, Ratio, Curve, and
Factor
Let us look into setting the Threshold and Ratio. In many cases, you would use a
low threshold, in combination with a small ratio and vice-versa. Let us choose a
low threshold of -23 dB and a small compression ratio of 2.5:1.
We have now set the compressor – but with identical settings for all three bands,
assuming the Curve is Flat or the compressor factor is 0. With identical settings,
we are not taking full advantage of the multiband capabilities. This is where the
convenient Target Curves and the Target Factor come in.
The overall Target Curve setting creates dierent settings for each of the three
bands. The displayed values for each parameter are always the mid-band
settings. If the Target Curve is set to “Flat” (or if the Target Factors are set to “0”),
the values will be identical for all three bands. If you select the “Air” curve, for
example, the high band will be compressed more and become more pronounced
than the others.
Threshold
The Threshold parameter sets the limit where the compressor kicks-in/
releases its grip of the signal. As soon as the level is above the set threshold the
compressor is active. When below - it is not.
Ratio
The Ratio sets the amount of gain reduction applied when the signal exceeds the
threshold. In the illustration above, the Ratio is the steepness of the curve after
the compressor threshold.
Attack
The Attack time is the time it takes for the compressor to reach the compression
amount specied by the set ratio.
Release
The Release time is the time it takes for the compressor to release the signal
after the input signal is below the threshold point again. How each of these
parameters are set is very important, and only the correct combination gives the
desired result.
The Target Factor setting denes how much of the selected Target Curve
characteristics will inuence the high or low band. To set the Target Curve and
Factor properly, we recommend that you compare the processed signal with the
uncompressed, because you can use it to change the overall sound impression – a
lot. Does your channel or track lack treble? Use the “Air” curve and adjust the
target factor to your liking. Too bright? Select “Bass” and adjust the target factor.
Not enough treble and bass? Go for “Smiley”.
19 MASTER X HD User Manual
Examples of Attack, Release and Crossover frequencies
Let us look into how to set the Attack and Release Times.
We start with small values for both parameters. If the attack time is too short,
we may remove some nice transients or “kick” from the material. This may not
be what we want, so we could try a greater value instead. Heavy peaks can be
smoothed using the limiter section.
If the release-time is too fast, it may result in a “pumping” eect, because the
compressor returns to the uncompressed signal immediately whenever the signal
falls below the compressor’s threshold setting. If so, we could increase the value
of the release time until we are satised with the result.
You could start with an Attack time of 1ms and a Release time of 0.2 s.
If you do not get the desired result, you could also try some dierent crossover
frequencies. Keep in mind that you have three independent bands – why should
a bass drum signal aect the mid and high bands when its peak is in the low end?
You could start out by using 125 Hz and 2.5 kHz if applied on drums, or 315 Hz and
3.15 kHz if applied on a full range mix.
Note: Sometimes it is easier to adjust the Attack and Release times and the
Crossover frequencies by using extreme values for Threshold and Ratio during
setup. This will make the eec t of your settings much easier to hear. Additionally,
the band SOLO-Function helps to focus on a single band. Keeping Mix set to 100%
WET will also help making the processing audible.
Band Gains
The Band Gains in the main display supply you with an additional tool for easily
adjusting the sound of your mix. You may want to use them like a low, mid, treble
EQ.
Note that the band gains are applied to the input of the compressor, so they
aect to what ex tent the individual bands are compressed. Higher gain leads to
more compression.
7. 3 Gate/Expander
By compressing the signal, we made it sound louder due to the auto make-up
gain in the compressor. An unwanted side eect is that the ground oor level is
also brought up. The noise will be most evident in the pauses.
The Expander is one possible cure for this, as it will reduce audible noise when
applied to vocal tracks, for example.
Noise, whether it is hiss, hum or just background noise, is always a parameter to
evaluate and deal with. Initially, noise must of course be reduced to a minimum
from the source, but with a Gate/expander it is also possible to reduce the noise
on channels when no signicant signal is present.
7. 2 Limiter
The Limiter is actually yet another compressor. It uses a very fast attack time and
has a ratio of 1 to innity. But why is the Limiter necessary?
For the compressor to be used as a musical tool, the set attack times are relatively
long (from 1 to 100ms). This gives the disadvantage that cer tain peaks can pass.
Therefore a limiter with an attack time of as little as 0.1ms and a ratio of 1 to
innity prevents nearly all overshoots.
You may want to use the Limiter carefully, as a limiter is always a somewhat
“drastic” tool to apply to your audio. If on a full mix, just a couple dB should be
enough to limit strong peaks. If on a channel, feel free to sculpt your sound but
beware that the more compressed and limited it is, then the less “life” and more
“ear-fatiguing” it will most likely sound.
As an example, you could chose a threshold of -6 dB. The Attack time could be
short (0.2 ms), so the Limiter is capable of catching transients. The release time
could be set to a value that could avoid unwanted pumping (0.3 s).
Set the target factor in the same way you set the compressor. The higher Factor
value, the more pronounced the Cur ve setting will be on the material.
A Gate - or downward expander, - is used to attenuate the signal when the signal
is below a certain threshold. When talking about attack and release times in
reference to a noise gate: - the attack time is the time is takes for the gate to
"open" when the signal rises above the threshold and the release time is the time
it takes for the gate to reach the specied attenuation.
Use the Expander carefully. The modulated noise, due to the Expander shif ting
between opening up and reducing the noise, of the ground oor level is much
more audible than a higher ground oor level without such modulation.
The Expander’s threshold must be lower than the compressor’s threshold. If you
raise it too much, you might cut into low parts of the signal, such as reverb tails.
The Expander’s Ratio parameter determines the width of the level range.
Note: The Attack time is a critical parameter for an expander. A short Attack time
will be suitable for transient content like drums, but may create audible artefacts
if applied to less transient content like drone synth sounds.
Note: A rather seamless way to reduce noise by using a gate or expander, is to
turn down the treble, then the mids and then the bass. This is possible by setting
the Target Curve to “Air” and apply some Target Factor to the Expander. Choosing
the “Bass” curve will do the opposite.
20 MASTER X HD User Manual
7.4 Modern Mastering, Loudness and True-Peaks
The MASTER X HD is a multi-band dynamics-multi-tool, highly suitable for the
mastering process, with many ways to make your mix sound better, but if not
used wisely, there are many ways of making it sound worse!
There is a risk of becoming speed-blind in the tuning process, and at rst prefer
an over-compressed and loud-sounding track. This is a situation that can be
avoided by:
• • Knowing your music genre deeply
• • Using relevant reference tracks for comparison
• • Ensuring calibrated monitoring levels
• • Using an optimized monitoring environment
The resulting Loudness and Dynamic Compression are two of the most important
properties of a track, adjusted nally in mastering. These two properties can be
regarded as counterparts to each other. In other words, it is important to:
• • Decide how loud your tracks should be
• • Design the dynamic prole of your music
Due to the xed 0 dBFS ceiling, louder tracks have less dynamics, and “weaker”
tracks will potentially have more dynamics.
We recommend that you do not hyper-compress and limit your tracks to the
extreme in the mastering process, in order to achieve a loud track. If you overdo
it, it will reduce the audio quality of your work. And of ten, there is even a penalty
in playback stages so your loud track may end up sounding weaker, rather than
louder.
7.4 .1 Loudness
The Loudness approach to music mastering is based upon similar methods
introduced more than a decade ago by the industry producing audio for TV.
Loudness measures how loud we actually hear audio, which is dierent from
“level” PPM meters that look at transients only. The Loudness method includes
K-ltering that emulates human hearing, where bass aects the perceived
loudness level less, and where frequencies from approximately 2 kHz and up
aect the perceived loudness level more.
Loudness is a modern, but still well-rehearsed reference method, which is
standardized in BS-1770, and many music streaming services refer to this
standard, or similar proprietary methods.
Loudness is measured on the LUFS metering scale. LUFS stands for "Loudness
Units Full Scale." The scale does not measure sound as a dB meter or a VU meter
would. Rather, it accounts for how the human ear (and brain) perceives the
loudness of a track. That is also why there is only one loudness value or level,
instead of one per channel.
Loudness examples: Some Streaming Services will aim for -16 LUFS loudness
when they play back music tracks with “Sound Check” enabled. The AES
community recommend streaming music bet ween -20 and -16 LUFS. Often
you will see songs that measure -14, -12, -10 or even -8 LUFS and it will vary for
example by music genre.
7.4 .2 True Peak
Often, there can be small peaks of sound in-between digital samples, intersample peaks, that go undetected in digital tools including our MASTER X HD.
Where traditional peak meters and conventional peak limiters fail to read those
true peaks of sound, a True Peak meter will provide the mastering engineer with
the actual reading.
Without a True Peak meter and True-Peak Limiter especially, a mastered track
could go into digital clipping when converted to a lossy format like MP3 or AAC
or when being Digital-to-Analog converted in normal playback systems. This can
happen, even if no distortion is heard when monitoring the nal master.
For a modern, versatile and trustworthy mastering chain, we recommend the
BRICKWALL HD True-Peak Limiter is inserted af ter the MASTER X HD to ensure
elimination of the potential and problematic inter-sample peaks in your nal
master track.
7.4 .3 Beware of The Loudness Wars
An important note on loudness, is that there has been a trend in mastering
toward making songs appear louder and louder. Since you can never exceed
the 0dBFS digital ceiling, applying a brickwall Limiter at the nal stage, the
result often has been to apply very aggressive settings on dynamics tools such
as multiband compressors, so-called ‘loudness optimizers’, as well as the nal
Brickwall Limiter itself. This phenomenon has been referred to as ‘The Loudness
Wa rs ’.
This escalated because we naturally perceive a louder version of a song to be
better than a sof ter version, when you compare them directly. Another cause is
that record industry people would compare an ‘airplay’ version of one track to a
newly mastered CD track, where the former tended to sound louder and fatter
due to FM broadcast processing – leading to a request to make the master louder,
with more cowbell. Well, the ‘wars’ may have peaked, but it is still something
that you should be aware of and pay attention to. And while we say that they
may have peaked, they are not completely over…
Further, if you apply extreme amounts of compression, distortion occurs, which
may lead to listening fatigue for you as well as your audience. Of course, the
amount of compression that you can use in order to t a certain music genre can
vary, but just stay aware of how it aects your music, and act accordingly.
It is also very important that you always listen to your own mastering projec t and
your reference library at the same loudness level when you compare them. There
is no doubt that while a heavily compressed song – dynamically speaking – may
sound more impactful at rst, you will sacrice detail and nuance.
Finally and as mentioned above, keep in mind that the current trend in music
streaming is a target loudness of approximately -16 LUFS, so if you deliver a
signicantly louder song, it will get turned down automatically if the listener
chooses to apply the ‘normalization’ feature such as ‘SoundCheck’ or ‘Same Level’
that aligns the loudness of the songs in the library. And if that happens, your very
loud song may well end up sounding much less impressive than the competition!
21 MASTER X HD User Manual
7.4.4 Compress-O-Meter - Master Analyser
TC Electronic has launched a free on-line service at the following address:
https://nalizer.com/analyzer
This analyzer can help you investigate and decide the suitable loudness level
and amount of dynamics processing for your music, when you compare it to your
preferred reference tracks, or pre-analyzed giant hits through the history.
A central part of this service is the Compress-O-Meter:
7.4 .5 Modern Mastering
Another highly-relevant combination of processing can be carried out with
MASTER X HD and the TC Electronic BRICKWALL HD limiter in series, as the last
step before bouncing your mix or master.
The BRICKWALL HD will add True-Peak limiting and Loudness awareness to your
chain, which will ensure a solid master audio le that will comply with any play
back system or streaming service.
There are suitable presets “pairs” located in the Preset menus of the two plug-ins
as an aid to using the two plug-ins together.
The X-axis is the amount of Dynamic Compression. It is unit-less, so you should
not add “dB”, “ratio”, or similar, when thinking about it.
The Dynamic Compression is based on the track ’s Peak-to-Loudness (PLR) value
and a measurement of the micro-dynamics of the track.
• • Very dynamic music with lots of transients and loud and soft passages,
will have a low Dynamic Compression value, to the left in the CompressO-Meter.
• • Very dense music with little transients, will have a high Dynamic
Compression value and show up to the right.
The Y-axis is the full track Loudness value, shown in LUFS (Loudness Units Full
Scale).
22 MASTER X HD User Manual
8. Presets
The MASTER X HD oers a collection of factory presets, as well as the option to
create and save your own custom settings as user presets and favourites.
Note that most DAWs have a built-in preset function that appears on every
plug-in, which is often found at the top of the plug-in window.
It is not recommended to use this as your primary method of saving presets, as it
has limited functionality and does not allow the saved presets to be transferred
easily to other DAWs. Instead, we suggest using the Preset section at the bottom
right corner of the user interface window:
A single click on this PRESET window brings up a menu with several presetrelated options. You can recall a fac tory or user preset from the libraries, save the
current preset, or create a new user preset with the 'Save as' option.
8.2 User Presets
If you make an alteration to any of the parameters in the current preset, the
preset name changes to italics as a reminder that something has changed from
the original factory preset.
To save this new setting as a User preset, click in the PRESET window, then select
the Save As option. Save it with an appropriate name.
To discard the changes without saving, simply navigate away from that preset.
The presets menu is divided into Factory Presets and User Presets.
8.1 Factory Presets
Factory presets are built into the plug-in and cannot be overwritten, so if a
factory preset is modied and you want to keep the changes, you need to save it
as a User preset. User presets can be edited and organized as you like.
When recalling a Factory preset or saved User preset, the name will appear in
plain text as shown below.
The altered preset will be saved as a user preset, with your new name for it, and
its name will appear in the presets window.
If you modify a saved user preset, you have the option to "Save" (rewriting over
the existing user preset) or "Save As" (save as a new user preset).
If you modify a factory preset, then only "Save As" is available (to save as a new
user preset). Factory presets cannot be overwritten.
User presets are not given a number unless you rst assign them as favourites.
(See Favourite Presets below.)
You can use your computer's keyboard to enter a specic preset number, followed
by the ENTER button.
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8.3 Presets and the optional hardware unit
Presets can also be recalled from the hardware unit by pressing the PRESET
button. Rotate the hardware knob to scroll through presets one slot at a time.
8.4 Favorite Presets
Creating your own presets will make them accessible from the Preset menu,
but they will only appear in the list of 100 presets in the plug-in or hardware unit
if you set them as a favorite. This is done by assigning a favorite slot number to
the preset using the Favorite menu.
When a preset is assigned a favorite slot number:
• • The preset is part of the 100 presets that can be recalled on the
hardware unit
• • The favorite number will be displayed on the hardware unit when
recalled
• • The favorite number will be locked so that two presets cannot be
assigned to the same favorite slot number. This is shown in the Favorite
menu by graying out the number in question.
• • The favorite number will be displayed in brackets when you browse the
presets menu
You can remove the favorite assignment by selecting the “Remove Assignment”
feature in the Favorite menu, then saving the preset.
Browse Favorites Only
The 'Browse Favorites Only' option in the preset menu allows the UP/DOWN
arrows in the bottom bar of the plug-in, or via the hardware unit, to scroll only
through the favorites list. Otherwise, scrolling goes through all presets.
Click the FAVORITE (heart-shaped) button in the preset window, then select one
of the 10 banks. Assign one of your custom presets to a favorite slot, then save
the preset.
8.5 Make Current Preset Default
Selecting 'Make current preset default' will cause this preset to appear every time
a new instance of the plug-in is created.
8.6 Reveal User Preset Folder in Explorer
To change the name of a preset, select 'Reveal User Preset Folder in Explorer'
and modify the le name. This will open a Finder (Mac) or Explorer (PC) window
where the user presets are stored. You can rename as well as delete, copy and
paste presets. This allows you to share presets with other users online, simply
pasting the new ones in this folder.
24 MASTER X HD User Manual
9. Software Updates
New versions of the sof tware may be released to add new features and improve
performance. Updates can be detected from the plug-in directly and can be
installed after download from the website. See Chapter 2 for plug-in installation.
If the ’Automatically check for updates’ option is checked inside the update
menu, the red dot will appear on the settings icon when a new plug-in
is available.
Click the gear icon and select “Check for Updates” to perform a scan.
10. Specications
Sound
Processing 3 Band expansion/compression/
limiting, softclip, and mix
Sample rates 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz
Software Support
Operating systems Mac OS X 10.13 Sierra or above,
Windows 7 or above
Drivers No additional drivers required,
uses standard USB HID drivers
Plugin formats AAX-native, Audio Units, VST2.4,
VST3. 64 bit
USB Connection (DT version)
Type USB 2.0, type micro-B
Power (DT version)
Power supply USB bus powered
9.1 Hardware Unit Software Updates (optional)
The hardware unit rmware will be included in each plug-in update.
After you have installed a new plug-in, the system will detect mismatched
rmware and indicate a need for update via a small red dot on the gear icon.
Click the “Upgrade to x.x.xx” eld to start the update. Progress will be indicated
in the plug-in, and the Feedback LED on the hardware unit will ash. (This
example shows a TC2290 plug-in.)
Power consumption Max. 2.5 W
Physical (DT version)
Dimensions (HxWxD) 42 x 54 x 135 mm (1.7 x 2.1 x 5.3")
Weight 0.19 kg (0.42 lbs)
Note: Operation Ambient Temperature up to 45ºC
25 MASTER X HD User Manual
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION COMPLIANCE
INFORMATION
TC Electronic
MASTER X HD DT
Responsible Party Name: Music Tribe Commercial NV Inc.
Address: 901 Grier Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89118
USA
Phone Number: +1 747 237 5033
MASTER X HD DT
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pur suant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruc tions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• • Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• • Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• • Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from that to which the
receiver is connected.
• • Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any inter ference received, including inter ference that may
cause undesired operation.
Important information:
Changes or modications to the equipment not expressly approved by Music Tribe
can void the user’s authority to use the equipment.
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