NUGEN MasterCheck 2 + ISL 2ST

MasterCheck 2

MasterCheck is an optimisation plug-in for cross-platform mastering, designed to ensure that your masters sound consistent across all platforms — physical, digital and streaming. Audition how loudness normalisation will affect your track, and preempt the impact that each codec will have, alongside industry standard loudness and True Peak measurement.

Find the sweet spot between perceived loudness and dynamics, and avoid nasty surprises by compensating for encoding artefacts ahead of time.

Reference and compare

How does your music sound when it reaches the listener? You already optimise masters for domestic hi-fi systems, car stereos, headphones and earbuds. In the streaming era, shouldn’t you optimise for each streaming platform too?

Audition and preempt data compression and loudness normalisation for…

• Spotify
• Apple Music
• Tidal
• YouTube
• Soundcloud
• Bandcamp
• Qobuz
• Pandora

…and more, using the Codec mode and Offset to match function.

For mixing and mastering, for stereo and surround

To some extent, loudness and cross-platform optimisation is primarily a concern for the mastering engineer, not the mixer, artist or producer. But if a mix is too hot or over-compressed then there is nowhere further to go! So it makes sense to reference Integrated loudness, PLR, PSR and True Peak even at the mixing stage. Plus, MasterCheck can be a great demonstration tool for those clients who might still believe that “louder is better” no matter what.

MasterCheck supports up to 7.1.4 channels, enough to receive a Dolby Atmos bed, or other immersive, 3D and surround audio formats. The resizeable portrait and landscape views mean that MasterCheck can fit neatly into practically any layout and workflow, regardless of on-screen real estate.

ISL 2 ST

ISL is a transparent look-ahead limiter designed to allow you to get on with creative audio production while it takes care of True Peak compliance for you.

ISL uses the standardised True Peak algorithms of ITU-R B.S. 1770 and related standards (including Apple ‘afclip’ True Peak detection), and is suitable for the control of audio for post production, music mastering and broadcast applications. True Peak limiting can also be used to ensure that downstream codecs (mp3, AAC etc.) do not introduce distortion into the signal.

Powerful processing

Unlike traditional limiters, ISL provides a TPlim control, automatically adjusting transfer curve parameters for minimally invasive brick-wall protection.

Auto-release monitors incoming audio for low frequency content, dynamically adapting to prevent distortions and deliver transparent audio in the most demanding of situations.

Innovative visualisations

With unique steering and ducking meters, ISL guides you to the perfect settings. Whether you are preserving directional integrity or atmospheric ambience, ISL gives you the information and control you need to achieve your objective with ease. New processing enhancements assess the incoming audio for frequency content and automatically take care of those minor adjustments required when LF content drives the limiter, delivering increased transparency whilst maintaining our renowned reputation of intuitive operation.

For music production

Let ISL take care of your mastering for today's music delivery services (Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal etc.) The risk of distortion from down-stream codec conversion (mp3, AAC etc.) is eliminated with ISL on the master bus.

Mix and master with confidence that your audio will be delivered the way you intend, without downstream distortions introduced by inter-sample clip reconstruction errors.

For post and broadcast

World class, broadcast quality limiting is an essential requirement for any broadcast production, and the latest standards also demand True Peak compliance. ISL delivers both, giving you superb sound with complete confidence when meeting True Peak delivery criteria.

With ITU-R B.S. 1170-4 compliance and a dedicated brick-wall TPlim setting, you can produce with confidence, leaving ISL to transparently take care of the compliance.

Loudness Toolkit has been included in the audio tool category of Netflix’s Production Technology Alliance. This is a programme for manufacturers that handles sound, image or metadata during the processes of production to postproduction. If the product meets specific criteria, it is considered as a candidate for the alliance. Any product that bears the alliance logo has been assessed to ensure that it meets with Netflix’s technical and workflow requirements.