Mastering effect

Mastering describes the complete process of optimizing audio files for a particular medium, such as radio, video, CD, or the web. In Soundbooth, you can quickly master audio with the Mastering effect.

Before mastering audio, consider the requirements of the destination medium. If the destination is the web, for example, the file will likely be played over computer speakers that poorly reproduce bass sounds. To compensate, you can boost bass frequencies during the equalization stage of the mastering process.

Standard settings

Amount

Controls the level of processing.

Advanced settings

Equalizer

Adjusts the overall tonal balance. For details, see the Advanced settings for EQ: Parametric effect.

Reverb

Adds ambience. Drag the Mix slider to change the ratio of original to reverberant sound.

Widener

Adjusts the stereo image. Drag the Width slider to the left to narrow the image and increase central focus. Drag the slider to the right to expand the image and enhance spatial placement of individual sounds.

Exciter

Exaggerates high-frequency harmonics, adding crispness and clarity. Mode options include Retro for light distortion, Tape for bright tone, and Tube for quick, dynamic response. Drag the Amount slider to adjust the level of processing.

Loudness Maximizer

Increases perceived volume by limiting dynamic range and boosting output levels so that peaks approach the digital maximum of zero dBFS. As you drag the slider to the right, brickwall limiting begins at increasingly lower input levels (a setting of 100 begins limiting at –20 dBFS).

Output Gain

Boosts or cuts amplitude after processing above. Possible values range from ‑30 to +15 dB, where 0 is unity gain.