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  #1  
Old 05-23-2020, 10:38 AM
Rockman413 Rockman413 is offline
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Default Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

Hi there,
Now after mixing with pro equipments, now I got the mastered files.
Now I'm going to do Mastering myself, I'm going use pro tools to add insert AAX effects such as t-racks efx or compressor or all kinds of efx, everything is in the box, every effects is AAX.
Does it matter what kind of audio interface I use for the final result?

Track A: the mixed file, with several effects as insert plugins, output to bus 1-2 and Track B to record bus 1-2 into the mastered audio region and export that file.

If my efx parameters are the same, would there be any difference for the final file between I use my macbook pro internal audio device (so called "macbook pro headphone" as pro tools's audio device) v.s. using a professional audio interface?
I would guess it's the same file as everything is digitally processed, and it's the same even I don't use any audio device in pro tools (if applicable), am I right?

(of course I may hear differently and make different adjustment when I'm doing the master, but this topic is focusing on using the same parameters on efx plugins)
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Old 05-23-2020, 11:08 AM
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JFreak JFreak is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

Whatever processing you do has nothing to do with your interface. A plugin will sound just the same with one dollar and one million dollar interface. Only problem is your monitoring: if you have sub-par DA conversion and sub-par monitors, then the decisions you make are worse, compared to great DA conversion and great monitors.

Mastering and T-Racks do not go well together anyway.
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Old 05-23-2020, 05:01 PM
Rockman413 Rockman413 is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

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Originally Posted by JFreak View Post
Whatever processing you do has nothing to do with your interface. A plugin will sound just the same with one dollar and one million dollar interface. Only problem is your monitoring: if you have sub-par DA conversion and sub-par monitors, then the decisions you make are worse, compared to great DA conversion and great monitors.

Mastering and T-Racks do not go well together anyway.
Great that's what I thought.

"if you have sub-par DA conversion and sub-par monitors, then the decisions you make are worse, compared to great DA conversion and great monitors."
--> Some people tell me, because of the enviourment today, maybe it's even better to listen on normal computer's audio card as this is more close to 99% people's enviourment as 99% doesn't have a professional audio interface. How do you think of this?

"Mastering and T-Racks do not go well together anyway."
--> What do you mean by this? T-Racks mastering suite are not good mastering plug ins?
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Old 05-23-2020, 05:07 PM
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JFreak JFreak is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

I think you have a ... how would I say it politely ... skewed idea about mastering.

Mastering Engineer will need to hear the truth. Make adjustments based on what is heard, or do not make adjustments at all. And to be able to do that, what the ME hears needs to be as close to the truth as possible. Not one dollar headphones.

Technically speaking, ME needs to have 100% dynamics and 100% frequency range to work with. If your listening environment only has 50% dynamics and 75% frequency range, you only have 37.5% to work with.

And you are correct, T-Racks is not a mastering tool.
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Old 05-23-2020, 05:28 PM
Rockman413 Rockman413 is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

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Originally Posted by JFreak View Post
I think you have a ... how would I say it politely ... skewed idea about mastering.

Mastering Engineer will need to hear the truth. Make adjustments based on what is heard, or do not make adjustments at all. And to be able to do that, what the ME hears needs to be as close to the truth as possible. Not one dollar headphones.

Technically speaking, ME needs to have 100% dynamics and 100% frequency range to work with. If your listening environment only has 50% dynamics and 75% frequency range, you only have 37.5% to work with.

And you are correct, T-Racks is not a mastering tool.
I see, I agree.

Regarding T-Racks, I think IK T-Rakcs market themselves as the "Mastering Suites", what do you think it's not a mastering tool, or not a good mastering tool? What will you have in mind for good mastering tool?
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Old 05-23-2020, 05:31 PM
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

Anything can be a mastering tool if your listening environment gives you 100% what you need to hear, as I said.

But usually mastering is done with analog gear. And if you master in the box, the plugins are the very best, such as Massenburg EQ etc.

The best mastering tool however is the ears of the mastering engineer. Someone who has the guts to say this material does not need any processing.
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Old 05-30-2020, 08:58 AM
Rockman413 Rockman413 is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

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Originally Posted by JFreak View Post
Anything can be a mastering tool if your listening environment gives you 100% what you need to hear, as I said.

But usually mastering is done with analog gear. And if you master in the box, the plugins are the very best, such as Massenburg EQ etc.

The best mastering tool however is the ears of the mastering engineer. Someone who has the guts to say this material does not need any processing.
Yes, totally right.

I was talking with a friend today and he mentioned that "since most people listen to music nowadays on cellphone audio-jack output or laptop audio-jack output like macbook pro's headphone out, maybe it's also good that we just use macbook's audio device as Pro Tools's audio device and use a monitor class headphone as refernce to do the master, this MAYBE more close to the reality or the real scene of how most people listen to music, and any small adjustments, if you don't hear them people won't hear them then it's meaningless."

Does this make sense? I think if people use a professional high-end audio interface to listen then this way would not work at all, but the advantage may be it's closer to how the majority people who listens music?
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Old 05-30-2020, 10:07 AM
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

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Originally Posted by Rockman413 View Post
Yes, totally right.



I was talking with a friend today and he mentioned that "since most people listen to music nowadays on cellphone audio-jack output or laptop audio-jack output like macbook pro's headphone out, maybe it's also good that we just use macbook's audio device as Pro Tools's audio device and use a monitor class headphone as refernce to do the master, this MAYBE more close to the reality or the real scene of how most people listen to music, and any small adjustments, if you don't hear them people won't hear them then it's meaningless."



Does this make sense? I think if people use a professional high-end audio interface to listen then this way would not work at all, but the advantage may be it's closer to how the majority people who listens music?
No. You need the fullest fidelity for translation to any and all sound play back environments. So a high end home stereo and a cheap pair of ear buds both translate to a great mix. There are so many issues to address. Even as a mix engineer. Dynamic range as it bumps up against eq decisions is the main one imo.

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Old 05-30-2020, 11:13 AM
Dizzi45Z Dizzi45Z is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

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No. You need the fullest fidelity for translation to any and all sound play back environments. So a high end home stereo and a cheap pair of ear buds both translate to a great mix. There are so many issues to address. Even as a mix engineer. Dynamic range as it bumps up against eq decisions is the main one imo.

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk
I also agree with Arche3.

I get people telling me all the time that I should be mixing and mastering on low quality gear because that is what the majority of consumers are using to listen. But this argument isn't a good one. Low quality playback systems are inconsistent between each other. So trying to mix on a low quality playback system in a bad listening environment is going to give you inconsistent results between the different low quality systems.

The best chance you have of making things sound their best on low quality equipment is to mix on a high quality system that is going to reveal all of the nuances of the mix. That way, when it plays on low quality gear, it has the most potential to sound its best in perspective of the imperfections of that system.

Now, also checking the mix on some speakers that limit the full frequency spectrum or represent a consumer product may not be a bad idea for some of the mix/mastering decisions. BUT... in my opinion, this should be secondary to the high quality system in a great listening environment.
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  #10  
Old 05-30-2020, 01:19 PM
Rockman413 Rockman413 is offline
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Default Re: Use Pro Tools to render effects without a professional audio interface

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Originally Posted by Dizzi45Z View Post
I also agree with Arche3.

I get people telling me all the time that I should be mixing and mastering on low quality gear because that is what the majority of consumers are using to listen. But this argument isn't a good one. Low quality playback systems are inconsistent between each other. So trying to mix on a low quality playback system in a bad listening environment is going to give you inconsistent results between the different low quality systems.

The best chance you have of making things sound their best on low quality equipment is to mix on a high quality system that is going to reveal all of the nuances of the mix. That way, when it plays on low quality gear, it has the most potential to sound its best in perspective of the imperfections of that system.

Now, also checking the mix on some speakers that limit the full frequency spectrum or represent a consumer product may not be a bad idea for some of the mix/mastering decisions. BUT... in my opinion, this should be secondary to the high quality system in a great listening environment.
Wow, this is really great explaination! Thanks
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