Ozone4 vs Masterpiece2

That's probably a situation where I would not have the skills to take advantage of its full potential. I'm pretty sure I don't have the highly-trained ears, expert knowledge of compression, EQ techiques, mastering quality monitors, etc that would make it even close to making it worth the cost.

My mastering tools simply include EQ, Voxengo Soniformer (multiband compression) and Voxengo Elephant plug-ins with some help from Voxengo SPAN. Sometimes some BBE Sonic Maximizer. For now, I'd say those tools are pretty much adequate based on my skill level! Hopefully one day my mastering skills will outgrow my tools!!!

Bitflipper, are you quoting your personal expenditures, or just a wish list?

If you just outlined your own studio, I am in awe, humbled to be in your (virtual) presence.

Later
Albert

   That's really a hard one to determine having a view on.
They have a lease program it appears so maybe one could
judge for them selves by using it for a while. It also looks
like the design and components used give it a certain
"character" in sound.

  It has input and output transformers. That's one thing
that will give it a certain character compared to equipment
that doesn't use transformers. Rupert Neve seems to
have gone from a more mindset of thinking "tech" in his
designs to a bit more "musical" in his "mindset of design"
(that is if I'm correct) mostly or in part by guys like this
guy "with the golden ears"

 I don't have Ozone so I can't remark on that either.
I think a single or given unit can solve or improve upon
a given "area" but it can't "do everything"

Thanks Bit, Dlogan, Gambler, Jimmy, and Jeff for your provoking thoughts.

Very well Jeff.  Thanks for chiming again.  Your logic (as usual) seems $trongly convincing.

OTOH:

The UAD stuff was already a strong consideration for me ... but after Window's 7 stabilizes and I can be confident with a UAD card ... preferably ... a UAD portable card.

Earlier, I posted another thread hoping that UAD would someday become obsolete ... as Windows and computers finally become more DAW friendly ... to handle all VST-software inherently.

Analogously,

I own a $2000 Ax-FX-Ultra pre-amp processor which contains hundreds of Fx-box emulations (including all mastering tools) ... that I'm experimenting with as a Send-Return on gig-gear (a cheap old SHS PA system for now).

The problem with the Ax-Fx is that you have to sit and stare at the non-user friendly 3 inch window ... and dial into stuff repeatedly (AKA, many many vexing hand movements)

NI is trying to make guitar-gear software that emulates all the boxes, too ... perhaps $1000+/-.  It seems to me to ultimately require Window's 7 to handle memory gluttony and CPU strains

... but for my mastering (and mixing) madness ... nothing beats a computer display ... thus Ozone has my attention.

Perhaps there is something signficantly 'better' than Ozone you'd recommend.

Well, Bitflipper, you do come to these forums with a lot of detailed knowledge. It is apparent you not only learned this stuff, you studied it. So it would not surprise me that you had a full scale, large dollar studio.

Not hard to spend a half a mill on four bedrooms and three car garage these days.

Later
Albert

If I spent that kind of money on one software package...or anything else related to my music habit....... I'd need to borrow one of those spare bedrooms in Bit's house.....