Mastering in Sonar X2 Producer?

I use the AAMS mastering system, there is none better out there, besides paying for someone to do it.....

John
I export the mix as a stereo file and then bring it back in for mastering using my mastering template. All this is is a bunch of useful plugins in the FX bin that I may or may not apply to the song. It includes Ozone and now T Racks.  I don't try to " fix it" I try to make it sound better. Other then that I should not have to do too much. If I do I go back and remix it. 

+1
And also this is when its much easier to trim the file the the length you want and do your fades.

Dude Ivey

John
I export the mix as a stereo file and then bring it back in for mastering using my mastering template. All this is is a bunch of useful plugins in the FX bin that I may or may not apply to the song. It includes Ozone and now T Racks.  I don't try to " fix it" I try to make it sound better. Other then that I should not have to do too much. If I do I go back and remix it. 

+1
And also this is when its much easier to trim the file the the length you want and do your fades.

+2
 
This is the exact same method I use (minus Ozone)
If you're compiling an album, you can import each song on to a different track in your mastering project and nudge them along the timeline to get the gaps between songs "correct"
If they were all mixed in a similar way and with similar levels your mastering chain shouldn't need much tweaking between songs. A little bit of automation here & there (or adjust fader levels with reference to the loudest track) to keep levels consistent and you're good to go.

when done mixing I add 2 busses after master bus, 1 with multiband compr / EQ.
This I route to last bus with just limiter usually.
this way I can easily go back tweak something in the mix, while mastering.
 

I should mention that if going to disk I have found Pyro Audio Creator quite good. With it you have VST support and you can adjust levels. 

You can destroy any track with any plugin if it's used too heavy-handedly.
 
And you shouldn't be using anything like those sort of settings in a mastering context.
 
Mastering is, or should, be just adding the final sprinkle of fairy dust and loudening (within reason)
The historic application of mastering included making sure all songs on an album are of a complementary tone & volume, and getting it all prepared for vinyl cutting.
 

I usually master right inside the project, unless I'm specifically mastering for an album, in which case I load all the tracks into a separate project. When I master inside the project it helps me to notice things in the mix that I need to change, so I like having everything integrated.
 
My main mix FX chain is usually this: Mastering EQ -> Cakewalk TubeLeveler -> Limiter No6. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND LIMITER NO6. It's a free 64-bit VST mastering compressor/limiter plugin that sounds awesome. Since I started using it my songs have started sounding way better. (I use the compressor, peak limiter, and protection sections and ignore the other stuff in the middle.)

I use my T-Racks plugs.
 
There's not a lot of ground they don't cover between them, and I still think their Brickwall Limiter is one of the best out there.

I typically do my own Mastering (and please, no lectures on why I shouldn't ~ I'm also a Junior Mastering Engineer; I know why). What I typically do, since I'm aware of the tools and methods I'll often use in Mastering later, is add one or two of the plug-in models to my Master buss in Sonar. I will tweak those in a "nominal" fashion, to emulate how the final Master might translate through my Mains (speakers). If something's not working, I disable them and go back to the mix. This really saves time before sending a mix to another Mastering engineer, when I choose to. My own feedback loop saves money, too.
 
With that said, I recommend only doing this above when mixing. When you feel your mix is ready, disable those Mastering plugs and export the Entire Mix. Either re-import them into a new stereo track project strictly for Mastering, use another program designed for Mastering, or send the tracks off to the engineer from there. No changing bit-rates, please, unless you're Mastering for yourself!

"Are any of you using Waves plugins for that commercial polish during Mastering or any 3rd party Mastering effects for that matter?"
 
Yea BMOG, I'm using the Waves Gold Bundle. I just upgraded my computer to a nice new shiney AMD processed monster with Windows 8.1. Upgraded my X3 to X3 Producer, then decided to try and move my songs from the old computer...NIGHTMARE!!!  3 days later I can finally breath again. But the Win 8.1 is buggy, Producer is buggy, and yes I upgraded to the e version. My new machine is awesome, 8 core, 4.0gHz, 16mb ram, SSD hard drive, and an hhd 1tb for storage. But man this new windows is awful. Anyway, Waves, I love their plugins, Vitamin is just a killer sonic enhancer, their compressors and limiters are so transparent. The only thing that was bugging me was the constant checking for a valid license, but then I found the VST Settings under preferences and made the scan mode manual, so all was ok. I finally got my songs to work after several downloads, I truly believe it was the vst's causing all the issues, trying to get them switched over to the new computer and all messed things up. As far as mastering with Waves, I am one that blends the process of mixing and mastering, and I need to stop it. I will have a great mix, but I am so curious to hear it with limiters and compressors and linear eq and on and on, whatever makes it shine, that I will go ahead and add those things on the master bus. Granted, I will not export with these on the master bus, I read somewhere that when you export with compression and eq that your digital signal is forever changed and will not go back to the original signal. Is it true? I don't know, but I avoid it just to be safe. So in essence, I really haven't mastered anything yet. We have two tunes mixed, 3 being worked on, and when you meet once a week for 2 or 3 hours, it takes forever to do a cd.
 
\m/ >< \m/ 

Yes Wave Labs analysis, this is worth the price of the software. Otherwise you are only guessing and working blind.
Find peak Level,  Global RMS Analysis, and spectral analysis are must have tools for mastering. 
The cool thing is most of Sonars mastering tools also show up in Wave Labs efx bin. 
 
Anyhow I just make my mix sound great and then export it. Open in Wave Lab , Master and burn with whatever. 
 
Once you've experience the tools it has you could not work any other way. 
 
Example, Long ending? scroll to  the spot you want, "ctrl/ End/ delete= done. 
Beginning still has count in? ctrl / home / backspace. = silence
 
It is just plain fast at these tasks. Sonar and Wave Lab are perfect Partners. Sonar is my 24 track Otari and Wave lab my 2 track mastering deck. 

+ however many for making mixing and mastering separate processes.  I use an exported mix at the project rates (bit depth and sample rate) in Sound Forge.  And external hardware in addition to whatever digital effects.
 
One of the things about the two-step processes is you'll quickly see if your project has 5 minutes of silence appended to it, even if you bring it back into a new SONAR project.  And as others have said, there shouldn't be that much left at the mastering stage - a little eq and compression to raise the overall volume and a little tone (to match up for a multiple song CD), and any editing even if it is only to top and tail.
 
@

2 things:
I always have Start and End markers on my projects.  Then I can quickly
   select all,
   go to start marker, set from=now,
   go to end marker, set thru=now,
   file->export.
 
I would never have '5 minutes of silence' before or after cause it's always correct. 
(I wish there was an option that meant that export 'knew' where the start and end points were).
 
Also, I DO have my mastering chain on the master out channel, but I globally turn off processing on that channel until mastering time.  That way, I can A/B mastering or not, always have the current edit/mix (without exporting) and I can tweak the mastered mix in real time (just in case something clips). 

Here's a sample of a recording a friend and I made then mastered it in the AAMS software....
 
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=13448952&q=hi&newref=1
 
 
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