This post started with this thread (http://forum.cakewalk.com/HarBal-Anyone-use-it-m3355391.aspx) but it morphed enough into a new topic that I figured it made sense to start a new thread...
 
I'm interested in buying mastering tools.  I'm mostly a hobbyist, although I've starting making a little bit of money here and there for different projects - I want to up my game a little.   Big learning curves are ok with me - I really like spending time learning the ins and outs of products and would prefer something with more control and a steep learning curve rather than a product that has great presets and can get me up and running quickly...
 
As far as money is concerned - I'm not in a position to spend a lot, but the money I'm making from my projects is going right back into gear/plug-ins/soft synths.  But I don't have a lot to throw around... 
 
With that said - I've tried Ozone 7 and Voxengo products.  It appears to me that the Voxengo products are much better...  However, it seems that many many people are recommending Ozone.  From a price standpoint, it appears to me that I could get everything I need in individual plugins for less than Ozone advanced - and Ozone standard doesn't seem to have the same functionality that Voxengo does...  
 
So let's hear it!  What do you use?  Am I off base with my assessment above?  I understand a lot of this is subjective...  
Part of what is enticing about Voxengo is that I can slowly build my collection and take the time to learn each tool, then get a new one.
 

Ozone 7...especially Advanced.  Best purchase of 2015 for me...

cclarry
Ozone 7...especially Advanced.  Best purchase of 2015 for me...

Please give us more details what make you like it so much. I consider buying it too.

Elephant is quite capable, but perhaps not the best choice for a beginner.

Afrodrum

cclarry
Ozone 7...especially Advanced.  Best purchase of 2015 for me...

Please give us more details what make you like it so much. I consider buying it too.

That's a long list....but bang for buck, sound quality, capability, and being able to 
add other VST's to the chain right inside 07A, all that adds up to a winner...

Yes, that would require a much longer answer than I'd  have the patience to type on my tablet.

I use Voxengo - Elephant and EQ.  Great stuff that just works.

bitflipper
Elephant is quite capable, but perhaps not the best choice for a beginner.

I hear you - but this answer actually makes me gravitate towards Elephant...  I'm hoping that if I take the time to learn how to use it - some day I won't be a beginner....   Would Elephant be a better choice for an expert?

Based on the fact that you are trying to keep the cost down, here is what I recommend for mastering:
Use Sonar and Voxengo Elephant and (free) Voxengo Span.
 
Sonar has all the necessary vst tools such as: LP EQ, LP Multiband, various compressors, various equalizers.
Here is a simplified example of how to go about using Sonar for mastering:
 
Mix and render your song to a 32 bit file.
Open a new project in Sonar and name it: "Master_My Song", or whatever you want.
Import your rendered 32 bit mix.
Listen to the song and decide what it needs.
In the main subgroup: Add EQ if necessary, add "glue" or multiband compression if necessary, add stereo widening if necessary, add whatever else if necessary, finally add Voxengo Elephant.
Automate volume of song in Sonar if necessary, example: make choruses 2 dB louder than verses.
Bring the input level up in Elephant to hit your target loudness (maybe -13dB RMS average, but that is your call).
 
Notes: Voxengo has a real-time display of RMS level, You can set the input level and watch the RMS level to get it roughly at the volume you want. 
Voxengo span (and your ears) can help you find where EQ may need adjustment, such as low-mid build-up.
Place Span after the EQ but before the compressor and Limiter.
Voxengo can also be set to K-14 if you choose to use that method of setting loudness.
if you can't reach your target loudness without making the mix sound completely squashed then you need to go back to the mix and modify it. 
 
if you are mastering multiple songs you can import them all in the Sonar mastering project and keep them all muted except the one you are working on. The goal with multiple songs is to get them all adjusted, tone-wise and volume-wise, so that they all play well together and that none of the songs stick out like a sore thumb.
 
I hope this helps. Read everything you can find on mastering, Watch all the videos you can find.
 
 PS. I discovered that we have a Blue Tubes brickwall limiter included with Sonar.
I have not tried it but it may be good enough to use as a mastering limiter.
Give it a try.
Now you have a mastering environment that didn't cost you anything extra.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

There are many plugins included in Sonar that can be used for mastering.  That hasn't stopped me from spending hard earned cash on plenty of others though.  Part of that was/is experimentation, and we're probably all likely to do that, but what is missing from Sonar is a good loudness maximizer, like the one in Ozone or the Waves L2, for example.
 
Given decent mixing skills, the comps and eq's included with Sonar are good enough for mastering.  I'm thinking of the Sonitus MB Compressor and the Nomad Factory Blue Tubes Comps and EQs.  Demo the L2 and see if that doesn't get your track very close to where you want it to be.  It's $99 on sale from time to time.
 
If you want to spend a few bucks on some mastering plugins, watch for the IK Bus Compressor to go on sale, or the Waves V-Comp.  I think it's $49 right now.