HAR-BAL

Does anyone use this?
http://www.har-bal.com/

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See my thread. Search "Har Bal". SOunds pretty good.

yup! fantastic piece of software ...

jammer
www.jammer.biz
DOWNLOAD SAMPLESORT
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I have it and I am very pleased with my purchase. I am still on the front end of the learning curve - and intend on becoming very familiar with this tool over time.

There has been a lot of discussion on these forums so you may want to run a search to for other comments.

My opinion is Har-Bal is a recommended buy for the money. It visually verifies where you are in the mixing process, which in turn should help one to fine tune their mixing ears/mastering ears. However, its' intended use is to master within the program - I have no problem tweaking eq inside of Har-Bal as well. One can make very precise adjustments within the program that otherwise might be missed by someone who does not master on a daily basis.

Dave

www.davidmillersongs.com

StudioCat Q9550 / Vista64 SP2 / Sonar8.5.1PE / Project5 / SoundForge8 / Reaper3 / Delta1010

I have it, love it and would recommend it to anyone.
I'm using it today to fix uneven string pressures on bass guitar tracks. Ignore the hypie web site and try it. But it's not a magic bullet: the better an engineer you are the more use the tool will be.
You just need to be clear in your mind what it ACTUALLY does and does not do!
And the support is the best I've ever stuck.

While I might end up with Har-Bal, I opted for the first purchase to get Voxengo CurveEQ (2 days ago) which is alot like it but a plug-in that runs inside Sonar. Large learning curve there as well.

Jerry Miller
www.hollowrecords.com

Another Har-Bal Thread:
http://www.cakewalk.com/forum/tm.asp?m=248665&mpage=1&key=har%2Cbal&anchor#248665

Well, tonight I downloaded the demo and played with it for an hour or so.
Although the demo is limited to 8-bit audio, it still has value (IMHO), and can reveal possible issues within a mix.
One should probably read the tutorial, and understand the program's usage, as others have suggested.

If nothing else, one can use the free demo as an analysis tool. One can apply parametric EQ (recommend sparingly) to even out response aberrations in a mix--then using the "[Alt][2]" feature, visualize an approximation to a "corrective" filter. One could then (albeit somewhat painstakingly) re-create a similar response characteristic using a Sonitus or Cakewalk parametric EQ within a Sonar project.

[OK, maybe I'm just too cheap to buy the thing]

- john

I was considering getting HarBal but Ozone 3 came out and gave me a whole mastering package for a similar price. Ozone can also allow you to compare your mix with a track you like, and automatically set its parametric filters to produce similar spectral distribution. The demo of Ozone is worth checking out (as well as Har Bal of course).
http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/ozone/

Cliff

I use Har-Bal myself, am a worldwide partner of Har-Bal and am very involved with the Har-Bal people. I love the app, it smokes anything else like it. Which is why I have donated my time to them in writing their tutorial, helping with various tasks such as beta testing, reviewing and other such things.

Just FYI, there will be a VST version of Har-Bal out before too darn long so it will work in your VST hosts such as Sonar, WaveLab and the like.

This has made my mastering jobs so much quicker and so much easier and all the while getting stellar reviews from my clients. It really can't be beat.

Dan
http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/

I like Har-Bal a lot also and am really looking forward to the VST plugin version.

Once it is a plugin it will readily compete and most likely beat the Arboretum Ionizer EQ section which has a lower spectrum FFT size (2048 points ??) and it's EQ section uses a 512 point FIR I believe. I think Harbal has a 8192 point FFT spectrum and can make up to 1/10 octave parametric EQ settings, I don't know what size the FIR filter is though off the top of my head.

In addition Har-Bal interface is super-fast to use as I can dial in a song in under 5 minutes usually. It helps me to have a fairly good monitoring system too so I can hear what I'm seeing, hehe.

I think I may end up using Har-Bal or CurveEQ on the mids, GlissEQ2 on the highs, and a combination of Soniformer2 and GlissEQ2 on the lows when I really need to assert myself on a mix.

Very good DAW tools we have at our disposal - nice prices too - I'm a $99 guy usually.

BTW thanks for the working on the tutorials DB...it's nice when something a bit different and unusual comes along eh ?

Yeah, I had to jump on this bandwagon and get involved, it's to cool of an idea, and as cool as itis, it's still really in it's infancy, can't wait to see what the future brings.

Dan
http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/

Great software. Purchased it a few months ago and just recently got into it to master a CD. Easier to use than it looks and the loudness matching feature just puts it over the top. Works as advertised.

Check out this demo that was har-balized then followed with voxengo elephant:

Know You Pt.1
Before - http://www.chrismaproductions.com/demos/Track02.mp3
After - http://www.chrismaproductions.com/demos/KnowYouPt.1-D-Avrij.mp3

Music Production, Mixing, Mastering
http://www.chrismaproductions.com/

Ah, funny this post comes up! I just came here in this forum to ask about Har-Bal!

I've been on the internet for the last few hours reading about Har-bal. I had never heard of it before. Another topic on this forum got me interested in sprectral analyzis, but har-bal looks to be the best things to get when you want to master on a budget! I read Craig Anderton (almost) only uses Har-Bal with some limiting afterwards to get his masters done!

What'looks really cool to me is the loudness compensation. I've fooled around with ozone for a while but the problem is almost everything sounds better because it's just louder... You cannot really do an A/B comparison because of this. Har-Bal elimiantes this problem. I also like the theory behind it all (smoothing the complete mix and using EQ instead of compressing the stuff to death!)

And what's even better is the price! Ozone is too expensive for me, but Har-bal will cost me only about 75 Euro! Great! Awesome! I really woudn't have been surprised (after reading all the positive reviews on the net) if they'd asked 350 dollars for it: it seems to be that good and worth it!

I only wonder if it is REALLY true that Har-Bal alone (with some good limiting afterwards) can do the complete master-trick... It's seems too good to be true... But if Anderton says so... it almost has to be the truth!
Mind you, I'm an amateur, so... I don't need pro-stuff, but it's nice if you can get close to pro-stuff for only 76 euro...!

If the premaster is mixed and processed well, yes, Har-Bal is all it takes.

Dan
http://www.homerecordingconnection.com/

I played around with it for an hour last night too. Cool tool. I want one. It will be mine.

Dan Monaghan

I really like that show with CHRI-MATTHEW!!!

I donwloaded the trial version of Har-Bal, but was turned off by the 8 bit limit, and did not really give it a chance. I bought Firum instead because it's a plug-in and the quality is very good.

If Har-Bal comes out as VST, and if someone can tell me why it's better than Firium I will definitely reconsider it.

Let the persuasion begin . . .

Well, I read this thread and went and got the demo. I too was a little "frightened" with the 8-bit demo, but decided to take a chance and purchase the product. WOW! This is such a great tool. I've only had it a couple of days, and I'm already loving it. The only problem is now I'm wanting to go back and re-mix/master a lot of projects. I think it is worth the money just as a learning tool if nothing else. The audio coming out is crystal clear and I couldn't be happier. It really does what it says it does.

I'm hooked. Two thumbs up for this one. Great tool.

Nelson

My cat just coughed up a har bal.

R

Listen

Sonar 5PE
Intel DP35DP, E6750, 3 GB, 80GB/320 GB
Scope (6 DSP) w/A16 interface
PadKontrol, Legacy Series MS20, EZDrummer.

HAHAAHA good one nprime!

anyway i just recently brought this product after trying out the demo. the demo sucks (to me anyway) but zgraf had a good idea to use the demo as an analysis tool, it will not be the same (in my opinon) if you just EQed it . I would suggest it to anyone who is willing to buy it, great tool.
Joe

anybody with ears and motivation might also check out

http://www.voxengo.com/soniformer/

and gives us a compare and contrast

I own this as I was very impressed with the mp3 before/after on the site
but honestly have never used it much as I find PolySquasher to be much more effectibe as a pre-mastering tool

Polysquasher is definitely not in th esame category as Har-Bal,
but from the information available Soniformer with spectrum contraction and expansion
may be doing close to the same thing

 

I picked up the Soniformer and CurveEQ (a-lot like Har-Bal) last week for $120 from Voxengo. Good stuff. Learning curve sucks bit may be my loss of brain.

Jerry Miller
www.hollowrecords.com

I suugest everyone to read this thread. Wow, Aleksey from Voxengo is really a dedicated genious:

http://www.voxengo.com/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=524&t=524

best, drjee

I have it. I love it.

Will it make a terrible mix sound great? No.

Can it make a good mix sound better? Absolutely. It can solve problems and is well worth the money.

I wonder: can Har-Bal be used with other mastering tools, like limiters and compressors? Should you use Har-Bal first then and *then* use limiting, or the other way around?

ORIGINAL: MotorMind

I wonder: can Har-Bal be used with other mastering tools, like limiters and compressors? Should you use Har-Bal first then and *then* use limiting, or the other way around?

The normal sequence is: 1) Har-bal, 2) multiband compression, 3) limiter.
See more at http://www.har-bal.com/faq.htm#q4

- Tom

Is Voxengo Elephant the best limiter?

Assuming I wanted to use Sonitus and Lexicon for FX and SONAR4PE for mixing, could I ahcieve decent, hobbyist mastering with HAR Bal and Voxengo Elephant? That would cost around $160. Would it be better to go with Ozone for $250?
Why don't we have a poll for this stuff? (Of course, after what happened Tuesday, I'd probably be tempted to go with the "mastering" tools that had the least number of votes).

FWIW,It's my opinion, having tried all three(HB<OZONE<VOXENGO), that voxengo plugs are the most pro sounding and smartest overall.
For mastering i think the voxengo mastering bundle is a frikkin KILLER deal.
If you spend some time with curve EQ you will be amazed at the things this plug in can do and it does them very well. Soniformer is quite a tool as well.
And i do think Elephant is the best limiter in this category.
Oh and dudes, GET GLISS EQ!. This thing is a real treat when mixing, but make sure you understand the dynamics properly.

And no i don't work for voxengo, i just think that the guy is doing wonderful things, runs a killer business and deserves props.

I agree with halljams, the voxengo stuff is great. You can't go wromng with it. Howevere, I like ozone's integrated workflow/gui. I also think that is loundness maximizer and it's multiband comp are quite good. also the eq is nice. for sound-coloring, however, voxengo is unbeatable. I use a combination of CurveEQ/Soniformer/Transmodder for coloring and Ozone for the rest. Expect from loundness compensation CurveEQ can do all that har-bal can do (plus it gives do beautifil sound-coloring options).

best, drjee