High transparency, extremely high quality audio processing throughout the whole signal path

You may think digital processors are transparent in general, and of a quality high enough for audio mastering. That's not always true. Very simple processing like a filter or a dynamic gain change can literally ruin your sound without any possibility of rescue if it’s not performed at the highest possible quality.

T-RackS 3 delivers incredible purity, transparency and fidelity that is far superior to the vast majority of plug-ins you could compare it with. If you are familiar with the sound of top quality analog and digital hardware equalizers that are used daily in top mastering houses, you'll immediately recognize the quality and purity typical of those units here, and if you're not, you'll experience what high quality equalization means.

Oversampling perfected. Many digital processors use oversampling to achieve better sound. Unfortunately, many of them, under critical listening sessions, can be found to achieve no significantly better (or even slightly worse) results than the regular sampling rate option. This is because the upsampling and downsampling processes are not done at an adequate level of quality, in other words: typically what is improved by running a processor at double sampling frequency is partially compromised by the loss of quality in the upsampling and downsampling process. There are only a few pieces of gear, mainly extremely expensive hardware that really realize oversampling the way it should be done. T-RackS 3 is one of them. We wanted to offer the same quality of the highest caliber mastering tools, and the result is a process that has no side effect at all on the sound: total transparency. So what you hear is exactly the same sound of the processor running at double sampling rate, with no side effects.

Classic T-RackS Compressor*

The T-RackS classic tube compressor emulates that classic, analog, hi-end vintage gear used in mastering applications. This will give you that big, warm sound typical of highly acclaimed hardware devices. This compressor has some unique features that make it very flexible but always very musical and creative.

Classic T-RackS Multi-band Limiter*

This three-band peak limiter can make the mix even louder by reducing unwanted peaks. The peak limiting action is made separately on the three bands (low, mid, high). You will have a very loud master, without clipping, though as with any of these processors, use care not to over-do it. Leaving the output knob set to 0 dB means that the limiter output signal can’t go beyond –0.05 dBfs.

Classic T-RackS Clipper*

This clipping stage module is useful every time you need to cut out all the peaks that keep the average level of a signal too low. Peak clipping is very often used in mastering because it's in most cases more transparent than peak limiting.

Classic T-RackS Equalizer*

T-RackS Classic Equalizer consists of a high quality six-band parametric EQ, specially designed to achieve high-end performance in a mastering environment. It consists of:

• 4th order High-pass filter, from 16 Hz to 5.3 kHz
• Low shelving type filter, from 30 Hz to 200 Hz
• Low-mid peaking type filter, from 33 Hz to 5.4 kHz, variable Q
• High-mid peaking type filter, from 200 Hz to 17.5 kHz, variable Q
• High shelving type filter, from 750 Hz to 8.5 kHz
• 4th order Low-pass filter, from 200 Hz to 18 kHz

Classic T-RackS Equalizer can now be used in Stereo or MS modes.

Vintage Tube Compressor/Limiter model 670*

Based on the “Holy Grail” of compressor/limiters, the Fairchild 670. With a faithful reproduction of every control, this is an incredibly accurate model that captures every nuance of one of the best Fairchild units available.

The original unit delivers a truly magic touch that makes everything that passes through it shine and sound more musical and emotional, and was analyzed for months for every single detail to unveil all of its secrets.

IK’s unique analog-modeling experience and exclusive DSM™ (Dynamic Saturation Modeling) technology push this model to the limit and beyond, so we developed a new custom, proprietary method dubbed SCC™ (Sonic Character Cloning) – with results that can only be described as magic! It took us a very long time, but we believe it was well worth the effort, and you’ll be the one who says that this is the only 670 digital recreation that actually treats music like the original.

Stereo or Lat/Vert (MS) operation.

Vintage Tube Program Equalizer*

Based on what is universally known as one of the best and most musical program EQs ever made, the Pultec EQP-1A. Extremely accurate modeling of two real world units, known to have "the sound", with sonic performance that is indistinguishable from the originals, thanks to IK’s DSM™ and new SCC™ technology.

Stereo or MS operation.

Opto compressor*

Optical compression has a special sonic character that audiophiles can truly appreciate. This analog-modeled module faithfully recreates that particular (and extremely musical) “movement” that characterizes only the best opto compressors. An important characteristic of optical compression is the total absence of distortion and coloration during gain reduction, and you can expect the same character and performance from this digital recreation.

Stereo or MS operation.

Intelligent, multi-algorithm Brickwall limiter*

Multi-algorithm Brickwall limiter that can really make your masters loud without squashing them to a lifeless sound (unless you want that!). Accurate and transparent, digital brickwall limiting doesn’t get any better than this.

Selectable algorithms to match the best limiting style for each program type.

All module processors and metering are also available as individual plug-ins for more convenient mixing within your DAW.

High precision, high definition Linear Phase Equalizer*

An accurate, high definition, high precision EQ that can be trusted for delicate Mastering tasks.

6 completely identical bands that can be set to all available filter types and that can span the whole spectrum range (any kind of overlap is possible).

Switchable between minimum and linear phase characteristics.

Stereo or MS operation.

Modular mastering/mixing solution with 12 processing slots

New, selectable 12-processor slot audio chain, arranged in two rows of 4 slots for parallel processing plus 4 serial final slots.

Modules can be easily switched on/off with a single click, individually or all at once, at any time for quick a/b on the monitored audio, without having to navigate or scroll around.

Single module or global chain visualization options

A "compare" function with volume matching allows comparison between the sound of the processed version and the original, so that you can really judge the sound changes, and not be mislead by a volume increase.