iZotope Ozone 9: New Features and a Guide to Next-Generation Mastering

Easy, Optimal Mastering with the Latest Technology and AI

iZotope has released its powerful mastering tool, Ozone 9.
It incorporates advanced AI technology and is designed to make optimal mastering results easy for anyone to achieve.

• Before Ozone 9

Before Ozone 9

• After Ozone 9

After Ozone 9

Here, we will focus on the standout features added or improved in version 9.

iZotope Ozone 9: New Features and How to Use Them — Video Overview

Selected Questions and Answers from the YouTube Video

I have a question. I want to use Ozone 9 in Cubase 10.5, but when I insert it on the master track with HiDPI enabled, the window extends beyond the screen and I cannot use it. How does Sleepfreaks use it with HiDPI enabled?

We recorded the video on a Mac, and the interface displayed correctly from the start. You can resize it by dragging the left edge. https://app.box.com/s/8ili7bnp8v7b9c8bbd4x1cdpm2ag7bok If that part is offscreen and you cannot adjust it, try temporarily lowering your display resolution, opening Ozone, and making its window smaller. We expect that you should then be able to resize it after returning the display to its higher resolution.

I bought Ozone 9. Is it better to download it to my computer's internal SSD or store it on an external SSD? I usually work on an iMac and a MacBook Pro.

The software does not take up much space, so we recommend installing it on the computer's internal drive.

Between versions 8 and 9, is version 9 better?

We felt that version 9 offered a more complete feature set and allowed us to fine-tune the sound in greater detail.

The Three Editions of Ozone 9

Ozone 9 comes in three editions—Elements, Standard, and Advanced—with different feature sets.
We will mention which editions support each feature as we explain it. For a detailed comparison, please see this page.

An Improved Interface

These improvements apply to all editions.

You can resize the window by dragging its right corner.
This makes the controls more comfortable to use on your display.

The equalizer's spectrum display has been improved for a cleaner, smoother appearance.
The graphics in Tonal Balance Control, which we covered previously and which is available only in Advanced, also display more smoothly.

Tonal Balance Control — Video Tutorial

AI-Powered Master Assistant Adds Vintage Mode

Available in Standard and Advanced.

Vintage Mode has been added to Master Assistant, Ozone's signature AI mastering feature.
It recreates characterful analog sound, greatly expanding your mastering options.

Looking at the processing applied by Master Assistant, you can see that, as the mode's name suggests, it relies mainly on vintage effects.
We also tried it on electro and EDM tracks and obtained good-sounding, interesting results.
Be sure to try it on your own tracks.

Master Rebalance: Adjust Key Elements Within a Stereo Mix

Available in Advanced.
You can adjust the levels of vocals, bass, and drums (rhythm) in real time within a stereo mix.
This is useful in many situations: when you only have the stereo mix, when you want to make a quick adjustment without returning to the mix session, or when you want to rebalance sampled material to better fit your track.

Operation is very simple.
Add Master Rebalance to the effects chain, select the element you want to adjust, then raise or lower Gain to set its level.
The selected element is analyzed with high accuracy, and the level change is applied.

You can also record automation for Gain.
Use it to make flexible, dramatic changes that follow the arrangement.

How to Use Automation in Different DAWs

Low End Focus: Dedicated Low-Frequency Processing

Available in Advanced.
Low-frequency processing is particularly important in contemporary music.

Although this kind of adjustment is ideally made at a fairly high monitoring level, many producers will find it difficult to check their work at high volume because of their working environment.
Low End Focus uses internal equalization and compression to suggest suitable low-frequency processing.

• Choose Punchy or Smooth for the sound character.
• Contrast: Raising the value above the center position increases low-end definition. Lowering it reduces the prominence of the low end.
• Gain: Adjust the low-frequency level relative to the center position.
• Listen: Monitor only the low-frequency sound currently being processed.

Drag the left and right boundary bars to narrow down the frequency range being processed.
For example, you could focus processing on the kick, or adjust the bass while minimizing the effect on the kick.

When the S button is lit, it works similarly to Listen above, allowing you to monitor only the sound being processed.

Match EQ: Apply a Reference Track's Frequency Characteristics

Available in Standard and Advanced.

This feature analyzes the frequency characteristics of a reference track and applies them to your own track.

Open Match EQ and click Capture.
Then play the section of the reference track you want to analyze on its own to begin analysis.

Once the frequency response has stabilized, press Stop and stop playback.

The analyzed frequency response is displayed in orange, as shown.

Next, press the Capture button on the right and play the track you are mastering on its own.
Again, once the frequency response has stabilized, press Stop and stop playback.

You are now ready to proceed.

Use FINE TUNE to specify how strongly and in what way the frequency characteristics are applied.

• Smoothing: Determines how detailed the applied EQ curve will be.
  Higher values produce a broader, less detailed curve.
• Amount: Determines how strongly the reference track's frequency characteristics are applied to the track being mastered.

As with Low End Focus, you can narrow the frequency range to which the effect is applied.
For example, you could process only the midrange to reduce overlap between midrange parts, or apply it only to the low end to improve separation.
It can be useful in a wide range of situations.

Additional Imager Mode and NKS Support

A new mode has also been added to Imager, allowing finer control over stereo width and character.

This version also adds support for NKS, a format optimized for Native Instruments MIDI keyboards.

What did you think?
We hope you can see how capable this product is, delivering high sound quality through simple operation.
The speed and precision of this sound-shaping process gave us a sense of a new era in mixing and mastering.

Although three editions are available, we particularly recommend Advanced, which includes Ozone 9's headline features.
A free trial period is also available with unrestricted access to these Advanced features, so download it and give it a try.
You are sure to be impressed by the precision of the sound.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is Master Assistant, the AI feature in iZotope Ozone 9?

Master Assistant is an AI feature that automatically performs mastering processing. Version 9 adds Vintage Mode, which provides characterful, analog-style processing and can be used to master tracks across a range of genres.

Q2. When is Master Rebalance useful?

It lets you adjust vocal, bass, and drum levels at the mastering stage when you only have a stereo mix, want to make a quick adjustment without returning to mixing, or need to rebalance sampled material.

Q3. Can Low End Focus be used in any DAW?

Low End Focus is available only in Ozone 9 Advanced. It supports DAW automation and can be used in major DAWs such as Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, and Ableton Live.

Q4. Is Match EQ difficult to use?

It is simple to operate. Analyze the reference track and then your own track, and the reference's frequency characteristics are applied automatically. You can fine-tune the result with Smoothing and Amount.