Introduction

Ozone 9 brings balance to your master with innovative processing for low end,
real-time instrument rebalancing, and lightning-fast workflows powered by
machine learning. An expanded Master Assistant helps you build a range of
starting points for your master from warm analog character to transparent loudness
for streaming. Talk to more iZotope plug-ins in your session with Tonal Balance
Control and blur the lines between mixing and mastering. Work faster with
improved plug-in performance, smooth metering, and resizable windows.

Standard and Advanced comparison

The following table compares the features available in the Standard and Advanced
editions of Ozone 9.
MODULE STANDARD ADVANCED NEW

Dynamic EQ X X

Dynamics X X

Equalizer 1 & 2 X X

Exciter X X

Imager X X
MODULE STANDARD ADVANCED NEW

Low End Focus X X - New in version 9

Master Rebalance X X - New in version 9

Match EQ X X X - New in version 9

Maximizer X X

Spectral Shaper X

Vintage X X X - Now available in Standard

Compressor

Vintage EQ X X X - Now available in Standard

Vintage Limiter X X

Vintage Tape X X X - Now available in Standard

Codec Preview X

Dither X X

Referencing X X
Getting Started
Table of Contents
 Common Terms
 Quick Start Suggestions
o Using Presets
o Using Master Assistant
 Authorization
o Trial Mode
o Demo Mode
o Authorize Ozone
 Navigating the Plug-in Interface
 Signal Flow in Ozone
o Working with the Signal Chain
 Component Plug-in Feature Differences
 Tips for Optimizing Performance

Common Terms
The following terms are used throughout this manual to specify
different features:
 Mothership plug-in: Refers to the main Ozone 9 plug-in
included in Ozone 9 Standard and Advanced. The mothership
plug-in features a customizable signal chain and multiple
processing modules within a single plug-in.
 Component plug-in: Refers to the individual plug-in version of
a module that is included in the Ozone 9 Advanced
mothership plug-in.
 Application: Refers to the Ozone 9 ‘standalone’ application.
See the Ozone App chapter to learn more about the features
that are unique to the Ozone application.
GLOSSARY
Check out the Glossary chapter for additional information
about terms used throughout this manual.

Quick Start Suggestions

Not sure where to start? You can try using presets or using
Master Assistant to get going quickly with Ozone 9.

Using Presets
Ozone includes a wide variety of factory presets to help get you
started on your master. You can load different mastering chains
using the global preset manager in the Ozone mothership plug-in
or application. Global presets can affect the contents and order
of modules in the signal chain, as well as the settings in any
individual module. You can also load presets for any individual
module using the module preset manager.

Using Master Assistant

The intelligent Master Assistant feature allows you to quickly to
develop a starting point for your master. The Master
Assistant feature is included in the Ozone 9 mothership plug-in
and the Ozone 9 application.

Authorization
The first time you open Ozone 9, the Authorization window will
appear.

The Authorization window allows you to:

 Run Ozone in Trial mode: Start or continue a Trial period
evaluation prior to purchasing.
 Run Ozone in Demo mode: Continue evaluating the product
with feature limitations (after your 10 day trial period has
expired).
 Authorize Ozone with your serial number.

Trial Mode
Trial mode allows you to evaluate Ozone 9 with full functionality
for 10 days. The trial period begins the first time you open the
Ozone 9 application or plug-ins. The Authorization window will
display the number of days remaining in your trial period. Click
the Continue button to start or continue working with Ozone in
trial mode.

Demo Mode
When your 10 day trial period has expired, you can continue
using Ozone with demo limitations. To continue evaluating Ozone
9 in demo mode, click the Demo button in the Authorization
wizard.
DEMO MODE LIMITATIONS
Ozone 9 plug-ins will periodically output silence when
operating in demo mode.
The Ozone 9 application does not allow saving or exporting
and will limit continuous playback when operating in demo
mode.

Authorize Ozone
To disable Trial or Demo mode, you need to authorize the product
with a valid serial number. You can choose from three different
authorization methods:
1. Online Authorization: Authorize Ozone on a computer that is
connected to the internet at the time of authorization.
2. Offline Authorization: Authorize Ozone on a computer that is
not connected to the internet at the time of authorization.
3. iLok Authorization: Authorize Ozone by storing your
authorization on an iLok USB key.
AUTHORIZATION HELP
 For additional help authorizing Ozone, check out
the Installation and Authorization help section of the
iZotope Support knowledgebase.

Navigating the Plug-in Interface

The Ozone 9 plug-in interface is divided into the following main
sections:

1. Global Header: Includes IPC instance name, Master

Assistant, Presets, Undo History, Options, and Help.
2. Signal Chain: Adjust the contents and order of the processing
chain.
3. Module Interface: Controls and meters associated with a
specific processing module.
4. I/O Panel: I/O (Input/Output) gain and metering, Bypass, and a
number of auditioning features.
LEARN MORE
See the General Controls chapter for more information
about the controls included in the main areas of the Ozone
interface.

Signal Flow in Ozone

The following diagram details the high-level signal flow in the
Ozone 9 mothership plug-in and application.

Working with the Signal Chain

The Ozone 9 mothership plug-in and Ozone 9 application include
a customizable signal chain. The default signal chain includes
the Equalizer and Maximizer modules.

Component Plug-in Feature Differences

There are some notable differences between the Ozone
mothership plug-in and the Ozone Advanced component plug-ins.
The following global features are only available in the Ozone
mothership plug-in or Ozone application:
 Master Assistant
 Signal Chain
 Referencing
 Codec Preview Advanced Only
The Maximizer and Imager component plug-ins include global
processing features that are not available in other component
plug-ins:
 The Maximizer component plug-in includes Dither in the I/O
panel area.
 The Imager component plug-in includes channel operations
controls (Sum to Mono and Swap L/R channels) in the I/O
panel area.

Tips for Optimizing Performance

Ozone 9 includes a number of performance improvements over
previous versions. However, there are a number of factors that
can affect performance of an individual plug-in or application and
there is a chance you may run into performance issues from time
to time. Here are some adjustments you can make to help
mitigate performance issues you might encounter:
 Remove any modules you are not using from the signal chain
in the Ozone mothership plug-in or application.
 If you are only using one module in the mothership plug-in:
Consider using the component plug-in instead. (Advanced
Only)
 Try increasing the Buffer Size setting in your DAW/NLE, if
possible.
 If using the Ozone Equalizer in Digital mode: Try adjusting the
EQ buffer size in the Options menu for optimal performance.
 If using the Digital crossover type in any multiband module:
Try adjusting the Crossover Buffer Size in the Options menu.
 If possible, try reducing the number of bands enabled in any
of the multiband modules.
General Controls

Overview
This chapter includes information about general controls and
functions you can find in Ozone.
 Overview
 Resizing
 Header controls
 Undo History
 Signal Chain
 I/O Panel
o Input/Output Gain and Meters
o Global Processing and Auditioning
 Channel Processing Modes
o Channel Processing Mode Controls

Resizing
You can resize the window by clicking and dragging the bottom
right corner of the Ozone interface.

Header controls
The Ozone header area includes the following features:
1. IPC Instance Name: Name of the current instance as it will
appear in IPC compatible plug-ins.
2. Master Assistant: Opens the Master Assistant
panel. Mothership plug-in and App only
3. Presets Opens the Preset manager window.
4. Previous/Next preset: Loads the previous/next preset in the
preset list.
5. Undo: Reverts the most recent parameter change.
6. Undo history: Opens the Undo History window. See the Undo
History section below for more information.
7. Options: Opens the Options window.
8. ? (Help): Opens the installed Ozone help documentation in
your default web browser.

Undo History
The Undo History window allows you to view a list of recent
parameter changes made in the current instance of Ozone,
compare different parameter states in the history list, or reset
Ozone’s settings to a given point in the history list.
 CLEAR: Removes all actions from the history list. Clearing the
history list does not affect parameters, it simply removes
existing entries from the list.
 CLOSE: Hides the Undo History window.
 A/B/C/D: Allows you to set four history snapshot states.
Snapshots allow you to quickly toggle between different
processing states to compare changes. Assign an event in
the history list to a snapshot button by selecting the event in
the list and clicking the “Set” button below a snapshot
button.

Signal Chain
You can adjust the order and contents of processing modules in
the Ozone signal chain. The following image outlines the controls
available in the signal chain area of the Ozone mothership plug-in
and application:
1. Power: Enables/disables processing for the associated
module.
2. Solo: Disables all other module processing and isolates the
associated module.
3. Module presets: Opens the module preset manager window
for the associated module.
4. Difference meters: Displays the amount of gain change
introduced by processing in the associated module.
5. x (Remove): Removes the associated module from the Signal
Chain.
6. + (Add): Opens the module selection menu.
The following modules are available in the signal chain selection
menu:
1. Dynamic EQ
2. Dynamics
3. Equalizer 1
4. Equalizer 2
5. Exciter
6. Imager
7. Low End Focus (Advanced only)
8. Master Rebalance (Advanced only)
9. Match EQ
10. Maximizer
11. Plug-in (Application only)
12. Spectral Shaper (Advanced only)
13. Vintage Compressor
14. Vintage EQ
15. Vintage Limiter
16. Vintage Tape
I/O Panel
The I/O panel is split into two main sections:

1. Input/Output Gain and Meters

2. Global Processing and Auditioning

Input/Output Gain and Meters

The following image outlines the input and output metering and
gain controls available in Ozone.
1. I/O Meter Options
2. Input/Output level readouts: Shows the current or max input
levels, according to the selected meter type.
3. Input/Output meters: Displays input/output level information
according to the I/O meter option configuration.
4. Input/Output gain: Adjusts the amount of gain applied to the
input/output signal.
5. Link: Links/unlinks adjustments of left and right I/O gain
controls.
6. - | +: Decreases or increases the resolution of the meter
scale.

Clipping Indicators
When the input or output signal exceeds 0 dBFS, the clipping
indicator box and level readout text above the meters will be
displayed in red.
 You can click on the red readout text and/or clipping indicator
box to reset the clipping indicator.

I/O Meter Options

Click on the I/O button above I/O meters to toggle the I/O Meter
Options pop-over menu open and closed.

 Type: Selects the metering calculation used to display

information in the input and output meters.
 Source: Selects between Stereo or Mid/Side metering
displays the input and output meters.
 Replace Input with Reference: When checked, the input
meter will show metering data based on the currently
selected reference track.
 Show Reference Spectrum: When checked, the selected
reference track spectrum will be displayed as a secondary
spectrum in all module spectrum views.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
 Learn more about the individual I/O meter Type and Source
options in the Options chapter.
 Learn more about working with reference tracks in
the Reference chapter.

Global Processing and Auditioning

The section located directly below the I/O meters and gain
controls includes:
1. Bypass: Select to disable all processing in the current
instance of Ozone.
2. Gain Match: Toggle to enable/disable gain matching of the
output signal. Behavior depends on the “Enable legacy
bypass gain match behavior” setting in the Options window.
3. Sum to Mono: Sums the stereo output channels into a mono
signal. Useful for checking mono compatibility.
4. Swap channels: Swaps the left and right output channel
assignments.
5. Reference: Toggle the power button to enable/disable
reference track playback. Click the Reference button to
open the Referencing panel.
6. Codec: Toggle the power button to enable/disable Codec
Preview. Click the Codec button to open the Codec
Preview panel.
7. Dither: Toggle the power button to enable/disable Dither
processing. Click the Dither button to open
the Dither panel.

Channel Processing Modes

Ozone offers different channel processing modes that determine
how processing is applied within a given module. When a module
supports more than one processing mode, a selection menu will
appear in the module header area.
The following options are available in the dropdown menu:
1. Stereo: Default processing mode for all modules, including
those that do not offer explicit channel processing options.
When selected, only one set of controls will be exposed and
adjustments will apply to both channels.
2. Mid/Side: Applies Mid/Side encoding to the signal coming into
the module, allowing you to process the Mid and Side
channels independently. One set of parameters applies
processing to the encoded Mid channel and the second set of
parameters applies processing to the encoded Side channel.
The signal is decoded to a stereo signal at the output of the
module.
3. Left/Right: Allows you to process the Left and Right channels
independently by splitting the module input signal into two
processing channels. The signal is then ‘summed’ back to
Stereo at the output of the module. One set of parameters
applies processing to the Left channel and the second set of
parameters applies processing to the Right channel.
The following modules offer Mid/Side and/or Left/Right channel
processing mode options:

MODULE MID/SIDE LEFT/RIGHT

Dynamics X

Dynamic EQ X X

Equalizer X X

Exciter X
 MODULE MID/SIDE LEFT/RIGHT

Match EQ X X

Low End Focus X

Spectral Shaper X

Vintage X
Compressor

Vintage EQ X X

Channel Processing Mode Controls

When Mid/Side or Left/Right mode is selected, the following
controls become available in the module header area:

 Power Button: Enables/disables processing in the associated

channel.
 Solo: Isolates the output of the associated channel.
 Channel selection buttons: Select the associated channel
view by clicking the “Mid” or “Side” buttons (in Mid/Side
mode) and the “Left” or “Right” buttons (in Left/Right mode).
 Channel Link: Enables/disables linked parameter adjustments
on both channels.

Ozone Application

Overview
The Ozone 9 application allows you to process up to 16 tracks
per project using Ozone modules and VST/AU plug-ins.

Application Interface
The key areas of the Ozone application interface are outlined in
the image below.

1. Application Menus
2. Application Header
3. Track Workspace
4. Signal Chain and Module Interface

Application Menus
The file menu contains the different commands used to perform
functions as described in the table below.

FILE DESCRIPTION
OPTION

Create Creates a new Ozone project directory.

New
Project

Open Opens a previously saved Ozone project.

 FILE DESCRIPTION
OPTION

Project

Open Displays a list of any recent projects. If you want to clear this recent project
Recent list, click Clear List.
Project

Save Saves current project.

Save Creates a copy of the current project directory with a new name.
Project
As..

Save Saves a new copy of the session file within the current Ozone project
(.OZN) As.. directory. This is useful for versioning your Ozone projects over time. This
saving method will NOT create copies of the imported audio files. Instead it
will reference the files included in the Imported Audio Files folder of the
current project directory.

Import Opens your file system manager and allows you to choose an audio file to
Audio Files import. See Importing Audio section for more information.

Export Opens the file manager and allows you to export an audio file to your
Audio Files computer. See Exporting Audio section for more information.

Close Closes out of your current project. A dialog window will appear asking if you
Project wish to proceed with/without saving your current project.

SAVING OZONE PROJECTS

An Ozone project contains the following components:
 An Ozone session file (.OZN).
 An Imported Audio Files folder.
 An Exported Audio Files folder.
An Ozone session file (.OZN) contains all of the session data:
 Imported audio tracks
 Ozone module settings
 Track Trim & Fade settings
 Global I/O settings

Importing Audio
You can import up to 16 audio files into an Ozone project using
the following methods:

 Click on the File menu. Choose “Import Audio Files” from the File
Menu options.
 Use keyboard shortcut Cmd+I or Ctrl+I; A standard dialog box will
appear where you can navigate to the desired file, then click
“Open” to import it into the project.
 Click on the + icon in the track navigation area.
 Drag and drop audio files into the Ozone interface.
NO DUPLICATE AUDIO FILES
Ozone only allows you to import the same audio file once per
project.

Supported Import File Types

 FILE FORMATS BIT DEPTHS SAMPLE RATES

.wav 16-bit 11,250 Hz

.aiff 20-bit 22,050 Hz

.mp3 24-bit 44,100 Hz

.aac 48,000 Hz

88,200 Hz

96,000 Hz

176,400 Hz

192,000 Hz

SAMPLE RATES
 A projects sample rate defaults to the sample rate of the first file
loaded.
 If you attempt to load a file with a different sample rate, it will be
converted to the original sample rate set by the first file, or
manually set before the second file is loaded.
 The conversion process will not convert previously
converted/processed files (which are copied as working files upon
load); Ozone will simply go back to the original files, create new
copies, and then convert all the files to this new sample rate for
their new working copies.

Exporting Audio
You can export processed audio files from the Ozone application
using the following methods outlined in the table below.
 Click on the File menu. Choose “Export Audio Files” from the File
Menu options.
 Use the keyboard shortcut Command+E (Mac)
or Ctrl+E (Windows).

Exporting Audio Options

A dialog box will appear, offering various options for the files you
are about to export as outlined in the table and images below.

Current Track vs. All Tracks

There are two tabs in the Exporting Audio Options window:
 Current Track: Used to export the audio file in the currently
highlighted tab.
 All Tracks: Used to export separate audio files for each audio file
loaded into the current project.
 OPTION DESCRIPTION CURRENT ALL
TRACK TRACKS

Filename Type the desired name into this field to label your X
exported file.

Append Type in the desired text to append each track being X

Text exported. You can select to append either before or
after the file name which is useful for “tagging” the
titles of a group of audio files with a common label.

Add Track Select the “Add Track Numbers” checkbox to add X

Numbers track numbers to your exports in the order they
appear in your Ozone project.

Format Select the format of the exported file(s): WAV, AIFF, X X

MP3, or AAC.

Bit Rate Sets the bit rate for compressed file formats. Audio X X
quality improves with increasing bit rate. (Available
on MP3 and AAC Only).

Save Path Click on the Set Path button to open your File X X
System window and to select where your exported
audio file(s) will be saved.

Sample Sets the sample rate to export your audio file as. If X X
Rate you select a sample rate that differs from the
original imported file, Ozone will apply a high-
quality sample rate conversion to the file.

Bit Depth Sets a Bit Depth value for your audio file. X X
 OPTION DESCRIPTION CURRENT ALL
TRACK TRACKS

Enable Check this box to apply high-quality dithering to the X X

Dither exported file, typically used when exporting to a bit
depth lower than 32-bit. For more information,
see Enable Dither section below.

Prevent Check this box to prevent clipping through either X X

Clipping the Normalize or Limit option.

Export Click this button to begin the export process (or X X

launch the Track Info screen for MP3 and AAC). A
dialog box will appear that shows the progress of
the export operation, which occurs faster than real
time.

Track Info Opens the Track Info window after clicking Export. X X
Enter any metadata for the encoded audio file
(used by MP3 & AAC players) to display information
about the file. MP3 will be tagged using ID3v2.3,
while AAC uses iTunes style tags. (Available for MP3
and AAC Only)

AAC & MP3 CODECS USED BY OZONE

For AAC, Ozone uses Fraunhofer’s codec. For MP3 the LAME
codec is used (www.mp3dev.org). If an MP3 or AAC format is
selected, files are exported with a 44.1kHz sampling rate.
SAVE PATH OPTIONS
 If the project is unsaved, the default save path is your Documents
folder.
 If the project has already been saved, the default save path is an
Exported Audio Files folder in the same location as the project.

Enable Dither
Allows you to preserve the sound quality and dynamic range of a
higher bit depth, when exporting the audio file to a lower bit
depth. Ozone processes files at 32-bit so dither is desirable for
files being exported to values lower than 32-bit.
 For example, a common workflow is to record audio at 24-bit
resolution, then import and process the audio in an application
such as Ozone, which will process at a higher resolution (32-bit).
 If you are releasing the audio material on a commercial CD, it must
be converted to 16-bit audio, the required bit depth of the “Red
Book” CD audio format.

Application Header
Most of the controls and features in the Ozone mothership plug-in
are also available in the Ozone Application. Transport controls
and readouts are unique to the Ozone Application since it is an
audio workspace and not a plugin.

1. Master Assistant
2. Preset System
3. Transport Controls
4. Undo
5. Undo History
6. Options
7. Help

Transport Controls
Ozone provides Transport controls at the top of the interface,
which allow you to easily navigate the playback functions of an
imported audio file. The transport bar includes the functions
outlined in the table below.

ICON DESCRIPTION

Skip Back: If the playhead is located more than two seconds into the audio file,
clicking Skip Back invokes a “return to Zero” function, by moving the playhead back
to the beginning of the current file. If the playhead is near the very beginning of the
 ICON DESCRIPTION

file, clicking Skip Back acts as a “skip back” button, skipping back to the previous
audio file.

Stop: Click to stop playback.

Start: Click or press space bar to start playback.

Pause: Click or press space bar to pause playback.

Skip Forward: Click to skip to the next track tab in the project.

Playback: Click to change the playhead behavior when playback is stopped. When
enabled, the playhead will stop at its current location on the timeline.

Loop: Click to loop a section of audio. For more information, see Enable
Looping section below.

Enable Looping
To loop playback of a specific section of audio, click and drag on
the mouse and highlight a portion of the audio file; the section
will highlight in blue and the “loop” icon in the transport bar will
also highlight.
When you next press Play, the transport will repeatedly loop
playback for the highlighted section only.
To stop looping audio, click on the Loop button again. The button
will de-illuminate and looping will no longer be active, even
though the area of the waveform will remain highlighted. To start
looping audio again, simply click the Loop button.

Transport Readouts
The transport readouts available in the Ozone 9 application are
outlined in the image and table below.

1. Track Number: Displays the track number of the currently selected

track.
2. Time Counter: Displays the current time position within the audio
file, displaying in minutes/seconds/milliseconds.
3. Total Time: Displays the total length of all tracks in the project.

Track Workspace
You can load up to 16 audio files into the same Ozone project.
You can interact with your tracks via the Track Tab bar or within
the Waveform Display of the individual tracks.

Track Tabs
Each tab represents an audio file and its associated settings
within the current Ozone project. You can navigate the Track
tabs using the methods and controls outlined below.

1. Add Tracks: Click on the File menu. Choose “Export Audio Files”
from the File Menu options.
2. Removing Tracks:
1. Right-click on a track tab and select “Remove Track.”
2. Click on a tab to highlight it, then click on the X button. You
will be prompted with a dialog window to check if you want to
remove the file (Delete), remove the track, but retain the file in
 the Imported Audio Files folder of the Ozone project directory
(Keep), or cancel your decision.
3. Re-ordering Tracks: Click and drag track tabs to change the order
of tracks in the project.

Waveform Display
Displays the entire audio file in a waveform format. You can
select regions of your audio’s waveform to focus on using the
various Waveform Display controls and features outlined below.

1. Region Selection: Click and drag in the Waveform Display to select

a region that you want to loop and apply processing to.
2. Trim/Fade Handles: You can right-click between the trim/fade-start
and trim/fade-end regions to access the fade type menu. The fade
type menu includes the following options: Log, Linear, Cosine,
Equal Power.
3. Segmentation Bars: Ozone will analyze your imported audio file
and find similar song segments and automatically places those
color bars. Click on the color bar to set a loop selection for that
segment.

Signal Chain And Module Interface

The signal chain and included modules are the same across the
Ozone 9 Application and Ozone 9 mothership plug-in. However,
the Ozone 9 Application includes an extra module called
the Plug-in module.
 Please see the General Controls chapter for more information on
the Signal Chain.
 Navigate through the rest of the Help documentation for more
information on the modules included in Ozone 9.
 See the Plug-in module section below for more information on
how to utilize this module.

Plug-in Module
The Plug-in Module is special to the Ozone Application. The
following workflow details how to access and use the Plug-in
module:
1. Add the Plug-in module to choose an iZotope plug-in to add to your
signal chain.
2. Once added to the signal chain, the module card will appear with
the plug-in’s name in the signal chain. The Plug-in module card has
the same basic Signal Chain controls as the Ozone application
modules, but does not include a preset option.
3. When you click on the plug-in module, the Ozone application will
open the plug-in in a new window, allowing you to begin use.

Plug-in Hosting Options

Click on the Options icon to open the Options window to the
Plug-in tab. You can customize the following options:
 Enabled Plug-in Formats
 VST Plug-in Folders
When plug-in formats are enabled, the Ozone application will
scan for new plug-ins in the background every time it is opened.
Plug-in Formats
Choose your Plug-in formats using the following options outlined
below.
1. Scan Plug-ins: Click to scan your available plug-ins based on the
format selection options: AU, VST, or both.
2. VST Checkbox: Click to include VST plug-ins when scanning.
3. AU Checkbox: Click to include AU plug-ins when scanning.

VST Plug-in Folders

Customize your VST plug-in folders using the following options
outlined below.
1. Add: Click to add a VST plug-in file from your file directory.
2. Remove: Click to remove a VST plug-in file from your file directory.
3. File Path: Click on the the dialog box and type in the desired file
path to add or remove your VST plug-in folders.
Master Assistant
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Workflow Steps
 Master Assistant Settings
o Modules
o Loudness & EQ
o Destination

Overview
Master Assistant is designed to provide an intelligently tailored
starting point for your track, to help you create a professional-
sounding master, regardless of your experience level.
Master Assistant utilizes target genre curves that were born from
a mixture of internal discussion and research. We started by
grouping a large variety of audio files into ten classes of musical
genre. These genre classes were then analyzed for their spectral
characteristics. Based on our research, we created a number of
target curves that represent the typical spectral characteristics
for each genre class. Master Assistant analyzes your track to
determine how similar it is to the different genre curves. Each
genre curve is assigned a percentage of similarity and the
percentages are used to create a unique target curve for your
track.

Workflow Steps
1. Click the Master Assistant button in the header area to open the
Master Assistant

panel.
2. Adjust the settings in the Master Assistant panel to suit your
desired output. See the Master Assistant settings section below
for details about the different options.
3. Click Next to proceed to the Master Assistant analysis step.
4. Analysis: Master Assistant requires audio input to perform analysis
and adjust settings.
 o Playback your track for at least 30 seconds so that Master
Assistant has enough time to analyze the input audio.
o Playback the loudest portion of your track to achieve the best
results.
o Enable loop playback in your DAW if you are analyzing a
selection that is less than 30 seconds long.
5. When Master Assistant is finished working, you can
either Accept or Cancel the changes.
o Accept: Retains all changes made by Master Assistant and
exits the Master Assistant panel.
o X (Cancel): Reverts all settings to the state they were in before
running Master Assistant and exits the Master Assistant panel.

Master Assistant Settings

There are three main sections in the Master Assistant setup
panel:

1. Modules
2. Loudness & EQ
3. Destination

Modules
Determines which modules will be included in the signal chain
created by Master Assistant.

Modern
In this mode, only non-vintage modules will be included in the
signal chain generated by Master Assistant. The following
section details how each of the modules included in the Modern
mode chain are affected by Master Assistant.
 EQUALIZER: Compares the input audio to the unique target curve
generated by Master Assistant. Band settings are adjusted to
match your track to the unique target curve. Master Assistant will
always enable band 1 (Low Shelf) and band 8 (High Shelf). Up to
six Peak Bell filters may be enabled on bands 2-7.
 DYNAMICS: Uses crest factor measurement of the input to
determine if Dynamics processing will positively affect the output
of the Maximizer. Sets Threshold values by learning the average
input level.
NOTES ABOUT CREST FACTOR MEASUREMENT
o Applying light low-end compression to overly dynamic audio
allows the Maximizer to operate more transparently. In many
cases, crest factor is calculated based on the low frequency
band of the input signal. If your track is assigned a high
percentage of similarity to the broad “Orchestral” category,
crest factor calculation will be based on the full bandwidth of
the input signal.
o The Dynamics module will only be enabled by Master Assistant if
the crest factor is higher than a predetermined cutoff value.
o The full crest factor range used by Master Assistant is -1 to 14.
The “ideal” crest factor range is 3 to 10.
o When the crest factor is lower than 3, a track might be
considered “too compressed.” When the crest factor
measurement is higher than 10, a track might be considered
“too dynamic.”
 MAXIMIZER: Sets Ceiling and Threshold based on the target
loudness value and destination settings. Compares the input and
output signals of the Maximizer to determine which frequencies
are hitting the limiter the hardest.
 DYNAMIC EQ: Sets Dynamic EQ bands to peak frequencies found
when comparing the Maximizer input and output signals in order to
reduce potential distortion when limiting. Learns and sets
Threshold controls based on the input level to the bands.
Vintage
In this mode, a mixture of non-vintage and vintage modules will
be included in the signal chain generated by Master Assistant.

The following section details how each of the modules included

in the Vintage mode chain are affected by Master Assistant.
 EQUALIZER: Compares the input audio to the unique target curve
generated by Master Assistant. Band settings are adjusted to
match your track to the unique target curve. Master Assistant will
always enable band 1 (Low Shelf) and band 8 (High Shelf). Up to
six Peak Bell filters may be enabled on bands 2-7.
 VINTAGE EQ: Adjusts low boost and high cut controls to add
warmth and tonal character to your track.
 VINTAGE COMPRESSOR: Analyzes the dynamic range of the input
audio. If extreme dynamic range is not detected, the Vintage
Compressor will be bypassed but still included in the signal chain.
 VINTAGE LIMITER: Makes linked adjustments to the Threshold and
Ceiling controls to add an analog character to the signal without
introducing level differences.
 MAXIMIZER: Sets Ceiling and Threshold based on the target
loudness value and destination settings.

Loudness & EQ
Informs the target loudness value and target EQ curves (when
Reference is selected) used by Master Assistant. You can choose
between Manual or Reference mode.

Manual
Sets the target loudness to a preset value associated with the
selected Intensity option.
Intensity
Selects the target loudness value (in LUFS) used by Master
Assistant. The following choices are available:
 LOW: -14 LUFS
 MEDIUM: -12 LUFS
 HIGH: -11 LUFS
Reference
Determines the target loudness value based on the loudness of a
reference track. Select any reference track loaded in
the Reference panel from the dropdown menu. If no reference
tracks are loaded, click the “Load Reference Track” button to
select a file in a system dialog.

REFERENCE TRACK DETERMINES TARGET EQ CURVE AND

TARGET LOUDNESS
In Reference mode, the target loudness and the target EQ
curve used by Master Assistant are based on the selected
reference track.

Destination
Determines the Ceiling value in the Maximizer to ensure
appropriate headroom for the selected destination format.
The Destination options are associated with the following Ceiling
values:
 Streaming: -1.0 dB
 CD: -0.3 dB
Dynamics
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Crossover Spectrum
o Gain Reduction Trace
o Detection Filter
 Band Control Views
o Selected Band View
o All Bands View
 Controls and Meters

Overview
You can use this module to shape the dynamics of your mix, with
up to four bands of analog-modeled compression and limiting.

1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header includes the following controls:
1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed
descriptions of the different meter views.
2. Channel Processing Modes: Selects the channel processing
mode used by Dynamics.
o Dynamics supports Stereo and Mid/Side mode.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
3. Learn: Enables automatic crossover point placement. When
active, crossover points will be moved to minima detected in
the frequency spectrum of your track. When crossovers have
been set to their ideal frequency values, Learn will
automatically disable itself. Note: Learn is not available in
single band processing mode.
4. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Views
You can toggle between the different views using the view
selector buttons:

The Dynamics module includes the following views:

1. Crossover Spectrum
2. Gain Reduction Trace
3. Detection Filter

Crossover Spectrum
All multiband modules in Ozone support up to four processing
bands. All multiband capable modules are single band by default.
You can create new processing bands and manage multiband
crossovers in the Crossover Spectrum view. Note: crossover
cutoff frequencies are not shared or linked across multiband
modules.
DYNAMICS GAIN REDUCTION/INCREASE IN CROSSOVER
The horizontal lines drawn in band colors display gain
reduction/addition occuring in the associated processing
band. This is only shown in the Dynamics module crossover
view.

Adjusting crossovers
 Add band: Hover your cursor over the crossover spectrum
view and click the + button to add a new crossover point.
 Enable/disable band: Click the power button to
enable/disable processing in the associated band.
 Solo band: Click the S button to isolate playback of the
associated band.
 Remove band: Hover over a band in the crossover view and
click the x that appears to remove the band.
 Adjust crossover cutoffs: Click and drag a handle to adjust
the crossover frequency. You can also double-click on a
crossover handle and enter the value manually in the inline
edit field that appears.

Gain Reduction Trace

Displays a scrolling waveform with a superimposed trace
reflecting the amount of gain reduction applied over time.

GAIN REDUCTION IN MULTIBAND

 The gain reduction trace shows information for one band at
a time. The trace color matches the color of the band it is
metering.

Detection Filter
This view includes a spectrum analyzer and detection input filter
controls. The detection filter allows you to apply a filter to the
signal used by the level detector to trigger dynamics processing.

The following controls are available in the Detection Filter view:

 None: Disables the detection input filter. This is the default
setting.
 Highpass: Enables a highpass filter. You can adjust filter
slope by clicking the filter node and dragging the node
handles horizontally.
 Tilt: Similar to the THRUST circuit found on API compressors,
Tilt mode preserves low frequencies using a high-frequency
weighted filter curve.
o Amount: Controls the Tilt filter slope. Adjust Amount by
clicking and dragging over the readout or by double-
clicking on the readout and entering a new value in the
inline edit field.
 Solo: Isolates playback of the detection input signal after
filtering.

Band Control Views

There are two different views for band controls in the Dynamics
module panel:
 Selected Band View
 All Bands View
You can toggle between these views using the Band View
Selectors located on the right side of the Dynamics module
controls panel.

Selected Band View

Provides a focused view of the selected processing band. This is
the default band view selection.

You can change which band is displayed using the following

methods:
 Band View Selector arrows: Click the arrow buttons to the
left/right of the Band View button to switch between band
views.
 Select band in Crossover Spectrum: Click on a band region in
the Crossover Spectrum to show the associated controls in
the Selected Band View.

All Bands View

This view offers a consolidated overview of key controls for all
four bands. If a band is inactive, the controls will appear greyed
out in this view.
NOT ACCESSIBLE IN ALL BANDS VIEW
The Knee (Limiter/Compressor) control, global Level
Detection Mode, and the Dynamics Curve Meter are hidden
from the All Bands View, switch to the Selected Band View
to access these features.

Controls and Meters

The following sections outline the controls and meters included
in the Dynamics module.

 Level Detection Mode

 Threshold
 Ratio
 Attack
 Release
 Knee
 Parallel
 Dynamics Curve Meter
 Band View Selectors
 Link Bands
 Global and Band Gain
 Auto Gain
 Adaptive Release

Level Detection Mode

Determines how the input signal level is measured by the
Dynamics level detection circuit. This is a global setting, shared
by all bands in multiband mode.

 Peak: Uses the peak level of the incoming signal. In general,

this setting is useful when you are trying to even out sudden
peaks in your music.
 Env: (Envelope) Uses the average level of the incoming signal
evened out across the frequency spectrum. Similar to RMS
mode but with some advantages. Unlike RMS, Envelope mode
produces even levels across all frequencies and will not
produce the aliasing or artifacts that RMS detection can
cause.
 RMS: Uses the average level of the incoming signal. RMS
detection is useful when you are trying to increase overall
level without changing the character of the sound.

Threshold
Determines the signal level at which the compressor or limiter
begins processing. The handle on the left controls the Limiter
Threshold, the handle on the right controls the Compressor
Threshold.
Threshold Input Meter
Displays the input level to the level detection circuit (outer
meters, displayed in grey) alongside the gain change applied as a
result of the dynamics processing (inner meters, displayed in the
corresponding band color).

Gain reduction is drawn from the top to the bottom of the meter,
gain increase is drawn from the bottom to the top of the meter.

Ratio
Determines the amount of gain reduction applied to a signal
when the threshold is crossed.

Compressor Ratios
 Compressor Ratio Default: 2:1.
 Compressor Ratio Range: (10):1 to 30:1. Note: (10):1 is
shown as 0.1:1 in All Bands View.
 Positive Compressor ratios result in downward compression.
Downward compression reduces the level of signals that
reach the threshold and leaves signals below the threshold
unaffected.
 Negative Compressor ratios result in upward compression.
Upward compression raises the level of signals that fall
below the threshold and leaves signals above the threshold
unaffected. Upward compression can gently raise levels
instead of pushing down peaks.

Limiter Ratios
 Limiter Ratio Default: 10:1.
 Limiter Ratio Range: (2.5):1 to 30:1. Note: (2.5):1 is shown
as 0.4:1 in All Bands View.
 Positive Limiter ratios result in downward compression
(limiting). Higher ratios, particularly 10:1 or greater, result in
limiting (more extreme downward compression).
LIMITER BEHAVIOR AT MAXIMUM RATIO SETTING
The Limiter in the Dynamics module is similar to the
response of a limiter in the analog domain. When the
Dynamics Limiter Ratio is set to 30:1, some overshoot
may still occur because it does not function as a
Brickwall limiter.
 Negative Limiter ratios result in upward expansion. Upward
expansion raises the level of signals that exceed the
threshold. Upward expansion can be used to add punch to
dull mixes or emphasize the beat in rhythm-heavy music.

Attack
Determines the amount of time, or how quickly it takes (in
milliseconds), for the dynamics to react and for the signal to
become fully compressed after exceeding the threshold level.

Release
Adjusts the amount of time (milliseconds) it takes for the
dynamics processor to return to unity gain (recovers gain) when
the input signal falls below the threshold.

Knee
Adjusts a range around the threshold that determines how
abruptly processing is applied to a signal as it approaches the
threshold.
 Higher values create a “soft knee” effect, which gradually
introduces processing as the signal approaches the
Threshold level. This provides subtler, more natural sounding
compression.
 Lower values create a “hard knee” effect, which abruptly
begins processing when the signal crosses the Threshold
level. This offers more aggressive sounding compression and
is often used on individual tracks, such as kick or snare
drum.

Parallel
Adjusts the amount of the “dry” (unprocessed) signal to mix with
the “wet” (processed) signal. This technique is also known as
“parallel compression”. This control is available for each band
individually.

Dynamics Curve Meter

The Dynamics Curve Meter is an interactive plot of the Threshold,
Ratio, and Knee controls as they relate to input and output
levels. The y-axis represents output level (dB) and the x-axis
represents input level (dB). You can zoom in/out by clicking the
+/- buttons that appear in the bottom right when hovering your
cursor over the meter. Signal activity is drawn below the curve in
the associated band color.
Dynamics Curve Meter Nodes
 C (Compressor): This node is associated with
the Compressor Threshold and Knee. Moving left/right will
affect Compressor Threshold. Adjusting the node handles will
affect Compressor Knee.
 L (Limiter): This node is associated with
the Limiter Threshold, Limiter Knee,
and Compressor Ratio. Moving left/right will affect Limiter
Threshold. Adjusting the node handles will affect Limiter
Knee. Moving up/down will affect Compressor Ratio (positive
Ratios only).
 Leftmost and Rightmost nodes: These nodes indicate the
amount of gain reduction/increase applied to signals
above/below the threshold.

Band View Selectors

Switch between Selected Band View or All Bands View.

Use the arrow buttons to the left and right of the Band # button
to switch between available band views.

Link Bands
When enabled, all band specific control adjustments will be
linked relative to their current settings.

Global and Band Gain

Adjusts gain after Dynamics processing, useful for compensating
for level differences caused by Dynamics processing. You can
make adjustments to Global Gain and Band Gain simultaneously.
 Band Gain: Adjusts the amount of gain applied to the
associated band after Dynamics processing. When working in
the Selected Band View, the Gain slider for the currently
selected band is located on right side of the Dynamics
module controls panel. When working in All Bands View, a
Gain control is located directly below the threshold meter for
each band.
 Global Gain: Adjusts the amount of gain applied to the output
signal of all bands after Dynamics processing. The Global
Gain control is located on the right side of the Dynamics
module controls panel when All Bands View is selected. The
Global Gain slider is hidden when you are working in
the Selected Band View.

Auto Gain
When enabled, make-up gain is automatically calculated and
applied to the output signal to compensate for level differences
introduced by dynamics processing. The automatic gain control
calculates the RMS levels of the input and output signals
independently for each Dynamics crossover band. Gain is
automatically applied to the output signal based on the RMS level
difference between the input and output signals. Auto gain and
manual global/per-band gain adjustments can be applied
simultaneously.

Adaptive Release
When enabled, automatically adjusts the Release time of the
Compressor based on the peak factor of a signal.
 If a transient signal is detected, the Release time is scaled
to be shorter to reduce pumping.
 If a sustained signal is detected, the Release time is scaled
to be longer to reduce distortion.
AUTO RELEASE ADJUSTMENTS
 The Release time is scaled in relation to the Release value
set by the user. For example: if you are using the
Compressor with the Release time set to 100 ms, the
Release time will be automatically adjusted to a value
within a range of 20 ms to 200 ms, depending on the type of
signal that is being processed.

Dynamic EQ
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Spectrum View
o Alt-Solo
 Working with Dynamic EQ Nodes
o Add Nodes
o Adjusting Nodes
o Remove Nodes
o Set Dynamic Mode Direction
 Dynamic EQ HUD Controls
o General Controls
o Filter Controls
o Threshold Controls
o Advanced HUD Controls

Overview
The Dynamic EQ can be very useful in controlling specific
frequencies in your mix that are too loud, with a degree of
precision not possible with a static EQ.
There are three main areas of the Dynamic EQ module interface:
1. Module Header
2. Spectrum View
3. Dynamic EQ HUD Controls

Module Header
The module header includes the following controls:

1. Global Filter Mode: Selects the type of filter algorithm used to

process all bands in the Dynamic EQ module.
o Analog: Selects minimum-phase IIR (infinite impulse
response) filters.
o Digital: Selects linear-phase FIR filter types for processing
in the Dynamic EQ module. FIR filters retain the phase of
the original signal, but are more expensive in regard to
CPU usage.
2. Channel Processing Mode: Selects the channel processing
mode used by the Dynamic EQ.
o The Dynamic EQ supports Stereo, Mid/Side,
and Left/Right mode.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
3. Reset: Returns all controls in the module to their factory
default values.

Spectrum View
The Dynamic EQ module includes a spectrum analyzer with the
following features:

1. Composite curve: The combined filter response of all enabled

bands. Represented by a thick white line drawn across the
spectrum. Each band contributes to the overall shape of this
curve.
2. Filter response curve: The filter response of the currently
selected node. Represented by a highlighted line and filled
area under the band which appears when you select a node.
If there are no nodes selected, the filter response curve is
hidden and you will only see the composite curve.
3. Meter Scales: there are three different scales in the Dynamic
EQ spectrum:
o Dynamic EQ Gain Scale: (dB) The filter gain scale is
located on the right side of the spectrum view. Range:
+15 dB to -30 dB.
o Spectrum Magnitude Scale: (dB) Vertical scale displayed
on the left side of the spectrum view.
o Spectrum Frequency Scale: (Hz) Horizontal scale
displayed along the bottom of the spectrum view.
 SPECTRUM SCALES
 The scales for the filter gain and the spectrum magnitude are
different, by design. If they were made to match, you wouldn’t
see enough of the spectrum for it to be useful.
 See the Options chapter for more information about
spectrum scale options.

Alt-Solo
You can use the alt/option key when clicking on a node or
anywhere in the spectrum to momentarily solo a specific
frequency region. When you release the mouse click, alt-solo will
be disabled.
 Band Solo: Hold the alt or option key and click on an EQ
node. This is equivalent to pressing the Solo button in the
HUD.
 Alt-Solo in Spectrum: Hold the alt or option key and click
anywhere on the frequency spectrum to solo frequencies
surrounding the location of the cursor. You can adjust the
bandwidth of the alt-solo filter in the Options window.

Working with Dynamic EQ Nodes

The following sections describe how to add, adjust and remove
Dynamic EQ nodes.
 Add Nodes
 Adjusting Nodes
 Remove Nodes
 Set Dynamic Mode Direction

Add Nodes
1. Hover your cursor over the composite curve, click
the + button that appears to add a new band to that
frequency position.
2. Press command + return (Mac) or ctrl + return (Windows) to add
a new node to the center of the frequency spectrum.
3. Double-click anywhere in the spectrum to add a new node at
the frequency location of your cursor.
 DEFAULT FILTER SHAPE ASSIGNMENT BASED ON FREQUENCY
Default filter shapes are assigned to nodes depending on their
initial frequency value.
 From 20 Hz to 100 Hz: Baxandall Bass. If a Baxandall Bass
filter already exists in the curve, the default filter shape will
be Proportional Q.
 From 100 Hz to 8 kHz: Proportional Q.
 From 8 kHz to 20 kHz: Baxandall Treble. If a Baxandall
Treble filter already exists in the curve, the default filter
shape will be Proportional Q.

Adjusting Nodes
The following methods can be used to move/adjust filter nodes:
 Click and drag a node up and down to adjust gain. Click and
drag a node left and right to adjust frequency.
 Hold the shift key while clicking and dragging a node to lock
the movement to the horizontal axis (for frequency) or
vertical axis (for gain).
 Click and drag the handles that appear on the left/right side
of a selected node to adjust the Q/Slope value.
 Press the up or down arrow keys to adjust the gain of a
selected node. Press the left or right arrow keys to adjust
the frequency of a selected node.
 Hold shift while using the arrow keys to make coarse value
adjustments.
 Hold command (Mac) or ctrl (Windows) while using the arrow
keys to make fine value adjustments.
 Double-click on a node to reset all band parameters to their
default values.

Remove Nodes
The following methods can be used to remove filter nodes:
 Select a node and click the X button in the HUD to remove
it.
 Click and drag to lasso select multiple nodes.
Press delete or backspace key to remove all selected nodes.
 Hold Shift and click on individual nodes to select multiple
nodes. Use the delete or backspace key to remove all selected
nodes.

Set Dynamic Mode Direction

The arrow buttons directly above and below a node indicate the
direction the filter will move when triggered. The filled arrow
button indicates the currently selected direction.

Dynamic Mode Direction

Filters will behave as follows in the different modes:
 UP: When a signal exceeds the threshold, the filter will move
upwards.
o Positive Gain: Using the Up trigger mode will move the
filter from the center line toward the static node (boost
when triggered).
o Negative Gain: Using the Up trigger mode will apply the
full negative gain until it is triggered-when triggered it will
move toward the center line.
 DOWN: When the signal exceeds the threshold, the filter will
move downwards.
o Positive Gain: Using the Down trigger mode will move the
filter from the static boost value toward the center line
(cut when triggered).
o Negative Gain: Using the Down trigger mode will move the
filter from the center line toward the static negative gain
value.

Dynamic EQ HUD Controls

Click on a node to view the HUD panel for a given band.

The HUD panel includes the following sections:

 General Controls: Enable/disable, Solo, and Remove.
 Filter Controls: Filter Shape, Frequency, Gain, and Q.
 Threshold Controls: Threshold, Threshold Input meter, and
gain change readout.
 Advanced Panel: Auto Scale, Attack, Release, and Static
Offset Gain.

General Controls
You can enable/disable, solo, or remove a band with the buttons
along the left edge of the HUD.

 POWER: Click the power button to enable or disable

processing for the selected band.
 SOLO: Click the S button to isolate playback of the selected
band.
 REMOVE: Click the X button to remove the associated band.

Filter Controls
You can adjust filter shape, frequency, gain, and Q/bandwidth in
this section of the HUD.
  Filter Shape Selects the filter shape for the associated band.
Filter shape types include:
o Baxandall: Inspired by the Baxandall EQ, with the addition
of freely adjustable frequency. Choose between Bass for
a gentle low shelf filter or Treble for a gentle high shelf
filter. When to use: Transparent way of addressing
extreme lows and extreme highs for a more natural, gentle
sounding effect.
o Band Shelf: Bell filter with wide, flat top. When to use: To
change the relation between the harmonics in your audio.
Useful for boosting or attenuating a block of frequencies.
o Peak Bell: Smoothly boosts or cuts an adjustable region
around a specific frequency. Looks like a bell, come on
what do you want from me. When to use: Changes the
overall color or texture of the sound with larger gain
adjustments (boost or cut). This will be a more noticeable
change than Proportional Q.
o Proportional Q: Unique filter that varies shape in
proportion to the amount of boost or cut applied. As you
increase or decrease the gain, the change is proportional
to bandwidth. When to use: Tight, precise corrective cuts-
the bigger gain adjustment, the tighter the cut will
become.
 Freq: Determines the center or cutoff frequency of the
selected band. Units: Hz (Hertz); Range: 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
 Gain: Determines the amount of gain applied to the selected
filter. Units: dB (decibels); Range: -30 dB to +15 dB.
 Q: Determines the width or slope of parameteric/bell filters.
Units: cF/Bandwidth.
TIP: HUD VALUE ADJUSTMENTS
 Click and drag on a HUD text readout to scrub the value.
 Double-click on a text readout in the HUD, type a value in the
inline edit field, press enter or click outside of the field to
change the value.
Threshold Controls
You can adjust the Threshold and view related meters in this
section of the HUD.

 Threshold Input meter: Vertical meter bars displayed behind

the Threshold slider.
o Input Level Meter: Displays the input signal of the
selected filter in the outer vertical meter bars.
o Gain Reduction/Addition: Displays the amount of level
adjustment applied to the selected filter in the inner
vertical meter bars.
 Threshold (dB): Determines the signal level at which dynamic
gain adjustments will be triggered for the selected
filter. Adjustment methods:
o Click and drag the slider up and down.
o Click on the slider handle then use the Up or Down arrow
keys.
o Double-click on the value readout, type the value into the
inline edit field, and press enter to save it.
 +/-: Displays the gain reduction/addition applied to the filter
as a text based readout.

Advanced HUD Controls

Click the arrow on the right side of the HUD to expand the
Advanced panel.

The Advanced Panel includes the following controls:

 Auto Scale: When enabled, the attack and release values will
be scaled automatically depending on the frequency of the
associated band.
 Attack: Adjusts how long it takes the dynamic trigger to react
to a signal crosses the Threshold value. You can adjust the
Attack value by clicking and dragging on the value readout or
by double-clicking on the value readout and typing a value
into the inline edit field.
 Release: Adjusts how long it takes for the dynamic trigger to
return the filter to its static settings when the input signal
falls below the Threshold value. You can adjust Release by
clicking and dragging on the value readout or by double-
clicking on the value readout and typing a value into the
inline edit field.
 Offset: Sets a static gain offset for the associated band.
Equalizer
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o HUD View
o All Bands View
 Spectrum and EQ Curve
o Extra Curves
o Alt-Solo
 Working with EQ Nodes
o Adding Nodes
o Adjusting Nodes
o Removing Nodes
 Controls
o General Controls
o Filter Controls
o Advanced Controls

Overview
Ozone’s versatile Equalizer allows you to add warmth and
character with analog-matched filters, or precisely boost and cut
frequencies with digital linear-phase filters.
The module interface includes the following sections:

1. Module Header
2. Spectrum and EQ Curve
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header includes the following controls:

1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed

descriptions of the different views.
2. Global Filter Mode: Selects the type of filter algorithm used to
process all bands in the EQ module.
o Analog: Selects minimum-phase IIR (infinite impulse
response) filters.
o Digital: Selects linear-phase FIR filter types for processing
in the EQ module. FIR filters retain the phase of the
original signal, but are more expensive in regard to CPU
usage.
DIGITAL ONLY FEATURES
Phase and Surgical Filter Shapes are only available
when Digital is selected.
3. Channel Processing Mode: Selects the Channel Processing
Mode used in the Equalizer.
o The Equalizer supports Stereo, Mid/Side,
or Left/Right mode.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
4. Reset: Returns all controls in the module to their factory
default values.

Views
You can switch between HUD View and All Bands View using
the view selection buttons.
HUD View
This is the default view in the Equalizer module. In this view, a
HUD panel will appear when you select a node.

All Bands View

When selected, band controls are displayed in a table format
below the spectrum. The HUD panel is not displayed when nodes
are selected in All Bands View.

Spectrum and EQ Curve

The main spectrum view of the Equalizer includes the following
features:
 1. Spectrum Analyzer: Displays the magnitude (amplitude, in
decibels) of a signal across the frequency spectrum in real-
time. The spectrum analyzer in the Equalizer module displays
the output signal of Ozone.
2. Composite curve: The combined filter response of all enabled
bands. Represented by a thick white line drawn across the
spectrum. Each band contributes to the overall shape of this
curve.
3. Filter response curve: The filter response of the currently
selected node. Represented by a highlighted line and filled
area under the band which appears when you select a node.
If there are no nodes selected, the filter response curve is
hidden and you will only see the composite curve.
4. Spectrum Scales:
o Spectrum Magnitude Scale: (dB) Vertical scale displayed
on the left side of the spectrum view.
o Spectrum Frequency Scale: (Hz) Horizontal scale
displayed along the bottom of the spectrum view.
5. Equalizer Gain Scale: (dB) The filter gain scale is located on
the right side of the spectrum view. Range: +15 dB to -30
dB.
SPECTRUM SCALES
 The scales for the filter gain and the spectrum magnitude are
different, by design. If they were made to match, you wouldn’t
see enough of the spectrum for it to be useful.
 See the Options chapter for more information about
spectrum scale options.
Extra Curves
When the Show Extra Curves option is enabled in the EQ options
tab, three additional rulers appear on the right-hand side of the
spectrum analyzer: Phase Response (degrees), Phase
Delay (ms), Group Delay (ms).

You can hide and show each curve individually by clicking on the
buttons that appear in the legend along the top of the spectrum
view.

 Phase Delay: A calculation of phase response represented in

time (ms).
 Phase Response: A calculation of phase response
represented in degrees. This curve is most useful when using
analog or minimum phase equalization.
 Group Delay: A calculation of the delay of amplitude
envelopes in time (ms). This curve is most useful when
working with transients.

Alt-Solo
You can use the alt/option key when clicking on a node or
anywhere in the spectrum to momentarily solo a specific
frequency region. When you release the mouse click, alt-solo will
be disabled.
  Band Solo: Hold the alt or option key and click on an EQ
node. This is equivalent to pressing the Solo button in the
HUD.
 Alt-Solo in Spectrum: Hold the alt or option key and click
anywhere on the frequency spectrum to solo frequencies
surrounding the location of the cursor. You can adjust the
bandwidth of the alt-solo filter in the Options window.

Working with EQ Nodes

The following sections describe how to add, adjust and remove
EQ nodes.
 Adding Nodes
 Adjusting Nodes
 Removing Nodes

Adding Nodes
1. Hover your cursor over the composite curve, click
the + button that appears to add a new band to that
frequency position.
2. Press command + return (Mac) or ctrl + return (Windows) to add
a new node to the center of the frequency spectrum.
3. Double-click anywhere in the spectrum to add a new node at
the frequency location of your cursor.
DEFAULT FILTER SHAPE ASSIGNMENT BASED ON FREQUENCY
Default filter shapes are assigned to nodes depending on their
initial frequency value.
 From 20 Hz to 100 Hz: Baxandall Bass. If a Baxandall Bass
filter already exists in the curve, the default filter shape will
be Proportional Q.
 From 100 Hz to 8 kHz: Proportional Q.
 From 8 kHz to 20 kHz: Baxandall Treble. If a Baxandall
Treble filter already exists in the curve, the default filter
shape will be Proportional Q.

Adjusting Nodes
The following methods can be used to move/adjust filter nodes:
 Click and drag a node up and down to adjust gain. Click and
drag a node left and right to adjust frequency.
 Hold the shift key while clicking and dragging a node to lock
the movement to the horizontal axis (for frequency) or
vertical axis (for gain).
 Click and drag the handles that appear on the left/right side
of a selected node to adjust the Q/Slope value.
 Press the up/down arrow keys to adjust the gain of a
selected node. Press the left/right arrow keys to adjust the
frequency of a selected node.
 Hold shift while using the arrow keys to make coarse value
adjustments.
 Hold command (Mac) or ctrl (Windows) while using the arrow
keys to make fine value adjustments.
 Double-click on a node to reset all band parameters to their
default values.

Removing Nodes
The following methods can be used to remove filter nodes:
 In the HUD view: Select a node and click the X button in the
HUD to remove it.
 In All Bands View: Click the power button associated with the
band you want to remove in the controls section.
 Click & drag to select multiple nodes.
Press delete or backspace key to remove all selected nodes.
 Hold Shift and click on individual nodes to select multiple
nodes. Use the delete or backspace key to remove all selected
nodes.

Controls
The following sections detail the EQ filter controls in the context
of the HUD View. Any All Bands View differences or exceptions
are noted in the control descriptions below.
The HUD panel is divided into the folowing sections:
 General Controls: Enable/disable, Solo, and Remove.
 Filter Controls: Filter Shape, Frequency, Gain, and Q/Slope.
 Advanced Panel: Phase. Digital Mode only.

General Controls
You can enable/disable, solo, or remove a band with the buttons
along the left edge of the HUD.

 Power: Click the power button to enable or disable

processing for the selected band.
POWER BUTTON BEHAVIOR IN ALL BANDS VIEW
When All Bands View is selected, clicking on a band
power button will remove the associated band, rather
than disable it.
 Solo: Click the S button to isolate playback of the selected
band.
 Remove: Click the X button to remove the associated band.

Filter Controls
You can adjust filter shape, frequency, gain, and Q/bandwidth in
this section of the HUD.
Filter Shape
Selects the filter shape for the associated band. The filter shapes
are organized into sub-menus based on filter type and usage.
 BELL menu: These filters can be used to boost or cut a
specific center frequency level (Peak type filters). The
following filter shapes are included in this menu:
o Bell: Smoothly boosts or cuts an adjustable region around
a specific frequency.
o Proportional Q: Unique filter that varies shape in
proportion to the amount of boost or cut applied. As a cut
or boost is increased further away from center of the EQ
curve, the shape tightens for more precision.
o Band Shelf: Bell filter with wide, flat top. Useful for
boosting or attenuating a block of frequencies.
 LOW SHELF and HIGH SHELF menus: These filters can be
used to boost or cut the frequency content above or below a
specified frequency (Shelf type filters). The following filter
shapes are included in the sub-menu:
o Analog: Efficient shelf filter for simple boosts and cuts.
o Baxandall: Gentle shelf filters. Modeled after the
Baxandall EQ, with the addition of adjustable frequency.
o Vintage: Inspired by the renowned Pultec analog
equalizer. Exhibits a complementary frequency dip,
creating a complex slope with one node.
o Resonant: Exhibits a complimentary resonance at both
ends of the filter slope creating a complex shape with one
node.
 LOWPASS and HIGHPASS menus: These filters can be used to
attenuate frequency content that is below (for highpass) or
above (for lowpass) a specified cutoff frequency (Pass type
filters). The following filter shapes are included in this sub-
menu:
o Flat: Butterworth filter; optimized for maximum flatness
without ripple or resonance in the passband or stopband
(stability).
 o Resonant: Filter equipped with a resonance control to
emphasize the cutoff frequency with positive gain. Boosts
content at the cutoff frequency to add character and
emphasize the lowest or highest part of the signal.
o Brickwall: Elliptic filters. Optimized for steepness with
minimal ripple in the passband and stopband.
 SURGICAL:(Digital mode only) Precise digital filter shape
available in all filter shape sub-menus when Digital Filter
Mode is selected in the module header.

Frequency
Determines the center or cutoff frequency of the selected band.
Units: Hz (Hertz); Range: 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Gain
Determines the amount of gain applied to the selected filter.
Units: dB (decibels); Range: -30 dB to +15 dB.

Q/Slope
 Q: Determines the bandwidth (cF) of the selected filter.
 Slope: Determines the Slope of the filter below or above the
set cutoff frequency. Slope is measured in decibels per
octave (dB/oct).
FIXED Q/SLOPE
The Baxandall Bass, Baxandall Treble, HP
Brickwall and LP Brickwall filter shapes do not have
adjustable Q/Slope values.

Advanced Controls
You can access the Advanced panel by clicking the arrow button
on the right hand side of the HUD. If the Global Filter Mode is
set to Analog, the Advanced panel button will be disabled. You
can only access the Advanced panel of the HUD when the Global
Filter Mode is set to Digital.
 Phase
Adjusts the phase response of the currently selected filter.
 0% Phase: the selected band will have a Linear phase
response.
 100% Phase: the selected band will have a Minimum phase
response.
PHASE CONTROL AVAILABILITY
 Phase is only adjustable when Digital Global Filter Mode is
selected.
 Phase is not included in the controls table of the All Bands
View. You can only access Phase from the Advanced panel of
the HUD.
Exciter
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Crossover Spectrum
o Post Filter
 Controls
o Oversampling
o Link Bands
o Modes
o Amount
o Mix

Overview
Ozone’s Exciter module offers up to four bands of configurable
saturation with numerous modes giving you the ability to
customize how saturation is introduced into your music.

1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls

Module Header
The Exciter module header includes the following controls:

1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed

descriptions of the different meter views.
2. Channel Processing Modes: Selects the channel processing
mode used by the Exciter.
o The Exciter supports Stereo and Mid/Side mode.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
3. Learn: Enables automatic crossover point placement. When
active, crossover points will be moved to minima detected in
the frequency spectrum of your track. When crossovers have
been set to their ideal frequency values, Learn will
automatically disable itself. Note: Learn is not available in
single band processing mode.
4. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Views
You can toggle between the different Exciter views using the
view selector buttons in the module header area.

The Exciter module includes the following views:

 Crossover Spectrum
 Post Filter

Crossover Spectrum
All multiband modules in Ozone support up to four processing
bands. All multiband capable modules are single band by default.
You can create new processing bands and manage multiband
crossovers in the Crossover Spectrum view. Note: crossover
cutoff frequencies are not shared or linked across multiband
modules in the main Ozone plug-in.
Adjusting Crossovers
 Add band: Hover your cursor over the crossover spectrum
view and click the + button to add a new crossover point.
 Enable/disable band: Click the power button to
enable/disable processing in the associated band.
 Solo band: Click the S button to isolate playback of the
associated band.
 Remove band: Hover over a band in the crossover view and
click the x that appears to remove the band.
 Adjust crossover cutoffs: Click and drag a handle to adjust
the crossover frequency. You can also double-click on a
crossover handle and enter the value manually in the inline
edit field that appears.

Post Filter
Displays harmonic highlights that represent the saturation being
applied to your signal across the frequency spectrum. You can
adjust a high-shelf filter that affects the wet (processed) output
of the module to tame any high frequency content that may have
been introduced by the module’s processing.

The affected frequencies on the spectrum are indicated by a

bright white fill. Non-affected frequencies on the spectrum will
not display a fill color. The histogram display is calculated after
the Post Filter is applied. Adjusting the Post Filter will update the
histogram display to show the saturation occurring at the output
of the Exciter module.
Controls
The Exciter module includes the following controls:

Oversampling
Increases the sampling rate of the applied distortion to reduce
aliasing. This option applies to all bands.
OVERSAMPLING AND CPU
Oversampling utilizes more processing power to increase
the quality level of the Exciter module.

Link Bands
When enabled, adjustments made to a control will be linked and
applied to all other bands by the same amount.

Modes
Select one of the egg cider’s different modes to find the sonic
characteristic that fits your in your mix. You can choose between
the following Mode options:
 Analog: Emulates the sound of transistor type odd harmonics
giving a driven grit to your audio.
 Retro: Based on characteristics of transistors, with a slowly
decaying row of odd harmonics.
 Tape: Offers a brighter sounding saturation, due to the odd
harmonics found when saturating analog tape.
 Tube: Characterized by its clear “tonal” excitation with an
emphasis on dynamic or transient attacks.
 Warm: Generates only even harmonics that decay quickly.
 Triode: Modeled after a tube circuit for realistic analog
warmth. It uses one half of a tube circuit for a subtler
overdrive than the Dual Triode mode.
 Dual Triode: Models a full circuit using a vacuum tube,
introducing more pronounced overdrive with a warmer tone.

Amount
Controls the amount of the harmonic excitation for the
associated band.

Mix
Controls the amount of processed signal that is blended back
into the unprocessed signal.
Imager
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Crossover Spectrum
o Correlation Trace
o Stereo Width Spectrum
 Controls
o Width
o Link Bands
o Stereoize
 Vectorscope
o Polar Sample
o Polar Level
o Lissajous
o Correlation Meter bar
o Stereo Balance Meter

Overview
The Imager allows you to adjust the stereo width of your mix
using multiband stereo imaging. The Imager module interface is
divided into four main sections:

1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls
4. Vectorscope
Module Header
The Imager module header includes the following controls:

1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed

descriptions of the different meter views.
2. Learn: Enables automatic crossover point placement. When
active, crossover points will be moved to minima detected in
the frequency spectrum of your track. When crossovers have
been set to their ideal frequency values, Learn will
automatically disable itself. Note: Learn is not available in
single band processing mode.
3. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Views
You can toggle between the different Imager views using the
view selector buttons in the module header area.

The Imager module includes the following views:

 Crossover Spectrum
 Correlation Trace
 Stereo Width Spectrum

Crossover Spectrum
All multiband modules in Ozone support up to four processing
bands. All multiband capable modules are single band by default.
You can create new processing bands and manage multiband
crossovers in the Crossover Spectrum view. Note: crossover
cutoff frequencies are not shared or linked across multiband
modules in the main Ozone plug-in.
Adjusting Crossovers
 Add band: Hover your cursor over the crossover spectrum
view and click the + button to add a new crossover point.
 Enable/disable band: Click the power button to
enable/disable processing in the associated band.
 Solo band: Click the S button to isolate playback of the
associated band.
 Remove band: Hover over a band in the crossover view and
click the x that appears to remove the band.
 Adjust crossover cutoffs: Click and drag a handle to adjust
the crossover frequency. You can also double-click on a
crossover handle and enter the value manually in the inline
edit field that appears.

Correlation Trace
Draws stereo correlation values over time. Negative correlation
(out of phase) values are drawn in red; positive correlation (in
phase) values are drawn in white.

The correlation trace displays information based on the output

signal of Ozone, so adjustments to the Imager controls are
reflected in this meter.

Stereo Width Spectrum

Displays a hybrid mirrored spectrum analyzer of the signal’s
stereo width.
When the signal is fully mono, only a straight line will be drawn in
the center of this view.

Controls
The Imager module includes the following controls:

 Width
 Link Bands
 Stereoize

Width
Adjusts the amount of gain applied to side channel content.
Positive values will increase perceived stereo width, and
negative values will decrease the perceived stereo width of a
band. A setting of -100 will make the output of the associated
band effectively mono.
NOTE
If the input signal to the Imager is either: mono (i.e. single
channel) or effectively mono (i.e. a stereo file with the
same content on both channels), you will need to enable the
Stereoize feature for Width adjustments to have an effect on
the signal.
Link Bands
Enable to link Width controls adjustments across all bands. When
enabled and a Width control is adjusted for one band, all other
Width controls will be adjusted by the same amount.

Stereoize
Stereoize processing is applied to all processing bands equally.
The following controls allow you to enable the effect and adjust
the associated settings.
 Stereoize power button: Enables/disables stereoize
processing.
 Stereoize Amount: Adjust the slider to add natural-sounding
stereo width to narrow recordings and to control the
character of the stereo effect in conjunction with the width
sliders.
 STEREOIZE IS MONO COMPATIBLE
The Stereoize effect is completely mono compatible.
Even if you add width to audio, it can still be played back
in mono without producing unpleasant artifacts.
 Stereoize Modes: There are two different stereoize
processing modes available in the Imager:
o Mode I: Haas Effect-based decorrelation processing. This
mode creates a delayed copy of the mid channel signal
and injects it into the side channel.
o Mode II: A newly developed alternative to the classic
stereoize mode. This new mode has a slightly different
tonal quality from the original and helps to preserve
transients at higher settings.

Vectorscope
The vectorscope meters provide a view of the stereo image of
the signal after all other processing is applied, regardless of the
Imager’s position in the signal chain.

Polar Sample
Plots dots per sample on a polar coordinate display to highlight
the stereo image of the incoming signal.

Patterns that appear within the 45-degree safe lines

represent in-phase audio. Patterns outside these lines
represent out-of-phase audio. The history of the Polar Sample
Vectorscope fades out slowly. You can reset the display by
clicking on the meter.

Polar Level
Plots rays on a polar coordinate display that represent sample
averages and displays the stereo energy of a recording.

The length of the rays represents amplitude. The angle of the

rays represents their position in the stereo image. Rays within
the 45-degree safe lines represent in-phase audio. Rays beyond
the safe lines represents out-of-phase audio.

Lissajous
Plots per-sample dots on a traditional oscilloscope display
similar to the Polar Sample vectorscope.
 Typically, stereo recordings produce a random pattern on a
Lissajous Vectorscope that is taller than it is wide. Vertical
patterns mean left and right channels are similar (approaching
mono). Horizontal patterns mean the two channels are very
different, which could result in mono compatibility problems.
CLIPPING IN THE VECTORSCOPE
Clipped samples are drawn in red along the edges of the
vectorscope meter frame. Click on the meter to reset the
clipped samples display.

Correlation Meter Bar

The vertical bar meter to the right of the vectorscope indicates
the degree of similarity (or correlation) between the left and right
channels.
TIPS
 If the left and right channels are exactly the same, the
correlation value would be +1 and the meter tick would be
drawn at the top.
 If the left and right channels are exactly out-of-phase the
correlation would be -1 and the meter tick would be drawn all
the way at the bottom.
 In general, most recordings have phase correlations in the 0
to +1 range. A brief readout towards the bottom half of the
meter is not necessarily a problem but could represent a
possible mono compatibility issue.
 As you increase stereo widening, the phase correlation will
tend to draw more towards the bottom half of the meter, as
the left and right channels will become “wider” and less
similar.
Stereo Balance Meter
The horizontal bar meter directly below the vectorscope meter
indicates the stereo balance of the signal. When the meter tick is
drawn all the way to the left, it indicates there is only information
on the left channel. When the meter tick is drawn all the way to
the right, it indicates that there is only information on the right
channel.
Low End Focus [ADV]
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Action Region Spectrum View
 Controls
o Modes
o Contrast
o Gain
o Listen

Overview
Low End Focus is designed to intelligently reduce muddiness,
increase low end impact, and address other common low end
issues that may not be easily improved with traditional tools
such as EQ or Dynamics.
The module interface is comprised of three main sections:

1. Module Header
2. Action Region Spectrum
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header includes the following controls:
1. Channel Processing Modes: Determines the channel
processing mode used by Low End Focus.
o Low End Focus supports Stereo and Mid/Side mode.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
2. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Action Region Spectrum View

Displays action region cutoff handles over a spectrum analyzer.
Low End Focus allows for an action region range of 20 Hz to 300
Hz.

 Action Region Cutoff Adjustments: Drag a handle to adjust a

single cutoff value, click between the two handles to move
them together, or single-click on the value readout and
manually enter a cutoff value.
 Solo: Isolates playback of the input signal (before processing)
within the action region cutoffs.

Controls
Low End Focus includes the following controls:

Modes
Determines the response time of Low End Focus processing.
These modes influence how processing is applied to sustained
and transient content within the action region. You can choose
between the following modes:
 Punchy: Uses faster response times to emphasize transient
content.
 Smooth: Uses slower response times to enhance sustained
content.

Contrast
Adjusts the spectral contrast between low and high level signals
within the action region.
 Positive values: Increases the difference between low and
high level content. Attenuates ‘out-of-focus’ low level
content, bringing out transients and leading to a punchier
sound.
 Negative values: Decreases the difference between low and
high level content. Blurs the low end in a similar way to
saturation. Transients will lose focus similar to the
smoothing effect of some analog compression.

Gain
Sets the amount of makeup gain applied to the action region.

Listen
Enables isolated playback of the difference between the input
(unprocessed) and output (processed) signals within the action
region.
Master Rebalance [ADV]
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Spectrum View
 Controls
o Focus
o Gain

Overview
Master Rebalance leverages a machine learning algorithm
trained to identify different instrument types in a track. You can
use Master Rebalance to make real-time gain adjustments to a
selected focus element in your master without needing to adjust
stems or individual tracks from the original mix.
The Master Rebalance module is divided into the following
sections:

1. Module Header
2. Spectrum View
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header includes a Reset control:

Returns all module controls to their default values.

Spectrum View
The Master Rebalance spectrum view differs from the spectrum
metering included in other Ozone modules. The following image
outlines the key components of the Master Rebalance spectrum
view:

1. Focus spectrum: The blue ‘focus’ spectrum analyzer displays

only the signal content identified as belonging to the
selected Focus element. Any gain adjustments made to the
Focus will be reflected in the blue Focus spectrum analyzer.
2. Residual spectrum: The gray residual spectrum analyzer
displays any signal content that is not identified as
belonging to the selected Focus element. For example: if
Vocals is selected as the Focus element, the gray residual
spectrum will display any signal content that is not classified
as Vocals.
3. Spectrum magnitude ruler (dB)
4. Spectrum frequency ruler (Hz)

Controls
The following controls are included in the Master Rebalance
module:
Focus
Selects the focus element (instrument type) that will be detected
and adjusted. The following focus options are
available: Vocals, Bass, and Drums.
FOCUS SELECTION
Only one Focus mode can be selected at a time.

Gain
Adjusts the level of the selected focus element.
Match EQ
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Spectrum and Matched EQ Curve
 Reference Spectrum Snapshot
 Apply To Spectrum Snapshot
 Fine Tune

Overview
The Match EQ module is a digital linear-phase EQ with the ability to
use over 8,000 bands of frequencies for very precise matching.
The module interface includes the following sections:

1. Module Header
2. Spectrum and Matched EQ Curve
3. Reference Snapshot
4. Apply To Snapshot
5. Fine Tune

Match EQ Module Header

The module header includes the following controls:
1. Channel Processing Modes: Determines the channel processing
mode for the module.
o Match EQ supports: Stereo, Mid/Side, and Left/Right mode.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
2. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.
NOTE
The Reference and Apply To curves are not cleared by
pressing Reset.

Spectrum and Matched EQ Curve

The spectrum view includes the following features:

 Spectrum Analyzer (grey): Displays the magnitude (amplitude, in

decibels) of a signal across the frequency spectrum in real-time.
The spectrum analyzer in the Match EQ module displays the output
signal of Ozone.
 Matched curve (white): The filter response of the matched curve.
Represented by a thick white line drawn across the spectrum. This
is only displayed after a Reference and Apply To snapshot have
been captured.
 Reference Spectrum Snapshot (goldenrod): Display of the
captured Reference snapshot.
 Apply To Spectrum Snapshot (blue): Display of the captured Apply
To snapshot.
 Matched Curve Cutoff handles: Sets low and high frequency
cutoffs for the matched curve processing.
o Drag the cutoff handles to set lower and upper range
boundaries for the matched curve processing. As you drag a
cutoff toward the middle of the spectrum, the matched curve
will flatten out to indicate no processing is being applied.
 Click on the value readouts for the cutoff handles to manually
o
enter a frequency value in the inline edit field that appears.
o These can be useful when you want to concentrate on
matching a particular region of the frequency spectrum. For
example: apply the matched curve to the low end without
affecting the high end.
 Spectrum Scales:
o Spectrum Magnitude Scale: (dB) Vertical scale displayed on
the left side of the spectrum view.
o Spectrum Frequency Scale: (Hz) Horizontal scale displayed
along the bottom of the spectrum view.
o Matched Curve Gain Scale: (dB) The gain scale for the matched
filter curve is located on the right side of the spectrum view.

Reference Spectrum Snapshot

Capture a spectrum snapshot of a reference or source track that you
want to match your track to.

 Capture: Click and playback the track you want to use as a

reference curve to begin recording a snapshot.
CAPTURE REFERENCE PANEL PLAYBACK
If you want to use a track loaded in the Reference panel,
enable Reference playback in the I/O panel and capture the
Reference track directly from the Reference panel.
 Stop: Click to stop capturing and freeze the Reference spectrum
snapshot.
 Clear: Clears the current Reference spectrum snapshot.
SNAPSHOTS AND PRESETS
 Reference Spectrum snapshots are saved with Ozone presets.
 Apply To spectrum snapshots are not saved with with Ozone
presets.
 Loading a preset with a saved Reference snapshot will overwrite
any currently captured Reference snapshot with the snapshot
saved with the preset.
 Loading presets will not affect the Apply to spectrum snapshot.

Apply To Spectrum Snapshot

Capture a spectrum snapshot of the track you are working on. The
captured curve will be shown in blue in the snapshot view and
spectrum view.

 Capture: Click Capture and playback your current track to begin

capturing a snapshot.
 Stop: Click to stop capturing and freeze the Apply To spectrum
snapshot.
 Clear: Clears the current Apply To spectrum snapshot.

Fine Tune
The Fine Tune controls can be used to adjust the shape and intensity
of the matched curve.
 Smoothing: Determines the amount of precision to apply to the
matched curve. Higher smoothing is less precise. Lower
smoothing is more precise.
 Amount: Determines the amount of processing (intensity) to use
when matching the Reference curve to the Apply To curve.
RECOMMENDATIONS
 A Matched Curve amount of 100% and a Smoothing amount of 0%
might be technically the closest match to your “Reference” mix,
but in reality it’s probably not the most effective combination of
the settings. Those settings will try to capture every peak, valley,
and level, which can result in extreme, unnatural EQs.
 We suggest working with the Matched Curve amount under 50%. If
your Matching EQ curve has narrow peaks and valleys, increase
the Smoothing parameter to smooth them out. Your goal is to
capture the overall tonal shape of the Reference as opposed to an
exact match.
Maximizer
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Spectrum Analyzer
o Gain Reduction Trace
 Controls
o Mode
o Threshold
o Character
o Stereo Independence
o Transient Emphasis

Overview
Ozone’s acclaimed IRC (Intelligent Release Control) technology lets
you boost the overall level of your mixes without sacrificing dynamics
and clarity. The Maximizer applies to the entire bandwidth of the mix;
it is not a multiband effect.
The module interface includes the following main sections:

1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header area includes the following controls:
1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed
descriptions of the different meter views.
2. Learn Threshold: When enabled, the Maximizer will listen to your
track and adjust the Threshold so that the output loudness
matches the Target LUFS value. Learn Threshold will continue to
update based on your track input until it is manually disabled.
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR LOUDNESS COMPLIANCE
Learn Threshold should not be used to meet loudness
compliance standards.
3. Target LUFS: Sets the loudness target (in LUFS) that the
Maximizer will use when calculating the optimal Threshold for your
track.
4. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Views
You can toggle between the different views using the view selector
buttons in the module header area.

The Maximizer module includes the following views:

1. Spectrum Analyzer
2. Gain Reduction Trace

Spectrum Analyzer
Displays the magnitude (amplitude, in decibels) of a signal across the
frequency spectrum in real-time. The spectrum analyzer displays the
output signal of Ozone.

Gain Reduction Trace

Displays a scrolling waveform with a superimposed trace reflecting
the amount of gain reduction applied over time.
Controls
The Maximizer includes the following controls:

 Mode
 Threshold
 Character
 Stereo Independence
 Transient Emphasis

Mode
The Maximizer includes the following Intelligent Release Control (IRC)
modes:
 IRC LL: Provides the intelligent digital loudness maximization of
IRC I with lower latency. IRC LL is the lowest latency and least
CPU intensive IRC mode.
 IRC I: Provides intelligent digital loudness maximization of the
signal. It does this by analyzing the source material and applying
limiting in a psychoacoustically pleasing manner, reacting quickly
to transients (to prevent pumping) and reacting more slowly to
steady bass tones (to prevent distortion).
 IRC II: Similar to IRC I, but optimized to preserve transients even
more, so they sound sharper and clearer in the output signal, even
when aggressive limiting is taking place.
 IRC III: Allows for the most aggressive limiting by using an
advanced psychoacoustic model to intelligently determine the
speed of limiting that can be applied to the incoming signal, before
 producing distortion that is detectable to the human ear. Very
CPU-intensive, and produces high latency, especially at higher
sampling rates. You may find that at sampling rates greater than
48kHz you are unable to use IRC III mode in real-time.
o IRC III Character Styles: The following character styles will
help you manage the limiter’s sound by constraining its release
behavior:
1. Clipping: The most aggressive style setting of IRC III and
will slightly colorize your mix with distortion or achieve the
highest degree of loudness with the greatest risk of
clipping.
2. Crisp: Agressively constrains the limiter’s release behavior
and will favor distortion over any pumping.
3. Balanced: Constrains the release behavior of the limiter in a
generally transparent way and should be suitable for most
material.
4. Pumping: The least aggressive style setting for IRC III and
does not constrain the limiter’s release behavior. It can
tend toward a slower release behavior and may result in
pumping. This is the “legacy” setting and is the behavior
used in Ozone version 5.01 and earlier.
 IRC IV: This mode builds upon our existing IRC technology by
shaping the spectrum to further reduce pumping and distortion. As
the signal goes farther over the threshold, the IRC IV algorithm
limits frequency bands that contribute most to these peaks. This
reduces intermodulation between different signal components and
uses dozens of psychoacoustically spaced bands in order to react
to any type of audio. When no limiting is necessary, the spectrum
will be unaltered. Most CPU-intensive, and produces high latency,
especially at higher sampling rates.
o IRC IV Character Styles: The following character styles will
help you manage the limiter’s sound by constraining its release
behavior:
1. Classic: Provides general enhancement of the overall mix
with a sound more reminiscent of Ozone’s earlier limiting
algorithms which are still being used by professionals
today.
2. Modern: Provides general enhancement and life to your mix
but with greater detail and clarity than the Classic style.
 3. Transient: Optimized for maximum preservation of all
transients resulting in a highly detailed overall sound that
may benefit some mixes needing added clarity.

Threshold
Adjust the threshold of the Maximizer to set the level at which the
limiting processing takes place and determines the amount of gain
added to maximize the output level.
THRESHOLD AND MAXIMIZER OUTPUT
Setting the Threshold to a non-zero value that doesn’t trigger
the limiter will still increase the output of the Maximizer. For
example if the input level to the Maximizer is peaking at -15 dB
and the Maximizer Threshold is set to -4dB, limiting will not
occur, but the level at the output of the Maximizer will be peaking
at -11dB.
The threshold control includes the following sub-controls and meter:
 Threshold Meter
 Ceiling
 Link
 True Peak

Threshold Meter
Displays input level and applied gain reduction.

 The two outer meters display input level to the limiter.

 The two inner meters display gain reduction applied by the limiter.
 The text readout at the bottom of the meter displays the current
gain reduction amount that is being applied by the limiter.

Ceiling
Adjust to set the maximum output level of the Maximizer.
CEILING, DITHER, AND CODEC PREVIEW
It is generally recommended to use a setting of -0.3 dB when
dithering, or a more dramatic setting (-0.6 dB to -0.8 dB) when
mastering audio to be converted to .mp3 or .aac later, in order to
prevent clipping in the future. See the Codec Preview section for
more details.

Threshold and Ceiling Link

Enable to link the Threshold and Ceiling controls. Adjusting either
control in linked mode will adjust the other control by the same
amount and vice versa.

True Peak
When enabled, the limiter will account for the levels of each digital
sample and the levels of the analog signal that will eventually be
produced by D/A conversion. This is sometimes necessary, since an
analog signal’s peak level can exceed the corresponding digital
signal’s peak level by more than 3 dB.
TRUE PEAK LIMITING & CPU USAGE

This option will result in a small increase in CPU usage, but if

your mixes are running very hot you may want to enable it to
ensure that absolutely no distortion is introduced when your
audio is finally run through a D/A converter.

Character
Adjust to customize the overall response time (attack and release
times) of the maximizer processing. The attack and release times used
are dependent on the selected Mode, and allows a continuous range
from Fast (0.0) to Slow (10.0) in each mode.

Stereo Independence
The Stereo Independence controls represent the next iteration of the
Stereo Unlink control in previous versions of Ozone. By default, the
Stereo Independence controls (Transient and Sustain) will be linked
and set to 0% - mimicking the default settings of the previous Stereo
Unlink control.
  Transient Slider: Adjusts how the limiter responds to transient
material across channels.
 Sustain Slider: Adjusts how the limiter responds to sustained
material across channels.
 Link: Links the Transient and Sustain sliders.
EXAMPLES
 Both Sliders set to 100%: It is possible to achieve a louder output
from the Maximizer, but this can result in a narrow stereo image.
To alleviate the narrowing effect of the Stereo Unlink control, we
split this feature into two sliders.
 Sliders independently set to non-zero values: Applies limiting to
transient and sustained material separately, based on a level
envelope generated from a ratio of the individual channel levels
and the entire stereo image.

Transient Emphasis
Enable Transient Emphasis adjustment by clicking the Transient
Emphasis power button. Adjusting the Amount control allows you to
fine-tune the shaping of transients before limiting takes place. This
can be useful for preserving sharper sounds, like drums, while still
optimizing loudness.
TRANSIENT EMPHASIS SETTINGS

Using higher amount values for Transient Emphasis will result in

more pronounced transients after the limiting process.
Spectral Shaper [ADV]
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Action Region Spectrum
o Gain Reduction Trace
 Controls
o Mode
o Threshold
o Listen
o Tone
o Attack
o Release

Overview
The Spectral Shaper can be used to apply high-resolution attenuation
to problematic frequencies across the frequency spectrum with
configurable time constants, timbre adjustment, and a variable full
spectrum action region.
The Spectral Shaper interface includes the following sections:

1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls
Module Header
The module header includes the following controls:

1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed

descriptions of the meter views.
2. Channel Processing Modes: Selects the channel processing mode
used by the Spectral Shaper.
o The Spectral Shaper supports Stereo and Mid/Side.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
3. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Views
You can toggle between the different views using the view selector
buttons.

The Spectral Shaper module includes the following views:

1. Action Region Spectrum
2. Gain Reduction Trace

Action Region Spectrum

Allows you to adjust and audition the Spectral Shaper Action Region
range. This view offers Action Region controls superimposed over a
spectrum analyzer.

The Action Region Spectrum includes the following controls:

 Action Region Range Cutoff Handles: Adjusts the low and high
cutoff frequency values for the action region.
o Click and drag a handle left or right to adjust the cutoff
frequency.
o Click in between both handles and drag left or right to move
both handles together.
 o Single-click on the text readout next to the bottom of a handle,
type in a new frequency value and press enter to set the handle
to that value.
 Action Region Solo: Solos the input signal to the Action
Region before processing.

Gain Reduction Trace

Displays a scrolling waveform with a superimposed trace reflecting
the amount of gain reduction applied over time.

Controls
You can adjust the following controls in the Spectral Shaper:

Mode
Sets the intensity of reduction applied by the Spectral Shaper. Options
include: Low, Medium, High.

Threshold
Sets the level at which spectral gain reduction is applied to the action
region.

Threshold Input Meter

The two outer meter bars display the highest level of all bands
included in the Action Region input signal. The inner meter bars and
text readout at the bottom of the meter display gain reduction.
SPECTRAL SHAPER THRESHOLD INPUT METER
The threshold input meter in the Spectral Shaper displays
different information than it does in the Maximizer or Vintage
Limiter module. In the Maximizer and Vintage Limiter, the
threshold input level is based on the full frequency spectrum of
the input signal. The Spectral Shaper threshold input level is
based on the highest level of the frequency bands included
within the action region.

Listen
Toggles isolated playback of the signal that is reduced as a result of
Spectral Shaper processing. This signal is the difference between the
input and output signals.

Tone
Adjusts the spectral tilt of the Spectral Shaper processing. Positive
values tilt towards a brighter overall spectral character, negative
values tilt towards a darker overall spectral character.

Attack
Set the amount of time it takes for the Spectral Shaper to apply gain
reduction to signals that exceed the Threshold.

Release
Set the amount of time it takes for the Spectral Shaper to stop
applying gain reduction to signals that fall below the Threshold.
Vintage Compressor
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Detection Filter
o Gain Reduction Trace
 Controls
o Mode
o Threshold
o Ratio
o Attack and Release
o Gain
o Auto Gain

Overview
The Vintage Compressor is an emulation of a feedback compressor
with a detection filter in the feedback loop. The Vintage Compressor
includes a versatile detection filter in the feedback loop that filters the
signal passed into the level detector to change which components of
the signal are triggering the compressor. Some compressors use a
highpass filter or a high shelf boost to reduce pumping. Others have a
wide boost in the high frequencies to let high frequency content drive
the compressor. The Vintage Compressor in Ozone includes all of
these filters. We combined some of the best elements of vintage
analog compressors to create this feedback compressor algorithm.
The Vintage Compressor module interface is divided into the following
sections:
1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls

Module Header
The Vintage Compressor module header area contains the following
controls:

1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed

descriptions of the different meter views.
2. Channel Processing Modes: Selects the channel processing mode
used by the Vintage Compressor.
o The Vintage Compressor supports Stereo & Mid/Side.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
3. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Views
You can toggle between the different views using the view selector
buttons in the module header area.

The Vintage Compressor module includes the following views:

 Detection Filter
 Gain Reduction Trace

Detection Filter
This view includes a spectrum analyzer and detection input filter
controls. Use the filter nodes to adjust the frequency response of the
detection circuit used by the Vintage Compressor, so that it is more or
less sensitive to specific frequencies.

Detection Filter Solo

Click the (S) button in the upper left corner of this view to listen to
the filtered input to the detection circuit. This is useful for quickly
listening to the input signal being used to trigger the Vintage
Compressor processing.

Gain Reduction Trace

Displays a scrolling waveform with a superimposed trace reflecting
the amount of gain reduction applied over time.

Controls
The following controls are available in the Vintage Compressor:
 Mode
 Threshold
 Ratio
 Attack
 Release
 Makeup Gain
 Auto Gain
Mode
Adjusts the overall character of the Vintage Compressor. Mode options
include:
 Sharp: Provides crisp dynamics and a greater emphasis on
transients while maintaining the body of the signal.
 Balanced: Gives a signal-dependent balance between dynamics
preservation and overall enhancement to the body of the signal.
 Smooth: Smoothes out transient and dynamic material while
enhancing and bringing out the rest of the signal, resulting in a
thicker and fuller sound.

Threshold
Adjust the threshold to set the point where the dynamics processing
takes place. Since some modes have a soft knee, mild compression
may occur below this point.

Threshold Meter
Displays the input level to the module alongside the gain reduction
applied by the module’s processing.
 The two meters on the far left and right of the threshold meter
display the input audio level.
 The two meters in between the input meters display the gain
reduction applied.

Ratio
Sets the amount of attenuation applied to the signal once it has
passed the threshold. Higher ratios will result in more compression.

Attack and Release

Adjust the attack and release controls to set how quickly the Vintage
Compressor reacts to audio that crosses the threshold.
 Attack: Determines how quickly the Vintage Compressor reacts
when the threshold is reached.
 Release: Determines the amount of time before the Vintage
Compressor returns the level to normal once the signal is no
longer above the threshold. This control sets the release time for
transients; for sustained compression, the release time will be
significantly longer.

Gain
Adjusts the output gain of the Vintage Compressor module to makeup
for decreases in volume.

Auto Gain
When enabled, Auto Gain calculates the RMS levels of both the input
and output signals of the Vintage Compressor in order to apply the
appropriate gain to the output signal.
Auto Gain acts as a smart “make-up gain” control that adapts over
time and adjusts your levels to a comparable level of your unprocessed
audio.
Vintage EQ
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Spectrum and EQ Curve
 Controls
o Pultec EQP-1A Controls
o Pultec MEQ-5 Equalizer Controls

Overview
The Vintage EQ module can be used to add the emulated frequency
response of the Pultec EQP-1A and Pultec MEQ-5. The module
interface is divided into the following sections:

1. Module Header
2. Spectrum and EQ Curve
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header area includes the following controls:

1. Channel Processing Modes: Selects the channel processing mode

used by the Vintage EQ.
 oThe Vintage EQ supports Stereo, Mid/Side,
and Left/Right channel processing modes.
o See the General Controls chapter for more information.
2. Reset: Returns all module controls to their default values.

Spectrum and EQ Curve

The Vintage EQ module includes a spectrum analyzer and a composite
EQ curve.

 Spectrum Analyzer: Displays the magnitude (amplitude, in

decibels) of a signal across the frequency spectrum in real-time.
The spectrum analyzer in the Equalizer module displays the output
signal of Ozone.
 Composite curve: The combined filter response of all bands.
Represented by a thick white line drawn across the spectrum.
Each band contributes to the overall shape of this curve.

Controls
The Vintage EQ control panel includes two sections of controls. The
controls along the top are modeled after the Pultec EQP-1A
Equalizer and the controls along the bottom are modeled after
the Pultec MEQ-5 Equalizer.

Pultec EQP-1A Controls

The top row of controls includes filters modeled after the Pultec EQP-
1A.

A unique feature of the Pultec EQP-1A is the ability to simultaneously

adjust the boost and cut parameters for the low frequency band. While
the original manual warns “Do not attempt to boost and attenuate
simultaneously,” these controls interact in a way that many engineers
have found to be desirable. Rather than canceling each other out,
combining these controls results in a boost in the low frequencies,
followed by a dip at slightly higher frequencies. This unique shape is
also available in the Ozone Equalizer module with the “Vintage Low
Shelf” filter shape.

Low Boost/Cut Controls

 Low Frequency (Hz): Sets the frequency of the low shelf filter.
Options include: 20 Hz, 30 Hz, 45 Hz, 60 Hz, and 100 Hz.
45 HZ OPTION

The original hardware unit did not include a 45 Hz option, but

we’ve added this frequency because we found it to be useful
for mastering.
 Low Boost (dB): Adjusts the amount of positive gain (boost)
applied to the filter.
 Low Cut (dB): Adjusts the amount of negative gain (cut) applied to
the filter.

High Boost Controls

 High Boost Frequency (Hz): Sets the center frequency of the high
boost peaking filter. Options include: 3 kHz, 4 kHz, 5 kHz, 8 kHz, 10
kHz, 12 kHz, and 16 kHz.
 High Boost Amount (dB): Adjusts the amount of positive gain
(boost) applied to the filter.
 High Boost Q: Adjusts the bandwidth of the high frequency boost
filter. The boost amount and bandwidth interact (i.e. the Q
changes as you boost), as they do in the EQP-1A.
High Cut Controls
 High Cut Frequency (Hz): Sets the frequency of the high shelf filter.
Options include: 5 kHz, 10 kHz, and 20kHz.
 High Cut (dB): Adjusts the amount of negative gain (cut) applied to
the filter.

Pultec MEQ-5 Equalizer Controls

The bottom row of controls includes filters modeled after the Pultec
MEQ-5.

All of the mid frequency controls are peaking filters. As in the original
MEQ-5, the filter bandwidths are affected by the boost/cut amount.

Low-Mid Controls
 Low-Mid Frequency (Hz): Sets the center frequency of the low-mid
peaking filter. Options include: 200 Hz, 300 Hz, 500 Hz, 700 Hz, and
1000 Hz.
 LM Boost (dB): Adjusts the amount of positive gain (boost) applied
to the filter.

Mid Controls
 Mid Cut Frequency (Hz): Sets the center frequency of the Mid
peaking filter. Options include: 200 Hz, 300 Hz, 500 Hz, 700 Hz, 1
kHz, 1.5 kHz, 2 kHz, 3 kHz, 4 kHz, 5 kHz, and 7 kHz.
 Mid Cut (dB): Adjusts the amount of negative gain (cut) applied to
the filter.

High-Mid Controls
 High-Mid Frequency (Hz): Sets the center frequency of the high-mid
filter. Options include 1.5 kHz, 2 kHz, 3 kHz, 4 kHz, and 5 kHz.
 HM Boost (dB): Sets the amount of positive gain (boost) applied to
the filter.
Vintage Limiter
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Views
o Spectrum Analyzer
o Gain Reduction Trace
 Controls
o Modes
o Threshold
o Character

Overview
The Vintage Limiter, modeled after the Fairchild 670, allows you to
create a louder and fuller master by limiting the dynamic range and
boosting the overall level of your mix.
The Vintage Limiter module interface is divided into the following
sections:

1. Module Header
2. Views
3. Controls

Module Header
The module header includes the following controls:
1. View Selector: See the Views section below for detailed
descriptions of the different views.
2. Reset: Returns all controls in the module to their factory default
values.

Views
You can toggle between the different views using the view selector
buttons in the module header area.

The Vintage Limiter module includes the following views:

 Spectrum Analyzer
 Gain Reduction Trace

Spectrum Analyzer
Displays the magnitude (amplitude, in decibels) of a signal across the
frequency spectrum in real-time. The spectrum analyzer displays the
output signal of Ozone.

Gain Reduction Trace

Displays a scrolling waveform with a superimposed trace reflecting
the amount of gain reduction applied over time.

Controls
The Vintage Limiter includes the following controls:
 Modes
 Threshold
 Character

Modes
There are three different modes that affect the overall character of the
Vintage Limiter.
 Analog: With a fast attack and variable release time, this mode
provides a tight bass response with a “thick” limiting quality.
Brings out the low-end transients while still providing the
smoothness that is characteristic of analog circuitry.
 Tube: A more balanced limiter with variable attack and release
times. Provides smooth feedback limiting with a wider range of
sonic characteristics that vary depending on your incoming signal.
Despite its non-linearity, it still allows for modern precision in
preventing any clipping or peaks.
 Modern: Blends thicker vintage characteristics and wide range of
non-linearity with modern IRC limiting, variable release times, and
transient reproduction.

Threshold
Determines the level at which limiting will start.

Threshold Input Meter

 The two outer meters display input level to the limiter.
 The two inner meters display gain reduction applied by the limiter.
 The text readout at the bottom of the meter displays the current
gain reduction amount that is being applied by the limiter.

Ceiling
Adjust to see the maximum output level of the Vintage Limiter.
RECOMMENDATION
It is generally recommended to use a setting of -0.3 dB when
dithering, or a more dramatic setting (-0.6 dB to -0.8 dB) when
converting to MP3 or AAC formats in order to prevent clipping
during conversion. See the Codec Preview section for more
details.

Link
Enable to link the Threshold and Ceiling controls. Adjusting either
control in linked mode will adjust the other control by the same
amount and vice versa.

True Peak
Enables the limiter to take into account not only the levels of each
digital sample but also the levels of the analog signal that will
eventually be produced by D/A conversion. This is sometimes
necessary, since an analog signal’s peak level can exceed its
corresponding digital signal’s peak level by more than 3 dB.
TRUE PEAK LIMITING & CPU USAGE
 Enabling True Peak Limiting will result in a small increase in CPU
usage. If your mixes are running hot, you may want to enable it to
ensure that no distortion is introduced when your audio is finally
run through a D/A converter.

Character
Adjusts the attack and release times of the Vintage Limiter. The
attack and release times used are dependent on the selected Mode,
and allows a continuous range from Fast (0.0) to Slow (10.0) in each
mode.
Vintage Tape
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Module Header
 Spectrum Analyzer
 Controls
o Speed
o Input drive
o Bias
o Harmonics
o Low Emphasis
o High Emphasis

Overview
The Vintage Tape module is inspired by a well-maintained Studer A810
two-track tape deck, a clean and accurate machine perfect for
mastering. Add the frequency response (magnitude plus phase) and
saturation characteristics of magnetic tape without the crosstalk,
hiss, wow, and flutter that could ruin a master.
The Vintage Tape module interface is divided into the following
sections:

1. Module Header
2. Spectrum Analyzer
3. Controls
Module Header
The module header includes a Reset control:

Returns all module controls to their default values.

Spectrum Analyzer
Displays the magnitude (amplitude, in decibels) of the signal across
the frequency spectrum in real-time. The spectrum analyzer displays
the output signal of Ozone.

Controls
The Vintage Tape module includes the following controls:

Speed
Sets the tape speed in inches per second (IPS). You can choose
between the following tape speeds in the Vintage Tape: 7.5, 15,
or 30 IPS. In a hardware tape machine, this setting determines the
rate at which the magnetic tape physically moves past the tape head
during playback or recording. Faster speeds can improve high
frequency response and overall quality. Slower speeds can cause a
uniform decrease in the linear frequency response of tape, a shift in
background noise toward lower frequencies, and increased
background noise.

Input drive
Adjusts the gain of the input signal before tape emulation. The Vintage
Tape module internally compensates for gain changes as you make
adjustments, in order to avoid large or unexpected jumps in output
level.

Bias
Adjusts the shape of the distortion curve. Negative bias values will
boost high frequency content, resulting in more high frequency
distortion than postive bias values. Positive bias values can begin to
limit the dynamic range of the signal, lending a different type of
saturation to the output.

Harmonics
Adjusts the amount of even-order harmonic distortion added to the
output signal. Increasing even-order harmonic distortion can help to
emulate the character of AC bias design inaccuracies or the distortion
from machine electronics.

Low Emphasis
Adjusts the gain and shape of the low end “head bump” (resonant
peak) of the tape.
 Lower Values: Removes the resonant peak, flattening out the
frequency response while maintaining the low-end rolloff. This can
help achieve the warmth of analog without adding mud or too
much bass.
 Higher Values: Boosts the resonant peak up to 10dB, adding low
end punch and emphasis.

High Emphasis
Compensates for high-frequency losses to give your audio extra energy
without being too harsh or bright. The default setting of 4.0 gives you
an authentic, close-to-flat high frequency response.
 Lower Values: Adds gentle, roll-off at high-frequencies.
 Higher Values: Adds a high-end shimmer.
Codec Preview [ADV]
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Working with Codec Preview
 Controls
o Format
o Bit Rate (Constant)
o Solo Artifacts
 Related information
o Sample rates and performance
o Headroom and clipping

Overview
Lossy audio formats, such as MP3 or AAC, use psychoacoustic
algorithms to identify and remove less audible portions of an audio file
in order to reduce the overall file size. This process can introduce
artifacts ranging from subtle to obvious artifacts in the compressed
file. Codec Preview allows you audition lossy compression formats and
compensate for any undesirable artifacts they
introduce before exporting your master.

Working with Codec Preview

You can access the Codec Preview panel by clicking on
the Codec button in the I/O panel area of the Ozone 9 Advanced
application and Ozone 9 Advanced mothership plug-in.

You can enable or disable Codec Preview by clicking on

the power button to the left of the Codec button in the I/O panel.
USING CODEC PREVIEW IN A DAW OR NLE
When working with Codec Preview within a DAW or NLE, you
should insert the Ozone 9 mothership plug-in after all other
inserts on the master bus to ensure you are monitoring Codec
Preview on the signal that is closest to the uncompressed export.

Controls
The Codec Preview panel allows you to adjust codec properties
(format and bit rate) and listen to the artifacts introduced by the
selected codec in isolation.

Format
Selects the codec format to preview, options include: AAC and MP3.
Codec Preview makes use of the following encoders:
 AAC: Fraunhofer AAC codec.
 MP3: LAME mp3 encoder.
Bit Rate (Constant)
Sets the constant bit rate value used to preview the selected codec
format. Bit rate is measured in units of kbps (or kbit/s, kilobits per
second) and represents the number of bits processed (encoded) within
a given period of time. Constant bit rate (CBR) encoding indicates that
the bit rate is the same for the entire duration of the file. You can
choose from the following constant bit rate values:
 96 kbps
 112 kbps
 128 kbps
 160 kbps
 192 kbps
 224 kbps
 256 kbps: Maximum supported bit rate value for
previewing mono files.
 320 kbps

Solo Artifacts
Isolates playback of the signal content that is removed or modified by
the currently selected lossy compression settings. This signal is
the difference between the output of Ozone before and after Codec
Preview is applied.

Related information
Sample rates and performance
AAC and MP3 file formats don’t support sample rates greater than
48kHz. When using Codec Preview in a session with a sample rate
greater than 48 kHz, high-quality real-time resampling will be applied
in order to accurately represent AAC or MP3 compression.
If you encounter performance issues when working with Codec
Preview in high sample rate sessions, we recommend increasing the
session buffer size to avoid discontinuities or performance issues.
Additionally, real-time resampling is mathematically intensive and may
incur significant latency.

Headroom and clipping

Any lossy encoder introduces an approximation error, a noise which
can increase peak levels and cause clipping in an audio signal, even if
the uncompressed source audio file appears to peak under 0 dB. When
mastering for compressed audio formats like AAC and MP3, it’s a good
idea to leave between -1 dB and -1.5 dB of headroom to prevent
clipping due to file compression.
Codec Preview can help you tailor your processing in order to avoid
clipping that might occur as an artifact of lossy codecs. When Codec
Preview is enabled, you can use the clip indicators above the Ozone
output meters to help inform you of clipping caused by a codec before
exporting.
Dither
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Working with Dither
 Controls
o Bit Depth
o Auto-Blanking
o Dither Amount
o Harmonic Suppression
o Limit Peaks
o Noise Shaping
o Bit Meter
o DC Offset

Overview
Ozone includes a comprehensive set of dithering tools to help you
prepare studio-quality audio for different delivery formats. The Dither
panel includes iZotope’s MBIT+ dither algorithm along with a unique
set of meters to offer a complete view of the conversion process.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DITHER

Check out our related educational resources and guides.

Working with Dither

You can open the Dither panel by clicking on the Dither button in the
I/O panel area of the mothership plug-in, application, and Maximizer
 component plug-in. You can enable/disable Dither processing using the
power button to the left of the Dither button.

USING DITHER IN A DAW

 Dither should be applied after all other processing.
 Add Ozone to the last insert slot of the track you are exporting if
you plan to add Dither.
 Use a post-fader insert to ensure Dither is applied after any output
gain adjustments.
 Disable any dithering options in the export dialog of your DAW to
avoid applying dither twice.

Controls
The Dither panel includes the following controls:

 Overview
 Working with Dither
 Controls
o Bit Depth
o Auto-Blanking
o Dither Amount
o Harmonic Suppression
o Limit Peaks
o Noise Shaping
o Bit Meter
 o DC Offset

Bit Depth
Sets the target bit depth for the exported file. Choices include: 24, 20,
16, 12, or 8.
8 & 12 BIT: PREVIEW ONLY IN OZONE APP
The 8 and 12 bit Dither options can only be previewed in the
Ozone application. The Ozone app export dialog does not include
8 or 12 as export bit depth options.

Auto-Blanking
Mutes dither output (i.e. dither noise) automatically when silence is
detected (i.e. 0 bits of audio) in the input signal for at least 0.7
seconds.

Dither Amount
Selects the target number of bits (amplitude) of Dither to add to the
signal. The following options are available:
 Strong: Completely eliminates the non-linear distortion issues that
may result from using Off or Low with the tradeoff of a slightly
increased noise floor.
 Medium: Recommended setting.
 Low: Can leave some non-linear quantization distortion or dither
noise modulation.
 Off: Can leave some non-linear quantization distortion or dither
noise modulation.

Harmonic Suppression
Enables modification of truncation rules. Truncation can result in
harmonic quantization distortion that adds overtones to the signal and
distorts the timbre. Enabling this option will modify truncation rules in
order to move harmonic quantization distortion away from overtones
of audible frequencies. This can help maintain better tonal quality in
the resulting signal. Harmonic Suppression doesn’t create any random
dithering noise floor.
HARMONIC SUPPRESSION AND ARTIFACTS

Harmonic Suppression can only be enabled when Dither Amount

is set to Off.
Limit Peaks
Suppresses peaks in the output signal that can be caused by more
extreme dither settings. Dither noise is random in nature and has a
very low amplitude, so peaks will not often be an issue. In cases
where you need to apply more aggressive dithering, high frequency
dither noise can be amplified significantly after noise shaping,
resulting in spurious peaks in the dither signal (up to -60 dBFS for 16-
bit quantization).

Noise Shaping
Determines the amount of noise shaping applied during the dithering
process, ranging from Off (no noise shaping) to Max (roughly 14 dB
of audible noise suppression). Noise shaping pushes the dither noise
into less audible frequency ranges, allowing for greater dithering with
less perceived noise.

Noise Shaping Curve

Displays the general frequency curve of the selected noise shaping
profile.

Bit Meter
Displays information about the digital activity of your program
material. The bit meter is not a level meter, it displays which bits are
being used. If a bit is used (goes from 1 to 0 or vice versa), the box
representing that bit will light up.
1. Real-time bit activity in the left and right channels.
2. Overall (“peak hold”) bit activity in the left and right channels.
Generally, you want to see activity in each of the bits that are relevant
to the bit depth you are exporting to. A signal like DC offset will toggle
a lower bit once (lighting the outside column), but would never toggle
it after that since the bit is being held. If you’re dithering down, you
only want to see 16, 12, or 8 bits lit (corresponding to the output bit
depth of the dither).
WHY DOESN'T THE TOP BIT LIGHT UP IN THE BIT METER?

When samples are stored as a binary number, negative samples

are specially encoded. Since the binary representation of
negative numbers is not intuitive, Ozone takes the absolute value
of each sample before plotting it on the bit meter. Since the MSB
(most significant bit) is only set when a sample is negative, this
bit will never light up. We simply included the top bit as
placeholder for completeness.

Reset
Clears the state of the Bit Meter. Clicking on the Bit Meter will also
reset the peak hold information.

DC Offset
This section allows you to monitor and filter DC Offset from your track
before limiting.
Audio signals are normally represented by an alternating current (AC)
signal with an average value of zero. DC offset can be caused by
things like malfunctions in analog recording equipment or faulty A/D
conversion. In an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analyzer, DC offset is
represented with energy at zero frequency (0 Hz). DC offset can be
effectively removed with a high-pass filter set to a very low frequency
value.
It is important to distinguish DC offset from waveform asymmetry.
Asymmetry skews the waveform shape towards positive or negative
levels, but the average current stays at zero. Many audio signals are
naturally asymmetric in nature. Unlike DC offset, asymmetry has no
particular energy near 0 Hz and can be reduced using phase rotation
filters.

DC Offset Meter
Displays the amount of DC Offset present in the signal.

Click on the DC Offset meter to clear and reset the calculation.

Filter
Enables a highpass filter with a cutoff frequency of 1 Hz to filter DC
offset before limiting is applied.
DC OFFSET FILTER MODULE DEPENDENCY

In the mothership plug-in or application, the DC offset meter and

filter are only available if the Maximizer or Vintage Limiter
module is in the signal chain. When the Filter is enabled, it is
applied to the signal before it enters the Maximizer or Vintage
Limiter module (whichever comes first, if both are present in the
signal chain).
Referencing
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Importing References
 Reference Track Tabs
 Reference Loop Segments and Playback Controls
o Managing Reference Loop Segments
o Reference Playback Controls
 Reference Metering Options

Overview
Referencing in Ozone 9 helps you compare and contrast audio in your
DAW by allowing you to import up to 10 reference tracks, visualize
differences in your music with overlaid spectrum metering, and quickly
A/B your audio right in the audition panel. Access the Referencing
panel by clicking on the Reference button below the I/O meters.
Enable/Disable Referencing by clicking Reference’s power button.

Importing References
Click on the “+” button in the middle of the empty Reference panel to
select a reference files to load.
 Supported file formats: wav, aif/aiff, mp3, AAC, FLAC.
 The Reference panel supports up to 10 reference tracks at a time.
 When using the Reference panel in the Ozone application, the
loaded references will be shared across different tracks (i.e. Each
track in a given Ozone project will display the same 10 reference
tracks in the Reference panel.)

Reference Track Tabs

Each tab represents an imported reference file. You can manage the
reference track tabs using the following methods:
 Add Tracks: Click on the + button to add a new reference track.
(You can add up to 10 at a time.)
 Re-ordering Tabs: Click and drag track tabs to change their order.
 Removing Tracks:
o Right-click on a track tab and select “Remove Track”.
o Click on a tab to select it, then click on the X button.

Reference Loop Segments and Playback

Controls
When tracks are initially loaded into the Reference panel, handles will
appear overlaid on the waveform display. The handles represent
boundaries of predetermined loop points. The loop boundaries are
placed based on similar segments detected in the track, this uses the
same machine learning technology used to generate the segmentation
bar under waveforms in the Ozone application. By default, the
segments will be named with a letter (A/B/C/D/E).

Managing Reference Loop Segments

You can customize, add, and remove loop segments:
 Adjust loop segment length: Click and drag the Region Selector
handles LEFT or RIGHT to adjust the length of a loop segment.
 Rename loop segments: Click on the text above a loop segment to
open an inline edit field. Enter the desired loop name and press
the Enter or Return key or click anywhere in the interface to
save the loop segment name.
 Insert loop: Right-click on the waveform where you would like to
add a new loop, select “Insert Loop” from the menu.
 Remove loop: Right-click on a loop segment and select “Remove
Loop” from the menu.
 Select loop for playback: Click anywhere within a loop segment
and press the spacebar to loop reference playback on a specific
segment.
 o Note: The Reference power button in the I/O panel needs to be
enabled in order to hear reference track playback.

Reference Playback Controls

 Select All: Enable to loop the entire reference track.
 Gain: Adjusts the output gain of reference track playback.

Reference Metering Options

The I/O options pop-up menu above the I/O meters contains metering
options for Reference tracks.

 Replace Input with Reference: When enabled, the Ozone input

meter will display the reference track level.
 Show Reference Spectrum: When enabled, the Reference track
spectrum will be displayed in the module spectrum meters
alongside the spectrum meter of your current track.
Preset System
Table of Contents
 Overview
 Preset Manager Footer Controls
 Edit Preset Names and Comments
 Working Settings and Default
 Preset Folder Locations

Overview
Ozone’s presets are designed to give you a quick starting point for
mastering your projects. Retrieve, store, or customize presets with the
Preset Manager. There are two types of Preset Managers:
1. Global Preset Manager: Click on the preset name display bar in the
header to open the global preset manager window.
2. Module Preset Manager: Click on the Presets button the a
module’s signal chain tile to open the associated module preset
manager window.

Preset Manager Footer Controls

The footer area of the Preset Manager window includes the following
controls:

 Add Preset (+): Creates a new preset based on the current

settings.
 Delete (x): Deletes the selected preset or preset folder.
 New folder: Make a new folder in your preset directory.
 Change directory: Allows you to change where Ozone stores
preset files.
 Save: Updates the currently selected preset to include changes.
 DIRTY STATE FLAG ( * )
An asterisk * will appear next to a preset that has been
modified but not saved.

NO SAVE IN MODULE PRESET MANAGER

There is no save (update modified) button in the module

preset manager. Save your settings by adding a new module
preset.
 Close: Closes the Preset manager window.

Edit Preset Names and Comments

 To edit to the preset name:
o Double-click on a preset name.
o Edit the text in the inline edit field.
o Press Enter or Return
 To add comments to the preset:
o Click on the comments field at the bottom of the window.
o Edit the text in the inline edit field.
o Press Enter or Return

SPECIAL CHARACTERS IN PRESET NAMES

Some characters such as * or / cannot be used as preset
names. If you try to type these characters in the name they will
be ignored.

Working Settings and Default

The top of the preset manager list includes two common
options: <Working Settings> and <Default>.

 Working Settings: Select this to load settings based on the last

change you made.
 Default: Select to reset all parameters their factory (or custom)
default value.
 o Custom Default: You can override the factory <Default> preset
by selecting any preset as your custom default.
1. Right-click on the preset you want to use as your
custom <Default> settings.
2. In the context menu, select Set PresetName as Default.
o Undo Custom Default: You can undo your custom default
settings by:
1. Right-click on any preset in the list.
2. In the context menu, select Reset Default to factory default.

Preset Folder Locations

Ozone 9 presets are installed and saved to the following locations by
default:
 Windows: C:\Users\username\Documents\iZotope\Ozone 9\Presets\
 Mac: /Users/username/Documents/iZotope/Ozone 9/Presets/
Options
Table of Contents
 Overview
o Options Window Footer Controls
 General Options
o General: Graphics
o General: Authorization & Updates
o General: Other
 Spectrum Options
 EQ Options
o EQ: Spectrum
o EQ: Performance
 Dynamics Options
 Imager Options
 Dynamic EQ Options
 Exciter Options
 I/O Options
 Ozone App Options
o Plug-in Options
o App Options

Overview
You can adjust global and module-specific settings in the Options
window. You can open the Options window by clicking the gear button
in the upper right hand corner of the Ozone interface.

You can access different groups of options by clicking on a tab in the

upper portion of the Options window. You can reset, save or cancel
changes to options using the buttons in the footer area of the options
window.

Options Window Footer Controls

The bottom of the options window includes the following global
parameters:

 ?: Opens the Ozone help documentation in your default web

browser.
 Reset: Resets all Options in the currently selected options tab to
their factory default values.
 Version information: Displays the current Ozone version and build
number.
 Cancel: Closes the Options window without saving changes.
 Ok: Closes the Options window and saves changes.

General Options
The General Options tab allows you to adjust settings related to
graphics, authorization, updates, usage tracking and undo history.

General: Graphics
 Show Tooltips: Enables the display of a descriptive text box when
hovering your cursor over a control.
 Dim Controls When Bypassed: Enables an overlay that dims the
appearance of controls in the module control panel when Ozone is
bypassed.

General: Authorization & Updates

 Check for Updates: The Check for Updates button has the
following states:
o Download Product Portal: To stay up to date with new versions
of Relay, download the iZotope Product Portal application.
o Check for Updates: Manually check for available updates.
Clicking this button will open the Product Portal application
and check for updates.
o Download Update: If an update is available, a small blue dot
will appear. Clicking the Download Update button in the
 options window will launch the Product Portal application and
display the Updates page.
 Authorization:
o Current Authorization Status Text: Displays the current Ozone
authorization state.
o Authorize: Opens the iZotope Authorization wizard.
o Remove Authorization: Removes the current authorization.

General: Other
 Enable Analytics: Enables anonymous usage data to be sent to
iZotope to help improve Ozone in the future.
 History Depth: Determines the number of parameter change
events to store in the Undo History list.

Spectrum Options
The Spectrum options tab allows you to manage options related to the
Spectrum view in all Ozone modules.

 Type: Selects the type of spectrum display used by spectrum

analyzer views in all Ozone modules. The following options are
available:
o Linear: A continuous line connecting the calculated points of
the spectrum.
o 1/3 Octave: Splits the spectrum into bars with a width of 1/3 of
an octave. Although the spectrum is split into discrete bands,
this option can provide excellent resolution at lower
frequencies.
 o Critical: Splits the spectrum into bands that correspond to how
we hear, or more specifically how we differentiate between
sounds of different frequencies. Each band represents sounds
that are considered “similar” in frequency.
o Full Octave: Splits the spectrum into bars with a width of one
full octave.
 Fill Spectrum: Allows you to display the real-time spectrum as a
solid graph as opposed to a line graph. This option can be used to
differentiate the real-time spectrum from the peak hold spectrum.
 Peak Hold Time (ms): Sets the length of time the peak hold display
will hold before updating. You can choose between specific hold
times (in milliseconds) or Infinite, where the peak display is held
indefinitely.
 Show Peak Hold: Toggles whether Ozone displays and holds the
peaks of the spectrum.
 Window Type: Sets the window type for the spectrum. In most
cases the default window type will work well, but you can choose
from a variety of window types. Each window type has different
amplitude and frequency resolution characteristics.
 Window Size: Controls the tradeoff between time and frequency
resolution in the spectrum analyzer. Higher values offer greater
frequency resolution.
 Average Time: Averages the spectrum according to this setting.
Higher average times can be useful for viewing the overall tonal
balance of a mix, while shorter average times provide a more real-
time display. Options include: Real Time, 1 sec, 3 sec, 5 sec, 10
sec, and Infinite.
 Frequency Scale: Modifies the distribution of frequencies along the
frequency axis of the spectrum analyzer. The default frequency
scale is Extended Log.
o Mel: Displays a frequency scale based on human perception of
sound that visually corresponds to how we hear differences in
pitch.
o Logarithmic (Flat, Extended) Logarithmic: Displays non-linear
scales that offer detail on the low end and midrange, useful for
the vast majority of EQ tasks.

EQ Options
The EQ tab includes EQ Spectrum and Performance options. These
options affect Equalizer 1 and Equalizer 2 modules.

EQ: Spectrum
 Alt-Solo Filter Q: Sets the bandwidth (Q) of the Alt-Solo feature in
the Equalizer module(s).
 Show Extra Curves: Toggles the display of Phase Delay, Phase
Response, and Group Delay curves in the EQ spectrum.

EQ: Performance
 Soft Saturation: Select to enable soft saturation to in the EQ
module. When enabled, signals that clip as a result of being
boosted by the EQ will saturate with an analog character, rather
than harsh digital clipping.
 Buffer Size: Select to adjusts the memory buffer size, measured in
samples, when applying equalization to the signal.
 Frequency Resolution: Select to set the minimum resolution, in Hz,
the Equalizer can be adjusted by. You can choose from: 3 Hz, 6 Hz,
12 Hz, 24 Hz, and 48 Hz.
 Filter Size: Displays the calculated steepness of the filter setting
used in the EQ module.

Dynamics Options
This tab allows you to adjust multiband crossover settings and
lookahead time for the Dynamics module.
 Crossover Type: Sets the type of crossover used for multiband
processing in the Dynamics module.
o Analog: Provides a natural analog character.
o Digital: Provides a more transparent sounding crossover.
o Hybrid: A perfect reconstruction IIR analog crossover designed
to reduce phase distortion and frequency distortion found in
other analog crossovers while maintaining precise crossover
points and the warm characteristics of analog crossovers.
 Crossover buffer size: Determines the digital audio buffer size that
is used when the Digital crossover type is selected. Adjusting this
value can affect CPU performance.
 Crossover Q: When using the Digital crossover type, you can
manually set the bandwidth of the crossover points in the
Dynamics module. A higher Q value results in tighter crossovers,
while a lower Q provides a more gradual transition from one band
to the next.
 Look ahead [ms]: Determines the look ahead time window for input
level detection in the Dynamics module. Ranges from 0ms
(instantaneous level detection) to 10 ms (level detection based
on )

Imager Options
This tab includes options related to metering, processing, and
crossovers in the Imager module.
 Prevent Antiphase: Select to automatically prevent any settings
from being applied that would result in phase cancellation of the
stereo signal, when summed to mono.
 Vectorscope Detection Method: Determines the type of amplitude
detection method used by the Vectorscope.
o Peak: Uses the peak level of the incoming signal.
o RMS: Uses the average level of the incoming signal.
o Envelope: Similar to RMS, uses average level of the incoming
signal evened out across all frequencies.
 Crossover Type: Sets the type of crossover used for multiband
processing in the Imager module.
o Analog: Provides a natural analog character.
o Digital: Provides a more transparent sounding crossover.
o Hybrid: A perfect reconstruction IIR analog crossover designed
to reduce phase distortion and frequency distortion found in
other analog crossovers while maintaining precise crossover
points and the warm characteristics of analog crossovers.
 Crossover buffer size: Determines the digital audio buffer size that
is used when the Digital crossover type is selected. Adjusting this
value can affect CPU performance.
 Crossover Q: When using the Digital crossover type, you can
manually set the bandwidth of the crossover points in the Imager
module. A higher Q value results in tighter crossovers, while a
lower Q provides a more gradual transition from one band to the
next.

Dynamic EQ Options
This tab includes general display options for the Dynamic EQ module.
 Show Musical Units: Select to display frequency points as musical
notes (for example, A4) instead of measured in Hz.
 Alt-solo filter Q: Adjust to set the bandwidth (Q) of the Alt-Solo
feature in the Dynamic EQ module. Ranges from 0.2 to 12.0.

Exciter Options
This tab includes options related to the multiband crossover in the
Exciter.

 Crossover Type: Select from analog, digital or hybrid as the

crossover type used for multiband processing in the Exciter
module.
o Analog: Provides a natural analog character.
o Digital: Provides a more transparent sounding crossover.
o Hybrid: A perfect reconstruction IIR analog crossover designed
to reduce phase distortion and frequency distortion found in
other analog crossovers while maintaining precise crossover
points and the warm characteristics of analog crossovers.
 Crossover buffer size: Determines the digital audio buffer size that
is used when the Digital crossover type is selected. Adjusting this
value can affect CPU performance.
 Crossover Q: When using the Digital crossover type, you can
manually set the bandwidth of the crossover points in the Exciter
module. A higher Q value results in tighter crossovers, while a
lower Q provides a more gradual transition from one band to the
next.
I/O Options

 Enable I/O meters: Select to enable/disable the meters in Ozone’s

master I/O section.
 Detect true peaks: Select Detect True Peaks to accurately
measure the signal that will result from digital to analog
conversion. By default the Input/Output meters will only indicate
clipping which occurs within the digital domain.
 Enable legacy bypass gain match behavior: Determines the
behavior of the Gain Match feature in the I/O auditioning section.
o Behavior when checked: Gain matching is applied to the
bypassed output of Ozone and does not affect the I/O gain. The
bypassed output level will be adjusted by the amount of gain
introduced by Ozone processing. This allows you to A/B your
processing without noticeable jumps in level between the
bypassed and unbypassed signals. This gain adjustment is only
applied to the output signal when Ozone is bypassed and Gain
Match is enabled in the I/O auditioning section.
o Behavior when unchecked: Gain matching is applied to the
processed output of Ozone. Ozone’s output gain will be
automatically adjusted to match the unprocessed input level.
The output level sliders will be colored blue when this gain
matching is active. Unlike the legacy auto gain match
behavior, we recommend turning Gain Match on and off as
needed rather than keeping it enabled all the time. This
behavior does affect the output level of Ozone.
 Meter Type: Choose from one of the following options to set the
meter type displayed in the I/O meters:
o RMS: RMS (Root Mean Square) is a software-based
implementation of an analog-style level meter. Using different
 integration times, you can model popular VU or PPM meters.
The RMS meter displays the average level calculated over a
short window of time. The RMS meter readout will typically be
lower than an equivalent PPM meter (Digital/Analog), since it is
averaging peaks into the overall loudness.
o PEAK: The Peak meter is a fast meter that measures
instantaneous maximum sample value or peak analog
waveform values, depending on the “detect inter-sample
peaks” checkbox. If you are tracking the peaks for possible
clipping, the Peak meter is appropriate.
o RMS + PEAK: This is a combined RMS and Peak meter. This
meter displays a lower bright bar representing the average
level (RMS) and a higher dimmer bar representing peak level.
There is also a moving line above the bar representing the
most recent peak level or peak hold.
o K-SYSTEM: Ozone 9 supports Bob Katz’s K-System metering
with simultaneous peak and RMS displays.
o MOMENTARY: This measurement is a calculation of loudness
over the course of 400ms.
o SHORT TERM: This measurement is a calculation of loudness
over the course of 3 seconds.
o INTEGRATED: This measurement is a calculation of loudness
over the course of an indefinite period of time.
 Meter Scale: Choose from one of the following options to set the
range and scale of the I/O Meters:
o dB (Linear): Decibel scale presented linearly from -60 dB to 0.
o dB (Non-linear): Full decibel scale (dBfs) presented non-linearly.
o BS.1771: Loudness scale recommended by the ITU that spans
from -45 LUFS to -14.0 LUFS.
o EBU +9: Loudness scale recommended as a default by the EBU
that spans from -41.0 LUFS to -14.0 LUFS.
o EBU +18: Loudness scale recommended for material with a
wide Loudness Range by the EBU that spans from -59.0 LUFS
to -5.0 LUFS.
LUFS

LUFS is Loudness Units Full Scale and 1 LUFS = 1 dB.

 Meter Source: The following meter source options are
available: Stereo and Mid/Side. The I/O meters
display Stereo information by default. When the I/O meters are
 in Mid/Side mode, the meter in the center represents the Mid
channel level information and the meters on the left and right
represents Side channel level information.

GAIN SLIDERS CONTROL LEFT/RIGHT GAIN IN MID/SIDE MODE

The input and output gain sliders always control the left and
right input/output gain, regardless of the Meter Source
selection.
 Peak Hold Time (ms): Choose from the following options to set
how many consecutive samples of audio must exceed 0 dBFS (full
scale) before registering as a peak: 5 ms, 250 ms, 500 ms, 1,000
ms, 5,000 ms, and Infinite.
 Integration time (ms): Choose from the following options to specify
the integration time for the RMS calculation: 10 ms, 50 ms, 300
ms (VU), 1,475 ms, 2,650 ms, 3,825 ms, and 5,000 ms. In most
RMS meters, the integration time is set to around 300 ms.
 Readout: Selects whether the peak hold section of the meters
displays the current peak status (current) or instead displays the
highest peak that has occurred in the audio file (max peak).
 Show Peak Hold: Displays peak hold bars in the I/O meters.

Ozone App Options

The Ozone application options menu includes tabs that are specific to
the application. These tabs allow you to manage plug-in scanning and
application specific behaviors.

Plug-in Options
 Enabled Plug-in Formats: Allows you to individually select which
plug-in formats (VST and AudioUnit) will be automatically loaded
into Ozone’s “Plug-ins” section.
 Scan Plug-ins: Click this button to re-scan the selected plug-in
locations and load in any newly installed plug-ins.
 VST Plug-in Folders: Displays the currently monitored folder path
of where your VST plug-ins reside that are loaded into the “Plug-
ins” section of Ozone. Use in conjunction with the “Add VST
Folder” to add a new location, or the “Delete VST Folder” to delete
a currently displayed folder path.

App Options

 Enable Waveform Segments Overlay: Enables/disables a

segmentation bar display below the track waveform display in the
Ozone application. Every audio file imported into an Ozone app
project is scanned for matching “segments” which are displayed
as colored bars just below the waveform. The corresponding audio
can be selected by clicking on the colored segment, this allows
you to easily select a loop region or quickly jump to different
sections of a file.
 Playhead Follows Playback: When this control is checked, the
playhead will always stop at the location that the stop button is
pressed, as opposed to returning to the start position.
Glossary

Bias
The process in analog tape recording by which a supersonic signal is
introduced to the incoming audio in order to improve the distortion and
frequency response specifications of the recording.

Band
Short for “frequency band” which is a range or interval in the
frequency spectrum often divided into low, mid or high-frequency
bands.

Band shelf
Hybrid filter shape combining attributes of a shelving filter and a
peaking filter.

Bandwidth
Describes the range of frequencies being affected by a signal
processor. Inversely proportional to Q.

Baxandall
A type of first order shelving equalizer typically found in the tone
control of high fidelity home audio components.

Butterworth filter
A filter shape designed to have a flat frequency response in the
passband.

Detection circuit
The component that evaluates signal amplitude to trigger a processor.

Envelope
The varying amplitude of sound over time. This can be broken into four
stages: attack, decay, sustain, and release.

Fairchild 670
A feedback-based tube compressor/limiter with a soft knee, unique
attack, and release envelopes. An IRC I limiter is applied after the tube
processing to transparently prevent clipping to the entire bandwidth of
the mix.

FFT (Fast Fourier Transform)

A procedure for the calculation of a signal frequency spectrum. The
greater the FFT size, the greater the frequency resolution, i.e., notes
and tonal events will be clearer at larger sizes.

Filter
Audio filters are frequency dependent amplifier circuits that boost
(amplify), cut (attenuate), or pass ranges of the audible frequency
spectrum.

HUD (Heads-Up Display)

A panel through which you can access module controls.

MBIT+ Dither
This is a proprietary iZotope word length reduction technology that
reduces quantization distortion with minimal perceived noise. While
this might sound like a paradox, MBIT+ is a very smooth, quiet, and
almost “analog sounding” technology.

Q
In an equalizer, it is the center frequency divided by bandwidth.

Resonant Filter
Has a complex nature of adjustment such that at the cut off point you
can increase or attenuate the resonance. Typically is accompanied by
significant phase shift or ringing.

Resonant Peak (Vintage Tape)

In reference to a tape head bump, this describes the prominence of the
amount of gain at the low-end frequency at which the tape head bump
is being reproduced.

Saturation
A harmonic type of non-linear distortion.
Sidechain
The signal that feeds the detection circuit in a processor.

Spectrum Analyzer
A meter that measures amplitude across the frequencies which
encompass the spectrum of human hearing. The vertical axis
represents amplitude while the horizontal axis represents frequency.

Tape Saturation
A wavelength (tape speed divided by frequency) dependent process so
the exact sound of the saturation is a complex interplay between tape
speed, bias-level, program material and other factors.

Waveform
A visual representation of the envelope of the soundwave. (amplitude
representation).
Zotope Customer Care

How to purchase the full version of Ozone 9

If you are using the demo version of Ozone 9 and would like the full
version, you can purchase directly from the iZotope online
store: https://www.izotope.com/en/shop.html
Once your purchase is complete, you will be sent an email
confirmation and a full version serial number that can be used to fully
authorize your current installation of Ozone 9.

iZotope customer care policy

iZotope is happy to provide professional technical Customer Care to all
registered users absolutely free of
charge. https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/
We also offer valuable pre-sales technical Customer Care to customers
who may be interested in purchasing an iZotope product. Before
contacting iZotope Customer Care, you can search
our Knowledgebase to see if the solution to your problem has already
been published.
How long does iZotope provide customer support for purchased
products? You can email us with any question for 12 months after you
buy any iZotope product. Past 12 months, we’ll still help you with your
account and authorization but will not provide technical support for in-
depth product questions. If you need more detailed help on how to use
the product, please check out our FAQs and Tutorials.
How long does iZotope support its products? Although we can’t
guarantee it, we do our best to keep our products up to date with the
operating systems and plug-in hosts that we support. Sometimes,
other companies make changes that we’re not able to support, but we
actively work with other companies to avoid these sorts of
compatibility problems. We also do our best to address bug fixes
within the product itself to ensure our products operate in accordance
with our specifications.
We will provide software updates for 12 months from product release.
After 12 months, no software updates will be provided.
For details on what operating systems and plug-in host software are
officially supported for a product, please check that product’s Specs
page.

Contacting iZotope customer care

For additional help with Ozone 9:
 Check out the Customer Care pages on our
website: https://support.izotope.com/hc/en-us/
 Contact our Customer Care department at [email protected]
iZotope’s highly trained Customer Care team is committed to
responding to all requests within one (1) business day and frequently
respond faster. Please try to explain your problem with as much detail
and clarity as possible. This will ensure our ability to solve your
problem accurately, the first time around. Please include all system
specs and the build/version of Ozone 9 that you are using.
Once your Customer Care request is submitted, you will receive a
confirmation email from iZotope Customer Care. If you do not receive
this email within a few minutes, please check your spam folder and
make sure our responses are not getting blocked. To prevent this from
happening please add [email protected] to your list of allowed
email addresses

International Distribution
Customer Care is also available from our international distributors
worldwide for any customers who purchased their iZotope products
through a certified iZotope distributor.
Check with your local distributor for availability. If you would like help
locating your local distributor please contact iZotope Customer Care.
Thanks for using Ozone 9!
-The iZotope Team