Should the limiter be on the mix bus or in mastering?

A true-peak limiter on the mix bus is useful for catching occasional peaks and for checking how the mix behaves at the target level. Leave the final loudness decision for mastering unless you are delivering the master yourself.

Is it better to use one channel strip or separate plug-ins?

A channel strip keeps related decisions together and is faster to recall. Separate plug-ins let you change the order and use only the stages you need. Neither is more correct; choose the workflow you will actually finish in.

How do I know the mix bus is doing too much?

If bypassing it changes the balance of the mix rather than the finish, it is doing too much. If you cannot match the level when bypassing, the chain is probably adding loudness rather than cohesion.

Signal path

A mix bus chain in the order that keeps decisions reversible

The mix bus is the last place to solve a problem that belongs on a track. Use it for broad tone, cohesion and final level, and keep every move small enough that you can bypass it without the mix falling apart. The order below puts correction before character and level control last.

Band Practice
The G
Berry Console
Summation
Mastering Tape Suite
Finish Him
End Times
BIG

The order

Step by step

Change the order if the material asks for it. The reasons are in each step.

1. Correct the broad balance
Band Practice gives 24 bands with ten shapes and three phase modes. Use broad shelves and gentle bells for the mix-wide balance; if a single instrument needs a narrow cut, go back to the instrument.
- Band Practice
2. Compress for cohesion
The G is a console-style VCA bus compressor. Slow attack, auto release and a low ratio let the mix breathe while the parts start to feel like one performance. Berry Console is the alternative when you want EQ, compression and transformer colour in one strip.
- The G
- Berry Console
3. Add colour deliberately
Summation provides three circuit-inspired summing engines on the master bus. Valence and Mastering Tape Suite add valve and tape character respectively. Pick one colour stage for the mix, not three, and compare at matched loudness.
- Summation
- Mastering Tape Suite
4. Control peaks and loudness
Finish Him is a true-peak limiter with four engines and a dBTP ceiling. End Times is a multiband adaptive mastering limiter. Use one as the final peak stage; stacking both usually buys level at the cost of transient life.
- Finish Him
- End Times
5. Check the mono sum and the width
BIG adds a side-derived image whose contribution cancels in mono before its common gain compensation and optional BASS shelf. Check the mono sum as well as the stereo impression, and compare at matched level.
- BIG

Listening check

Bypass the entire mix-bus chain and match the level. The mix should still work. If it collapses, the chain is holding up an arrangement problem rather than finishing a balanced one.

In this guide

The plug-ins named above

Open a product page for the full controls, formats and installers.

Band Practice
Price: Free
A 24-band EQ with ten filter shapes and three phase modes.
Equalization
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
The G
Price: $19.99$39.99 from 9 Nov
Console-style VCA bus compression with stepped timing and a parallel Mix.
Compressor
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
Berry Console
Price: $29.99$59.99 from 9 Nov
Gate, EQ and compress a channel in one plug-in.
Channel Strip
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
Summation
Price: $24.99$49.99 from 9 Nov
Console saturation: US Discrete, British Class-A and British Console engines.
Saturation
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
Mastering Tape Suite
Price: $29.99$59.99 from 9 Nov
Add tape colour and shape the dynamics of a mix or bus.
Tape
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
Finish Him
Price: $39.99$79.99 from 9 Nov
Choose Transparent, Punch, Dense or Safe limiting.
Limiter
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
End Times
Price: $29.99$59.99 from 9 Nov
A loudness chain: clipping, spectral limiting and a true-peak ceiling in one.
Limiter
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU
BIG
Price: $14.99$29.99 from 9 Nov
Shape stereo width in the frequency range you choose.
Stereo Imaging
Windows VST3 · Mac VST3 / AU

FAQ

Questions about this chain

Should the limiter be on the mix bus or in mastering?: A true-peak limiter on the mix bus is useful for catching occasional peaks and for checking how the mix behaves at the target level. Leave the final loudness decision for mastering unless you are delivering the master yourself.
Is it better to use one channel strip or separate plug-ins?: A channel strip keeps related decisions together and is faster to recall. Separate plug-ins let you change the order and use only the stages you need. Neither is more correct; choose the workflow you will actually finish in.
How do I know the mix bus is doing too much?: If bypassing it changes the balance of the mix rather than the finish, it is doing too much. If you cannot match the level when bypassing, the chain is probably adding loudness rather than cohesion.

Keep going

Other signal paths

All guides

A mix bus chain in the order that keeps decisions reversible

1. Correct the broad balance

2. Compress for cohesion

3. Add colour deliberately

4. Control peaks and loudness

5. Check the mono sum and the width

Listening check