5 VSTs & Tools for checking Final Audio Mix and Master(Free and Paid)

In this article, you will learn about the best VSTs for checking the readiness of the mix and master of your soundtrack. Often, producers complete the project and decide to release the song right away. This can be a potentially bad move.

Because of factors like ear fatigue, wrong monitoring, or technical errors, the final master may have artifacts. Let us look at some essential tools that can help you check whether your mix and master release ready or not.

Best VST for checking mix and master

  1. Expose 2 by Mastering the Mix
  2. Car Test by Rocket Powered Sound
  3. Insight 2 by iZotope
  4. Reference by Mastering the Mix
  5. Levels 2 by Mastering the Mix

Expose 2 by Mastering the Mix($61)

Expose 2 by Mastering the Mix is a great way to find and fix technical mistakes in your mixes and masters. It analyses audio files and highlights problematic values. It will even point out overcompression or phase issues. Even if you don't know how to create a perfect mix or master, you can still use Expose to spot problem areas and improve your track. Whether you're just starting out or have been mixing for years, this software will help you..

Expose 2 by Mastering The Mix

Expose 2 analyzes tracks and reveals what's wrong with your mix by comparing them to a reference track or a profile(Spotify, Soundcloud, etc). Expose can also detect problems with volume and loudness. Loudness matching is another great feature of Expose 2.

Expose is a stand-alone application. You can purchase it for $61 and get a free 30-day money-back guarantee. You can also download a free trial and check out the new features.

Learn more about Expose 2

Cat Test by Rocket Powered Sound(Free)

Car Test is an outstanding concept plugin by Rocket Powered Sound. Just like its name, it emulates the sound quality of a stereo sound system in a car. The resemblance between the plugin and the actual car speaker is uncanny. The plugin has a simple user interface with great visuals. There is a simple on-off button.

A car Test can be used to check the final master of the soundtrack. It also stimulates the right-hand drive position, just like a real car. The plugin is a great source for checking the tonal balance, phase, and stereo output. The best part, it is absolutely free.

Learn more about Car Test VST

Insight 2 by iZotope($199)

Insight 2 by iZotope tope is a comprehensive audio analysis and metering plugin that is a core part of many award-winning post-production houses. The program is incredibly flexible and customizable, offering an enormous array of options.

Insight 2 by iZotope

The Insight 2 user interface has been designed with the most important targets at the forefront, making it easy to read and understand. New features include the Intelligibility Meter, which uses information from compatible plugins to provide visual feedback on mix comprehension. The meter also includes target settings for tricky noise environments.

With its customizable interface and responsive metering, Insight 2 takes the guesswork out of complex audio mixing. Insight 2 provides the highest accuracy of audio monitoring to visualize changes made during the mixing process. It also ensures that your mix is broadcast-ready and meets all broadcast loudness standards. It supports multichannel audio as well as Dolby Atmos up to 7.1.2.

Learn more about Insight 2

Reference 2 by Mastering The Mix($61)

Reference by Mastering the Mix can help you improve your music production. Its unique approach enables you to compare two tracks side by side. This VST contains a number of powerful features, including an auto-leveling feature, which ensures that your songs are the same loudness as your reference.

Reference 2 by Mastering the Mix

Using the Reference VST by Mastering the Mix is simple. You can load reference tracks into the plugin and analyze their content in detail. This software also has the option of looping specific parts of the reference track to compare the difference in their frequency bands. This means that you can hear the difference between a chorus or a drop in a track's volume while making a comparison. This will make it easier for you to spot problems in your mix.

Learn more about Reference 2

LEVELS 2 by Mastering The Mix($61)

LEVELS makes audio metering a simple process, and it analyzes metering results to let you know whether something needs to be adjusted in the mix. It's a great concept, and it works surprisingly well in practice. Despite the limitations of the software, LEVELS offers some excellent features that make audio metering easy and fun.

LEVELS 2 By Mastering the Mix

Its four metering modes are simple, useful, and inexpensive. In addition, the LEVELS metering software includes four different visualizations: the Headroom view displays integrated LUFS readings, short-term LUFS meters, and the True Peak meter. It also includes a vectorscope that visualizes stereo width.

Learn more about LEVELS 2

Conclusion

These were the 5 best VST plugins and softwares to check the final mix and masters. We hope that this article will help you improve your soundtracks further and make them release ready. Thanks for Reading