AnalogDAW Master
Place Master near the end of your mix chain. Its default path is:
Tape → Filters → EQ → Compressor → Output gain → Limiter
Tape, filters, EQ and compressor can be reordered. Output gain precedes the limiter, which remains the final stage. Master has no separate Console stage; its tape processor supplies its own coloration.
Tape
Tape provides Drive, Bias, a 15/30 IPS speed selector and optional Wow & Flutter with Depth. Start gently, compare at matched loudness, and use pitch movement only when it suits the material. Depth is inactive while Wow & Flutter is off. Bypass Tape for a cleaner starting point.
Tone and dynamics
Filters remove unwanted frequency extremes. Four-band EQ shapes the overall balance, and the five compressor circuits offer different dynamics behavior. Their shared controls are described in the Channel chapter. Small changes can affect the whole mix; check verses, choruses and the loudest section.
Final limiter
The limiter provides Input Threshold, Ceiling, Release and Lookahead. Default enables Tape and Limiter with a −0.3 dB ceiling. Factory Master recipes instead use a −1 dB ceiling and 1.5 ms lookahead.
- Lookahead Off enforces a sample ceiling.
- 0.75 ms or 1.5 ms enables reconstructed-peak detection.
- The limiter GR meter shows attenuation. If it is working too hard, reduce the level driving it or use less Input Threshold boost.
Output gain is before the limiter. Processors placed after Master in the host can change the final peaks, so verify the host's exported file as well.
Loudness and true peaks
Master displays true-peak and LUFS loudness readings alongside its level and gain-reduction meters. Use loudness readings to assess perceived level over material, and true peaks to watch reconstructed peaks between digital samples. Meter reset is applied on the next audio render block; in a stopped standalone preview, resume playback for it to take effect.
The meters use K-weighted gated loudness and 4× true-peak interpolation. Generated reference signals have been checked, but full EBU/ITU certification is not claimed. There is no automatic loudness-target or Mastering Assistant workflow in Strips. Check the finished export against your intended delivery requirements.
Factory starting points
| Preset | Starting character |
|---|---|
| Clean Master | Tape, EQ and compression bypassed; unity output and final peak control |
| Punch Master | Tape bypassed; Bus compression with a slower 30 ms attack |
| Warm Master | 15 IPS tape, gentle drive and Tube compression |
All three leave Wow & Flutter off. Tune the limiter while listening through the loudest passage rather than assuming a preset reaches a particular loudness.
Latency and host compensation
Master reports approximately 4.5 ms of latency at every setting, including bypass: tape alignment plus limiter alignment. That is 216 frames at 48 kHz. Changing Tape or Lookahead does not change the reported latency. Channel and Bus report zero algorithmic latency; your interface and host still add their own.
Use your host's delay compensation, especially for parallel paths. Continue to Controls, Presets & Automation or return to the guide overview.