HoRNet MasterTool 1.1.0 update

We are excited to announce the release of MasterTool v1.1.0, a powerful update to our intelligent and fully automated mastering plugin. HoRNet MasterTool is designed to give your music a professional, polished finish without requiring deep technical knowledge of mastering. Think of it as an automatic mastering robot that listens to your track, analyzes it, and applies the necessary adjustments to bring it to a competitive, finalized level.

MasterTool is not just another limiter or EQ. It’s a comprehensive mastering processor powered by advanced algorithms and smart signal analysis. Whether you are producing electronic music, acoustic recordings, podcasts, or voiceovers, MasterTool adapts to your audio to provide a tailored mastering chain that brings out clarity, loudness, and balance in a natural and musical way.

One of the core features of MasterTool is its ability to fix issues in the frequency spectrum of your mix. This is achieved through our proprietary frequency unmasking algorithm, which intelligently detects overlapping frequencies and brings clarity to the mix. This is especially helpful when certain elements like vocals, bass, or percussion are fighting for space in the same range. By resolving these conflicts automatically, the plugin enhances separation and depth, allowing every element in the mix to breathe.

After this spectral correction, MasterTool analyzes the dynamic content of your track. Using our coherence meter algorithm, it adjusts the dynamics with a combination of a clipper and two distinct limiters. These components work together to control peaks and boost loudness while preserving musical integrity. The initial clipper and first limiter handle aggressive peak control and prepare the signal for final polishing. Then, the second limiter fine-tunes the output to match the target loudness level you’ve selected.

This two-stage approach ensures that your music sounds loud and energetic without sounding squashed or distorted. The plugin is designed to maintain a natural dynamic range, which is essential in today’s competitive streaming environment where clarity and loudness must coexist.

Getting started with MasterTool is simple. When you load the plugin on your master channel, press the “Learn” button to begin the analysis. This initiates a full scan of your track’s frequency and dynamic profile. During this process, the plugin listens carefully and gathers data on the track’s content. This one-time learning phase ensures that the subsequent processing is accurate and customized to your material.

Once the learning process is complete, press the “Learn” button again to stop the analysis. From that moment on, MasterTool will use the data it has collected to apply mastering adjustments in real time. This intelligent behavior ensures that every mastering decision is based on real characteristics of your audio, not just predefined presets.

Additionally, the plugin is fully responsive to changes. If you adjust any parameter—be it output level, limiter threshold, or spectral settings—the plugin re-evaluates its entire processing algorithm. This means that MasterTool dynamically adapts to your changes and recalibrates its internal logic to maintain optimal results. Whether you tweak settings halfway through a session or automate changes during playback, the plugin ensures consistent mastering quality from start to finish.

The plugin’s interface is designed to be clean and intuitive, providing quick access to essential controls while giving users confidence that the complex processing is handled behind the scenes. It’s the ideal tool for producers, mix engineers, and content creators who want fast, reliable mastering without the complexity.

What’s New in MasterTool v1.1.0:

• Added Apple M1 native support: The plugin now runs natively on Apple Silicon (M1 and later), offering enhanced performance and compatibility for modern Mac systems. This ensures smoother real-time processing and lower CPU usage for Mac users.

• Fixed model not updating when parameters change via automation: A bug was addressed that prevented the plugin from updating its processing model when automated parameters were modified. This fix ensures full responsiveness in automated sessions.

• Improved target level accuracy: We refined the internal loudness detection and limiting behavior to provide even more accurate control of the final output level, ensuring that your tracks hit the exact LUFS target you set.

These enhancements make MasterTool even more reliable and versatile for users working in a variety of environments. Whether you’re finalizing a music track for release or mastering a voiceover for a commercial, the plugin now offers improved speed, accuracy, and automation handling.

As always, this update is free for all existing plugin owners. You can download MasterTool v1.1.0 from the user area on our website or by using HoRNet DoIn, our automatic plugin downloader and installer. HoRNet DoIn makes it easy to stay up to date with all your HoRNet products, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.

With MasterTool, we’ve created a smart and efficient way to master your audio with confidence. It listens, analyzes, adjusts, and polishes your track, all while giving you just the right amount of control. Whether you’re an experienced engineer or a DIY producer, MasterTool helps you achieve professional-level sound with ease.

We encourage all users to update to version 1.1.0 and experience the improvements firsthand. If you have any feedback or questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team—we’re always happy to help.