Har-Bal Users Forum BBS

I would like to combine the use of Har-Bal with Izotope Ozone. My current strategy is to run my mixdown through all stages of Ozone except the Loudness Maximization, then export to a .wav file and equalize with Har-Bal.

If I go this route, should I use the equalisation function in Har-Bal, or just use the Loudness Maximization function of Ozone?

Maybe a more general question here is : should I follow Har-Bal with Ozone? I thought this would be a good idea because Ozone has dithering. I also planned to keep everything 24 bit until I export the final file as 16-bit from the Ozone dither. Is this the right strategy?

I master everything I do with T-Racks, and then drop it all into Har-Bal as the final route. This was also agreed upon by Earle Holder. So just let Ozone do its thing and see what happens. If it sounds crap, release the LM. Otherwise, I'd leave it as it is.

Excellent results.

Biskopen,
After you've Harbalized your track is it then ready for CD duplication. In other words your Harbalized track "is" your master?

I thought that the process was:

- first mix and leave at least a headroom of -3db, then
- Harbalize,
- then master using L2 and perhaps a multiband compressor and take headroom to -0,2db
- check with Harbal that there are no "unwanted" peaks or troughs.
-Release for production.


Regards,



ubuntu

If you are mastering with ozone you should process your track all the way up and leave of final limiting until you check your mix with Har-Bal.
If it is fine or you need to Har-Balize the track apply the limiter when you are done.

The reason is that you certainly don't want any digital overs which is why limiting should be the last in the chain.

Those that are using T-racks are actually Har-Balizing first and then using the opto + half inch preset and they are done.

the opto + half inch preset includes a limiter.

Earle

I 'Har-Bal'ize first.

Make my filters, get the level up.

Then I open the processed 'Har-Bal' file in T-RackS.

Depending on the song-style, I'll go for some of that 'fake' tape-saturation that T-RackS does.

After the T-RackS treatment I'll bring the file back into 'Har-Bal' to check one last time.

I then bring the track into Pro Tools to make my last edits - fade outs, loops, various versions, etc.

I assemble the CD in Roxio.

I mainly work on a MAC (PT, Roxio) but use a PC for 'Har-Bal' & T-RackS.