User Manual

MASTER X HD NATIVE / MASTER X HD-DT

Multiband Dynamics Processor Plug-In with Optional Hardware Desktop Controller

V 1.0
2 MASTER X HD User Manual

Table of Contents
Important Safety Instructions....................................... 3 6. Navigating the MASTER X HD Desktop Controller
(optional)....................................................................... 17
Legal Disclaimer.............................................................. 3
7. Dynamics Processing In-Depth............................... 18
Limited warranty............................................................. 3
7.1 Compressor.......................................................................... 18
1. Introduction................................................................ 4
7.2 Limiter.................................................................................... 19
2. Plug-in Installation..................................................... 4
7.3 Gate/Expander.................................................................... 19
2.1 Installation on a PC.............................................................. 4
7.4 Modern Mastering, Loudness and ...................................
2.2 Installation on a Mac.......................................................... 5
True-Peaks.................................................................................... 20
3. Activate your MASTER X HD .......................................
8. Presets....................................................................... 22
iLok license...................................................................... 5
8.1 Factory Presets....................................................................22
3.1 Activation when you have purchased the NATIVE
version............................................................................................. 5 8.2 User Presets.........................................................................22
3.2 Get a Free Demo License.................................................. 5 8.3 Presets and the optional hardware unit ..................23
4. Connection and Setup............................................... 6 8.4 Favorite Presets..................................................................23
4.1 Connecting the MASTER X HD-DT Desktop Controller 8.5 Make Current Preset Default.........................................23
(optional)........................................................................................ 6
8.6 Reveal User Preset Folder in Explorer........................23
4.2 Operating the MASTER X HD.......................................... 6
9. Software Updates .................................................... 24
4.3 Insert vs Aux Effect............................................................. 6
9.1 Hardware Unit Software Updates (optional)........... 24
4.4 Mono/Stereo Operation.................................................... 6
10. Specifications.......................................................... 24
4.5 Plug-in and Hardware Controls...................................... 7
4.6 Connection Status to the Hardware Unit.................... 7
5. User Interface.............................................................. 8
5.1 Bypass On/Off....................................................................... 9
5.2 Main Display.......................................................................... 9
5.3 Meters...................................................................................... 9
5.4 Static Response View....................................................... 10
5.5 Target Curve And Target Factors................................. 10
5.6 Expander............................................................................... 12
5.7 Compressor.......................................................................... 13
5.8 Limiter.................................................................................... 14
5.9 Crossover Frequencies and Band Gains.................... 15
5.10 Soft Clip............................................................................... 15
5.11 Mix......................................................................................... 16
5.12 S/C, IO, Mix Controls........................................................ 16
3 MASTER X HD User Manual

Important Safety 9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized 20. Please keep the environmental aspects of battery
Instructions or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades disposal in mind. Batteries must be disposed-of at a
with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug battery collection point.
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide 21. This apparatus may be used in tropical and moderate
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the climates up to 45°C.
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or LEGAL DISCLAIMER
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, Music Tribe accepts no liability for any loss which
Terminals marked with this symbol carry
and the point where they exit from the apparatus. may be suffered by any person who relies either
electrical current of sufficient magnitude
to constitute risk of electric shock. 11. Use only attachments/accessories specified by wholly or in part upon any description, photograph,
Use only high-quality professional speaker cables with the manufacturer. or statement contained herein. Technical specifications,
¼" TS or twist-locking plugs pre-installed. All other appearances and other information are subject to
12. Use only with the
installation or modification should be performed only change without notice. All trademarks are the property
cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
by qualified personnel. of their respective owners. Midas, Klark Teknik,
or table specified by the
Lab Gruppen, Lake, Tannoy, Turbosound, TC Electronic,
This symbol, wherever it appears, manufacturer, or sold with
TC Helicon, Behringer, Bugera, Auratone and Coolaudio
alerts you to the presence of uninsulated the apparatus. When a cart
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Music
dangerous voltage inside the is used, use caution when
Tribe Global Brands Ltd. © Music Tribe Global Brands
enclosure - voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a moving the cart/apparatus
Ltd. 2020 All rights reserved.
risk of shock. combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.
This symbol, wherever it appears,
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or LIMITED WARRANTY
alerts you to important operating and
when unused for long periods of time.
maintenance instructions in the For the applicable warranty terms and conditions
accompanying literature. Please read the manual. 14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. and additional information regarding Music Tribe’s
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been Limited Warranty, please see complete details online at
Caution damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug musictribe.com/warranty.
To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen
remove the top cover (or the rear section). into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has
qualified personnel. been dropped.
Caution 15. The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket
To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, outlet with a protective earthing connection.
do not expose this appliance to rain and 16. Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is
moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall
or splashing liquids and no objects filled with liquids, remain readily operable.
such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
17. Correct disposal of this
Caution product: This symbol indicates
These service instructions are for use that this product must not be
by qualified service personnel only. disposed of with household
To reduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any waste, according to the WEEE
servicing other than that contained in the operation Directive (2012/19/EU) and
instructions. Repairs have to be performed by qualified your national law. This product
service personnel. should be taken to a collection center licensed for the
1. Read these instructions. recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment
(EEE). The mishandling of this type of waste could have
2. Keep these instructions.
a possible negative impact on the environment and
3. Heed all warnings. human health due to potentially hazardous substances
4. Follow all instructions. that are generally associated with EEE. At the same time,
5. Do not use this apparatus near water. your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product
will contribute to the efficient use of natural resources.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
For more information about where you can take your
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. city office, or your household waste collection service.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as 18. Do not install in a confined space, such as a book
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus case or similar unit.
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
19. Do not place naked flame sources, such as lighted
candles, on the apparatus.
4 MASTER X HD User Manual

1. Introduction 2. Plug-in Installation

Congratulations on the purchase of your MASTER X HD.
The combined MASTER X HD plug-in installer for both the NATIVE and DT Desktop
MASTER X HD is a supreme 3 band Expander/Compressor/Limiter that is specially Controller products can be downloaded from the following page:
designed for audio professionals in the studio or using modern live setups.
www.tcelectronic.com/masterxhd-dt/support
Combining award-winning multiband compression technology with a fast and
intuitive user interface, as well as a super smooth expander, the MASTER X HD is The MASTER X HD plug-in requires an active PACE iLok license to work. See
made for the uncompromising sound engineer. The optional Desktop Controller Chapter 3.
adds intuitive and exciting hands-on control, while providing ways to optimize
Using the Desktop Controller is optional, and all parameters are available in the
your workflow. This new take is highly refined and optimized, while staying true
plug-in.
to the award-winning legacy of TC Electronic multiband technology featured in
products like Finalizer, Master X3 and C400XL. Save the installer file (.pkg or .msi file) in a convenient location on your hard
drive.
Multiband Dynamics Technology
MASTER X HD uses advanced TC Electronic multiband dynamics technology to
compress and adapt to any source - from vocals and percussion, to guitars and
2.1 Installation on a PC
even keyboards. Due to the perfectly split- and recombining crossover filters Double click the installer (.msi file). If you get a security warning, click ‘Run’.
the inherent transparency of the multiband compressor brings out the qualities
of the source material, yet secures a firm and consistent level at all times. The
optimized and super-fast expander offers smooth and high precision expansion
of any source. The MASTER X HD is equally aimed for channel, sub-mix and master
bus insert.
Three Strikes and you're in!
MASTER X HD stands out in three distinct areas that make it the ideal unit for
demanding use in the studio or in modern live setups:
• Sound quality – this quality is ensured by proven and optimized source-
based multiband compression, limiting, and smooth expansion.
• Versatility – decide on expansion, compression, limiting, or a combination,
adaptable to any source, and the MASTER X HD is up for the task.
• Intuitive – the fast and intuitive user interface and a mix knob for parallel Accept the license agreement and click ‘Next’.
compression, makes for a fast, professional product.
Intuitive – yet advanced
The refined user interface features extremely fast and easy tuning of the many
parameters in a complex multi-band multi-dynamic processor. The overall
processing characteristics are controlled via a “Target Curve” that simplifies the
handling by providing a global processing style for all bands in all processing
blocks. The interaction between the bands can be fine-tuned by applying
“Target Factors” which determine the frequency focus of each processing
block, significantly reducing the number of required user parameters to set this
complex process up.
Additionally, MASTER X HD features a 'Mix' knob allowing parallel compression
without complicated routing schemes. The unique Parallel compression will lift
hidden details in every vocal or drumkit track.
Select which VST and/or AAX components you want to install. Pro Tools uses AAX
Last but not least, MASTER X HD features a new take on Softclipping that includes and most other DAW programs use VST. The installer will offer a default location
emphasis, which optimizes use on bass dominated material. to save the file, but you can choose another location by clicking
the ‘Browse’ button.
For enhanced precision in modern mastering, the TC Electronic Brickwall HD
plug-in features top shelf True Peak limiting and is perfect in combination with
Master X HD.
About this manual
Read this manual to learn how to install and use your TC Electronic MASTER X HD
multi-band dynamics processor unit. This manual is only available in PDF format
from the TC Electronic website. To get the most from this manual, please read it
from start to finish, or you may miss important information.
To download the most current version of this manual, visit the web page:
www.tcelectronic.com/Categories/c/Tcelectronic/Downloads
If you still have questions about your TC Electronic product after reading its
manual, please get in touch with TC Support:
www.tcelectronic.com/brand/tcelectronic/support
Click ‘Next’ to begin the installation. When installation is complete, click ‘Finish’.
5 MASTER X HD User Manual

Note: If your DAW fails to detect the newly installed plugin, this can often be
fixed by adding the following paths to the Plug-in Manager (or similar) of the
3. Activate your MASTER X HD
DAW. The default paths on a PC are "C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST2" and iLok license
"C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3" for VST2 and VST3, respectively.
3.1 Activation when you have purchased the
2.2 Installation on a Mac NATIVE version
Double click the installer (.pkg) file. Step 1: Install iLok
The first step is to create an iLok user account at www.iLok.com and install the
PACE iLok License Manager on your computer if it’s your first time using iLok.
Step 2: Activation
In the received mail (when buying the NATIVE version) or on the rear cover of the
printed quick start guide (when you have bought the DT Desktop Controller
version) you will find your personal Activation Code. To activate your software,
please use the "Redeem an Activation Code" feature in the PACE iLok License
Manager.
Proceed through the prompts to begin installation.

Click ‘Continue.'
3.2 Get a Free Demo License
Make use of this hassle-free offer to try out our plug-ins before you buy.
• 14-Day Trial Period
• Fully Functional
• No Feature Limitations
• No Physical iLok Key Needed

Step 1: Install iLok

The first step is to create a free iLok user account at www.iLok.com and install the
PACE iLok License Manager on your computer if it is your first time using iLok.
Step 2: Get your free license
A default location will be selected for installation, or you can select another Go to:
folder manually. If you have administrator authorization in place, you will need to www.tcelectronic.com/brand/tcelectronic/free-trial-masterxhd-native
enter your password before beginning installation.
and enter your iLok User ID.
Click 'Close' when done.
Step 3: Activation
Activate your software in the PACE iLok License Manager.
6 MASTER X HD User Manual

4. Connection and Setup 4.2 Operating the MASTER X HD

After you have installed the plug-in, activated the iLok license and optionally
4.1 Connecting the MASTER X HD-DT Desktop connected the MASTER X HD-DT Desktop Controller via USB, you can begin
Controller (optional) inserting the plug-in to your tracks.
Getting the Desktop Controller up and running couldn’t get any easier. Plug the Adjustments to the effect are done in two ways. Either by using the plug-in user
included USB cable into the unit’s rear micro-USB port, and connect the other end interface or via the physical Desktop Controller.
to a free USB port on your computer. The Desktop Controller is bus powered, so no
other power cables are necessary, and no additional drivers need to be
manually installed.

MASTER X HD-DT

Laptop

The Desktop Controller will light up upon successful connection. You can now
apply the plug-in to a channel in your DAW to begin using the effect. This process
may vary slightly depending on your software, but generally should require
these steps:
• Select a channel or bus in your DAW to which you would like to add the effect.
Access the mixer page where you should see a section dedicated to effect slots 4.3 Insert vs Aux Effect
• Open the menu where you can select from a list of effect types, which The MASTER X HD is intended for insertion directly into an effect slot on a single
probably includes many stock plugins that are included with the DAW. channel, sub mix bus or master bus, which passes the entire signal through the
There should be submenu to view general VST/AU/AAX options. effect. Should you prefer to have some of the original signal passed through the
• The plug-in will likely be found in a dedicated TC Electronic folder. Select the plug-in, please use the built-in MIX parameter, which is ideal for that purpose.
MASTER X HD and it will now be added to the signal chain. Be careful if using MASTER X HD on an auxiliary bus, as mixing the output of
MASTER X HD with the original track sound will potentially create a phasing issue
Double click on the effect slot that contains the MASTER X HD to view the plug-in
depending on your DAW's ability to correctly compensate for latency in plug-ins.
UI. There should be a green link icon at the bottom, and text that indicates
Mixing of signal from before and after the MASTER X HD is best and most reliably
successful connection between the plug-in and the Desktop Controller.
done using the built-in MIX parameter.

4.4 Mono/Stereo Operation

The MASTER X HD can be used both as a mono instance on mono tracks and a
stereo instance on stereo tracks.
In the case of a mono out instance, the output signal is made by outputting the
left plug-in channel only. In this case, panning should not be used.
7 MASTER X HD User Manual

4.5 Plug-in and Hardware Controls 4.6 Connection Status to the Hardware Unit
After you have installed the plug-in, activated the iLok license, and optionally The TC Icon family all use the same method to show the connection status
connected the MASTER X HD DT desktop controller hardware unit via USB, you between the plug-in and the hardware unit.
can begin using it.
The controls of the plug-in and desktop controller are described in more detail Connection status is indicated on the lower left side of the plug-in window.
later in this manual. Successful connection is indicated with a green chain icon. The Tooltips area will
show the plug-in instance name that the hardware unit is currently connected
Plug-in User Interface: to. This is often the DAW channel name. If your DAW does not support this, you
may enter a name for the instance. This may be especially convenient when using
DAW project templates.

When using the NATIVE version only, this chain icon will remain grey:

If another instance of the plug-in already exists on another track, the chain icon
will appear yellow, and the text box will notify you where the plug-in is currently
Optional Desktop Controller Hardware Unit: active. Click the chain icon to connect the hardware unit to the new plug-in
location.

To summarize the connection status possibilities:

Most DAWs offer the ability to move or drag plug-ins from one track/bus to
another, and MASTER X HD supports this as well.
Most DAWs also feature an on/off switch for plug-ins, accessible inside the
plug-in window and/or the track itself. Muting the plug-in will make the effect
inaudible, but will not shut down the connection to the hardware unit.
8 MASTER X HD User Manual

5. User Interface The top part of the display:

Control of the MASTER X HD is done in the plug-in, or using the optional hardware • Three Static Response graphs (Low/Mid/High), each with a combination
unit (when you have purchased the DT version). display of the Expander/Compressor/Limiter performance
• Individual gain reduction meters for Expander/Compressor/Limiter in
Overview
each band
As a general note, the parameters, controls, and graphs are color-coded as
follows: • Each band can be auditioned individually by pressing the SOLO button
• Expander: Green • This display can be hidden or shown, by clicking in this area
• Compressor: Blue The controls section at the bottom includes:
• Limiter: Yellow • Curve, overall setting
• Softclip: Orange • Factor, individual setting for Expander/Compressor/Limiter. This applies
an amount of the Curve setting to Low/High band relative to Mid band
• Curve: Purple (Use the overall Curve selection and an amount of Factor
for each of the Expander, Compressor, Limiter, to dial in the low and • The main controls of either the Expander, Compressor, or Limiter, are
high frequency band relative to the mid band) shown - depending on whether COM, EXP, LIM is selected.
For an example of the use of colour: anything coloured blue concerns the • Expander on/off/focus, Compressor on/off/focus, Limiter on/off/focus
Compressor controls, actions, and effect
• Expander/Compressor/Limiter adjustment
Controls
• Softclip on/off/ threshold, look ahead
• Any of the circular controls can be adjusted either by dragging on the
• Input gain, output gain
dials, or by double-clicking and entering a numeric value in the box.
• Mix on/off and adjustment, balance
• Threshold controls and Soft Clip also show the current signal level as an
inner-ring, as a guide to setting the controls • Bypass on/off
The main display shows the Frequency, Band Gains and the amount of Gain At the right hand edge:
Reduction in each band for each of the Expander, Compressor and Limiter.
• Input meter and Output meter
• The gain of each band can be adjusted by vertically moving the white
At the bottom left:
node in the center of each band on the main display. Note that the Band
Gain sits before the Compressor • Connection status "Chain" icon
• The crossover frequency of each band can be adjusted by horizontally • Connection status message and Tool Tips
moving the 2 arrows shown below the main frequency axis

Low Band Mid Band High Band

Solo Solo Solo Response Hide/Show

Input
Meter
L/R
Band
Output
Gain
Meter
Gain L/R
Adjustment

Input/Output
Soft Clip Mix

Bypass (on/off)

Module Connection Curve Factor Window Size

Status and Tool Tips Exp/Com/Lim Adjustment
Low/Mid Mid/High
Crossover Adjustment Preset Crossover Adjustment
Window
9 MASTER X HD User Manual

At the bottom middle/right: 5.3 Meters

• Preset number, preset name, factory or user, favorite, preset up/down The PPM meters (Peak Program Meters) at the far right include a very accurate
Peak-Hold function.
• Setup
• Use the input and output gain controls in the IO area to adjust the levels
• Shopping cart
if required.
At the bottom right corner:
• Use the Balance control in the MIX area to adjust the L/R balance if
• User Interface size adjustment required.
The controls and features are described in more detail below. CAUTION: If the MASTER X HD sits as the final insert on the Master Bus, you must
ensure that no peaks exceed 0dBFS. These peaks will be shown in red for a short
5.1 Bypass On/Off time, before decaying.
Press this very important button to bypass or engage the MASTER X HD. This Note: For enhanced precision in modern mastering, the TC Electronic Brickwall
makes it easy for you to listen and compare the overall effect of your awesome HD plug-in features very high quality True Peak limiting, and is perfect in
work. combination with Master X HD.
Bypass On/Off

Peaks have
reached
maximum

Peaks

Enlarged view of the

5.2 Main Display top of the meter

The main display has a linear vertical dB scale, horizontal frequency scale, and we
show the auto-makeup gain.
The linear dB scale is informative because it is possible to read the gain reduction Input L/R
while also seeing the auto makeup gain from the compression. It is also possible
to see that if the gain reduction curves hit “0 dB” you will have close to 0 dB gain
though the plug-in, assuming the Input and Output gain are set to 0 dB.
The dB scale can be varied (zoomed) between 12 / 24 dB, and this setting is saved Output L/R
with the preset.The display will show the overall band gain across the three
bands, as a white line with three white nodes at the center of each band.
In operation, the display will show the variation caused by the operation of the
Expander (in green), Compressor (in blue), and Limiter (in Yellow). The total
(Compressor/Limiter) gain-reduction peak reached, is shown as a faint low-signal
mark. IO

Input Gain Output Gain

MIX

Compressor

Limiter

Expander, Compressor and Limiter Total Balance

action during program play Gain Reduction Peak
10 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.4 Static Response View 5.5 Target Curve And Target Factors
One of the very strong features of the MASTER X HD is to simplify the many
Low, Mid, High Band
settings of the 3-Band Expander, Compressor, Limiter, so that each one presents
The top section of the display shows three Static Response graphs, one for each
only one set of parameters, and not one set per frequency band.
frequency band.
The Target Curves and Target Factors simplify the handling of the Master X
The Static Response display give you a visual feedback of the static in-to-out gain
HD by reducing the amount of parameters necessary to control the plug-in by
response of the Expander, Compressor, Limiter processing applied to each band.
approximately 2/3. Thanks to these innovative parameters, you can easily keep
Each band can be soloed using the SOLO buttons, so you can listen to each band an overview of all relevant settings at all times – and quickly achieve great
and the effect of your processing selections and adjustments. This is true even results!
when using Mix for parallel compression techniques.
Overview
Note: You can see how the overall Curve setting and the individual Factor setting
for each processing blocks (Expander, Compressor, Limiter) affects the behavior
of the MASTER X HD.

Low Band Mid Band High Band

Although this is a 3-Band solution, there are only one set of parameters for each
(Expander, Compressor, Limiter) processing block. This is possible due to the
combined use of the Target Curve and Target Factor:
• The displayed numeric values such as Threshold, Ratio, Attack, and
Release, always refer to the MID band only
EXP COM LIM EXP COM LIM Current Level • Choose a CURVE to define the basic “focus” (Air, Bass, Flat, or Smiley) as
Slope = Ratio Threshold displayed by the small curve in the Target Curve display
Points Gain Reduction • The Expander, Compressor, Limiter each use the same chosen Curve
Meters
• The Expander, Compressor, Limiter can each have a different Target
Factor setting
• The graphic representation of each band shows the Expander,
• Use Target Factor to apply an amount of the selected Curve to each of
Compressor, and Limiter's Threshold and Ratio.
the Expander, Compressor and Limiter
• The vertical gain reduction meters show yellow at the top, if the Limiter
is engaged, green at the bottom if the Expander is engaged, and a 5.5.1 Target Factor
moving blue bar shows the Compressor's amount of gain reduction in a
The Target Factor allows fast and intuitive adjustment of the complex relation
simplified way. Exact readings can be done in the main view.
between the 3 bands, and it does this separately for the Expander, Compressor,
• The white node on each graph shows the current music program level in and Limiter processing blocks.
each frequency band.
For example: With just one move of the Target Factor in the Limiter block, you can
• Press the SOLO button to audition each band separately and judge the increase the focus of the Limiter block on the high frequency spectrum.
effect of the settings. Note that SOLO will stay on, even if you change to
In the 0% position:
a different preset. So if something sounds odd, check that a SOLO button
has not been left on. • The Target Factor is deactivated and has no effect – the Low and High
bands will be processed with the same Mid band parameter settings
you see on screen
• For example, if the Compressor has a 0% Factor, then the Low band
and High band Compressor parameters are the same as the Mid band
Compressor parameters shown
In the 100% position:
• The selected Target Curve will be applied to the maximum
• For example, if the Compressor has a 100% Factor, then the Low band
and High band Compressor parameters will be different than the
displayed Mid band Compressor parameters, depending on the Curve
you choose
So in a way you could say: The Target Factor determines the amount of
differences between the Low, Mid, and High bands.
11 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.5.2 Target Curves Air

The High band will be processed more.
The Curve setting determines how the 3 bands work together.
When you mouse-over the Curve or Factor area, three contour lines appear, that
show the factor setting for the Expander, Compressor, and Limiter.

Flat
All 3 bands are processed equally. So in this case, the parameters of the Low and
High Band are the same as those shown for the Mid Band. The Target Factor has
no effect. (Imagine the frequency characteristics of white noise.)
Note that when the Curve is set to Flat, the three static response graphs at the
top are identical for Low, Mid, and High.

AIR FACTOR setting FACTOR %

Exp (G), Comp (B), Lim (Y)

Smiley
The Low band and High band are processed more.

FLAT

Bass
The High band will be processed less. (Imagine the frequency characteristics of
pink noise.)

FACTOR setting
SMILEY Exp (G), Comp (B), Lim (Y) FACTOR %

BASS FACTOR setting FACTOR %

Exp (G), Comp (B), Lim (Y)
12 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.6 Expander Ratio

The Ratio determines how much the output signal will be lowered in proportion
The following examples show a Curve of "BASS" and a different Factor set for
to the original signal. The MASTER X HD’s Ratio parameter is a combined Ratio
each Expander/Compressor/Limiter
and Range control, and you can see the max Expander action (Range) in the main
view at stopped DAW Playback.
Expander Example:
Release
Release determines the time the Expander takes to return to the original
signal level. This parameter only has an effect, when the Threshold and Range
parameters are set in a way that the Expander is actually active.

Expander Expander
• Curve is set to BASS (for all EXP/COM/LIM) Ratio Release
• Expander controls are GREEN
• Factor for the Expander is 0% (and so all bands have the same Expander
settings as the Mid band settings)
• Mid Band Expander settings are: Threshold -65.0, Ratio 1:2.00, Release
time 250 ms. Only the Mid Band values are ever shown here
• The Threshold inner-ring shows the average level of the currently-
playing program. The outer-ring shows the current Threshold setting
• Click on the green light next to "EXP" to turn the Expander on/off
• Click on "EXP" to highlight the text and show the Expander controls
• Click on "COM" or "LIM" to show the Compressor or Limiter controls

Enable-Switch
3-Band Expander on/off
Expander Show Expander
On/Off Controls

Threshold
Sets the Expander’s Threshold. Values below the Threshold will be lowered in
volume according to the Ratio setting.
Note how the Threshold can be easily set by viewing the inner-ring level meter
inside the Threshold parameter outer-ring. A highlighted overlap between the
signal level and threshold rings will indicate that the Expander is in action and is
reducing the gain.
Actual Signal
Threshold Setting Level
13 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.7 Compressor Ratio

Determines the amount of compression, the higher the ratio the “stronger” the
Compressor Example: processing and the lower the output dynamics range.

Attack
The Compressor’s attack time determines how fast the compressor will react on
signals exceeding the threshold. Shorter attack times will compress harder but
might introduce a “pumping” sound. Note: You may want to increase the Look
Ahead Delay in order to better catch transients.
• Curve is set to BASS (for all EXP/COM/LIM)
Release
• Compressor controls are BLUE
The Release time determines how fast the compressor returns to not
• Factor for the Compressor is 50% compressing, whenever the level falls below the set Threshold.
• Mid Band Compressor settings are: Threshold -18.0, Ratio 2.50:1,
Attack time 40.0 ms, Release time 300 ms Compressor Compressor Compressor
Ratio Attack Release
• The Threshold inner-ring shows the average level of the currently-
playing program. The outer-ring shows the current Threshold setting
• Click on the blue light next to "COM"to turn the Compressor on/off
• Click on "COM" to highlight the text and show the Compressor controls
• Click on "EXP" or "LIM" to show the Expander or Limiter controls

Enable-Switch
3-Band Compressor on/off
Compressor Show Compressor
On/Off Controls

Threshold
Sets the Compressor’s threshold,above which level it starts processing. Levels
exceeding the threshold will be compressed.
Note: Due to the auto-makeup of the Compressor, you may find it suitable to
adjust the Input Gain in combination especially with the Compressor Threshold,
in order to balance the coloring and amount of compression in each frequency
band, otherwise defined by Compressor Threshold, Ratio, Curve, Factor and Band
Gains.
Note: The Threshold can be easily set by using the level meter inside the
Threshold parameter ring. A highlighted overlap between the signal level and
threshold rings will indicate that the Compressor is in action and is reducing the
gain.
Actual Signal Compressor
Level Threshold Setting
14 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.8 Limiter Attack

The Limiter’s attack time determines how fast the limiter will react on signals
Limiter Example: exceeding the threshold.
Note: You may want to increase the Look Ahead Delay in order to better catch
transients.

Release
The Release time determines how fast the limiter returns to not limiting,
whenever the level falls below the set Threshold.
• Curve is set to BASS (for all EXP/COM/LIM)
Limiter Limiter
• Limiter controls are YELLOW Attack Release
• Factor for the Limiter is 23%
• Mid Band Limiter settings are: Threshold -2.0, Attack time 1.00 ms,
Release time 150 ms
• The Threshold inner-ring shows the peak level of the currently-playing
program. The outer-ring shows the current Threshold setting
• Click on the yellow light next to "LIM"to turn the Limiter on/off
• Click on "LIM" to highlight the text and show the Limiter controls.
• Click on "EXP" or "COM" to show the Expander or Compressor controls

Enable-Switch
3-Band Limiter On/Off Limiter Show Limiter
On/Off Controls

Threshold
When the signal exceeds the set Threshold, the Limiter processes it with a ratio of
“infinite-to-one” to limit the possible maximal level.
Note how the Threshold can be easily set by viewing the inner-ring level meter
inside the Threshold parameter outer-ring. A highlighted overlap between the
signal level and threshold rings will indicate that the Limiter is in action and
limiting the signal.

Actual Signal Limiter

Level Threshold Setting
15 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.9 Crossover Frequencies and Band Gains 5.10 Soft Clip

MASTER X HDs crossover filters are designed to not introducing any split- and The analog-style softclipper sits at the output of the Master X HD, after the
recombination filter anomalies, unlike many other multiband compressors on the Limiter and Mix, but before the Output Gain.
market, and is therefore ideal as both channel, submix-bus or master-bus insert.
Signal into Soft Clip
You set the crossover frequencies for the 3 bands using the arrows underneath Actual Signal Soft Clip Setting
the controls boxes and the band gains using the control balls. Both can be typed Level
in as well after double clicking the control handles.
You can set both the crossover frequency and band level of a band by holding Ctrl
+ mouse drag. The minimum bandwidth of a band is one octave. The exact gain Soft Clip
is displayed numerically next to the band gain controls. On/Off

Note that the band gains are applied on the compressor input and are therefore
affected by the amount of compression. Higher gain leads to more compression.
This way, the amount of compression in the 3 bands can thereby be relaxed or
increased.
When the signal exceeds the set Threshold, the softclipper starts soft-clipping
The level of each band can be adjusted by either: the transients with a smooth and refined curve.
• Selecting the white node in the center of each band, and dragging it up Note how the Soft Clip threshold value can be easily set by viewing the level
and down. A vertical scale appears at the node position, showing the meter inside the Soft Clip parameter ring. A highlighted overlap between the
adjustment level +/- 12 dB from level. signal level and threshold rings will indicate that the softclipper is in action and
soft clipping the signal.
• Selecting the white node and clicking on the pop-up text box, and
entering a dB level from +12 to -12 dB. Note that the Soft Clip features low-frequency de-emphasis/emphasis filtering,
which makes it suitable for a wider variety of content, including bass-dominant
• The vertical scale and the current dB level appear when the mouse is on
signals.
the node.
Using the Soft Clip Enable button you can easily check if the current setting is to
• Note: It is possible to change the zoom level on the Y-axis in case
your liking on your specific audio content.
the main view graphs have reached the current view limits due to
less-subtle processesing settings. The vertical scale can be changed by
clicking on the +12 on the top right edge scale to change it to +24 dB.
Click again to return to +12.
The frequency of the Low/Mid and Mid/High crossover points can be adjusted by
either:
• Drag the two arrows left or right at the bottom of the display.
• Alternatively, click on the numeric value that appears when the mouse
is over the "arrow," and then type in the new value.

Toggle
12/24 dB

Vertical scale
of selected
node +/- 12 dB

dB level
Drag up
or down

Low/Mid Mid/High
Crossover Crossover
Adjustment Adjustment
16 MASTER X HD User Manual

5.11 Mix 5.12 SoftClip/IO/MIX controls

The Mix feature is new to the MASTER X HD, compared to MASTER X3 for Pro Click on the S/C, IO, or MIX text to view or hide three pairs of controls. The
Tools/Powercore. It enables parallel compression, where the Dry signal is mixed settings of these controls are saved with each preset.
with the Compressed signal, and the two signals are time-aligned perfectly
within the MASTER X HD, eliminating any potential phase issues. This is On/Off
something that can be a challenge in some DAWs, and makes the MASTER X HD
perfectly suited for placing as an insert on either a channel, a sub-mix bus or the
Balance MIX
master bus output.
Note that the “WET” signal chain includes all three processing blocks, Expander,
Compressor and Limiter.

MIX On/Off MIX Setting Input Output

Gain Gain

Soft Look
Clip Ahead

MIX = 0% MIX = 100% Input Gain

Use this control to adjust the input levels to suit, dependent upon where the
MASTER X HD is used, on a channel, a bus, or the master bus. Observe the input
level meters.
Note: Due to the auto-makeup of the Compressor, you may find it suitable to
adjust the Input Gain in combination, especially with the Compressor Threshold,
in order to balance the coloring and amount of compression in each frequency
band, otherwise defined by Compressor Threshold, Ratio, Curve, Factor and Band
Gains.
Parallel compression, sometimes called New York compression, or upward
compression, reduces the dynamic range of your content by bringing up Output Gain
the softest parts, enhancing the details while preserving the transients. Use this control to adjust the output levels to suit, dependent upon where the
Sometimes, upward and downward compression is used in series for less audible MASTER X HD is used, on a channel, a bus, or the master bus. Observe the output
“compression” or for really “heavy compression." A setup with two instances of level meters. The gain control sits on the output of MASTER X HD.
MASTER X HD is ideal for this trick and there are suitable presets “pairs” located in
CAUTION: If the MASTER X HD sits as the final insert on the Master Bus, you must
the Preset - Tools menu for this purpose.
ensure that no peaks exceed 0dBFS. Observe the output level meters and make
The only processing done after MIX is Soft Clipping, Output Gain, and Balance. sure the peaks do not go into the red.
Using the Mix Enable On?Off button, you can easily check if the current setting is
Balance
to your liking on your specific audio content.
Use this control to adjust the output left/right balance. It sits before the Soft Clip.
More details can be found in the Dry/Wet Mix or Parallel Compression chapter.
Look-Ahead Delay
Master X HD can “look into the future” and in this way, be prepared for sudden
peaks in your material, thus ensuring a much better quality processing. Increase
the setting to better catch transients, or decrease the setting to add some
Compressor/Limiter punch.
17 MASTER X HD User Manual

6. Navigating the MASTER X HD Note that the Compressor meter is a +/- lniear scale like in the plugin that show
Desktop Controller (optional) both gain reduction and makeup gain.

Block Select Button

Selects between editing the Expander, Compressor, or Limiter.
Each block can be enabled/disabled by holding Block Select and Bypass.
The individual Block LEDs in the display will light up when a Block is enabled and
Display be turned off when disabled. The selected Block will blink. If the selected Block is
disabled, the red LED in the Block Selected button will also blink.

Thres/Ratio Button
For the selected block, the Thres/Ratio button will assign Threshold to the left
encoder and the Ratio to the right encoder.
The value for each parameter will be shown in the display above, and the LED bar
will show the value setting in the value range. This is similar to the circles in the
plugin.

Attack/Release Button
Left Encoder Right Encoder For the selected block, the Attack/Release button will assign Attack time to the
left encoder, and Release time to the right encoder.
Attack/Release Curve/Factor The value for each parameter will be shown in the display above, and the LED bar
Edit will show the value setting in the value range.
Threshold/Ratio

Curve/Factor Button
Block Select Preset For the selected block, the Curve/Factor button will assign Curve to the left
Bypass Band Gain encoder and the Factor to the right encoder.
The value for each parameter will be shown in the display above, and the LED bar
will show the value setting in the value range.
Note that Curve is an overall setting, while Factor is individual for the expander,
Softclip Status
compressor, limiter.

Input and Output Low, Mid, and High Edit Button

PPM Meters Gain Reduction Meters This allows adjustment of overall parameters such as Softclip, Mix, In/Out Gain,
Balance, Look Ahead Delay, and Cross Over Frequencies.
Parameter selection is assigned to the left encoder, and the individual
parameter's setting is adjusted on the right encoder.

Curve Band Gain Button

Selected The Band Gain button assigns the Band selection to the left encoder, and the
selected Band's Gain to the right encoder.
SOLO the selected band by pressing Band Gain + Bypass.
Block While in SOLO mode, you can select other bands. Exit the SOLO mode by pressing
Selected
the Band Gain button again.

Preset Button
Press the Preset button to browse through the available presets. Either of the
encoders will browse to new presets, and while browsing, the Preset button
LED will blink. When a desired preset is reached, it can be loaded by pressing the
Preset button again, whereby the button LED stops blinking. An edited preset is
marked “xx.” in the module display.
Left Encoder Right Encoder
Note: It is possible to browse all presets, or browse the favorite presets only. The
Readout and Readout
choice of browsing method is done in the plugin.
Display and Display
18 MASTER X HD User Manual

7. Dynamics Processing In-Depth Examples of Compressor Threshold, Ratio, Curve, and

Factor
The multi-band compressor splits the signal gently into 3 overlapping bands - Let us look into setting the Threshold and Ratio. In many cases, you would use a
the low, mid, and high frequencies. It will then compress each band somewhat low threshold, in combination with a small ratio and vice-versa. Let us choose a
independently. Thereby, for example, a powerful kick-drum will not modulate low threshold of -23 dB and a small compression ratio of 2.5:1.
the processing of the lead vocals. After compressing/expanding, the 3 bands are
combined again. Although each "band" thus has its own compressor/expander,
the Curve/Factor and Threshold/Ratio provide a powerful means of controlling
them together.

7.1 Compressor
The very basis of compression can be reduced to "controlling the dynamic
content" of an audio signal. This basically means turning down the loudest parts
of the source material and raising the volume of the parts with low level content.
But how this is done, and how this is applied in audio production, is slightly more
elaborate.
Keep an eye on the illustration below and let us look at the basic compression
parameters:

We have now set the compressor – but with identical settings for all three bands,
assuming the Curve is Flat or the compressor factor is 0. With identical settings,
we are not taking full advantage of the multiband capabilities. This is where the
convenient Target Curves and the Target Factor come in.
The overall Target Curve setting creates different settings for each of the three
bands. The displayed values for each parameter are always the mid-band
settings. If the Target Curve is set to “Flat” (or if the Target Factors are set to “0”),
the values will be identical for all three bands. If you select the “Air” curve, for
example, the high band will be compressed more and become more pronounced
than the others.

Threshold
The Threshold parameter sets the limit where the compressor kicks-in/
releases its grip of the signal. As soon as the level is above the set threshold the
compressor is active. When below - it is not.

Ratio
The Ratio sets the amount of gain reduction applied when the signal exceeds the
threshold. In the illustration above, the Ratio is the steepness of the curve after
the compressor threshold.
The Target Factor setting defines how much of the selected Target Curve
characteristics will influence the high or low band. To set the Target Curve and
Attack
Factor properly, we recommend that you compare the processed signal with the
The Attack time is the time it takes for the compressor to reach the compression
uncompressed, because you can use it to change the overall sound impression – a
amount specified by the set ratio.
lot. Does your channel or track lack treble? Use the “Air” curve and adjust the
target factor to your liking. Too bright? Select “Bass” and adjust the target factor.
Release
Not enough treble and bass? Go for “Smiley”.
The Release time is the time it takes for the compressor to release the signal
after the input signal is below the threshold point again. How each of these
parameters are set is very important, and only the correct combination gives the
desired result.
19 MASTER X HD User Manual

Examples of Attack, Release and Crossover frequencies 7.3 Gate/Expander

Let us look into how to set the Attack and Release Times.
By compressing the signal, we made it sound louder due to the auto make-up
We start with small values for both parameters. If the attack time is too short, gain in the compressor. An unwanted side effect is that the ground floor level is
we may remove some nice transients or “kick” from the material. This may not also brought up. The noise will be most evident in the pauses.
be what we want, so we could try a greater value instead. Heavy peaks can be
The Expander is one possible cure for this, as it will reduce audible noise when
smoothed using the limiter section.
applied to vocal tracks, for example.
If the release-time is too fast, it may result in a “pumping” effect, because the
compressor returns to the uncompressed signal immediately whenever the signal
falls below the compressor’s threshold setting. If so, we could increase the value
of the release time until we are satisfied with the result.
You could start with an Attack time of 1ms and a Release time of 0.2 s.
If you do not get the desired result, you could also try some different crossover
frequencies. Keep in mind that you have three independent bands – why should
a bass drum signal affect the mid and high bands when its peak is in the low end?
You could start out by using 125 Hz and 2.5 kHz if applied on drums, or 315 Hz and
3.15 kHz if applied on a full range mix.
Note: Sometimes it is easier to adjust the Attack and Release times and the
Crossover frequencies by using extreme values for Threshold and Ratio during
setup. This will make the effect of your settings much easier to hear. Additionally,
the band SOLO-Function helps to focus on a single band. Keeping Mix set to 100%
WET will also help making the processing audible.

Band Gains
The Band Gains in the main display supply you with an additional tool for easily
adjusting the sound of your mix. You may want to use them like a low, mid, treble
EQ.
Noise, whether it is hiss, hum or just background noise, is always a parameter to
Note that the band gains are applied to the input of the compressor, so they
evaluate and deal with. Initially, noise must of course be reduced to a minimum
affect to what extent the individual bands are compressed. Higher gain leads to
from the source, but with a Gate/expander it is also possible to reduce the noise
more compression.
on channels when no significant signal is present.
7.2 Limiter A Gate - or downward expander, - is used to attenuate the signal when the signal
is below a certain threshold. When talking about attack and release times in
The Limiter is actually yet another compressor. It uses a very fast attack time and
reference to a noise gate: - the attack time is the time is takes for the gate to
has a ratio of 1 to infinity. But why is the Limiter necessary?
"open" when the signal rises above the threshold and the release time is the time
For the compressor to be used as a musical tool, the set attack times are relatively it takes for the gate to reach the specified attenuation.
long (from 1 to 100ms). This gives the disadvantage that certain peaks can pass.
Use the Expander carefully. The modulated noise, due to the Expander shifting
Therefore a limiter with an attack time of as little as 0.1ms and a ratio of 1 to
between opening up and reducing the noise, of the ground floor level is much
infinity prevents nearly all overshoots.
more audible than a higher ground floor level without such modulation.
You may want to use the Limiter carefully, as a limiter is always a somewhat
The Expander’s threshold must be lower than the compressor’s threshold. If you
“drastic” tool to apply to your audio. If on a full mix, just a couple dB should be
raise it too much, you might cut into low parts of the signal, such as reverb tails.
enough to limit strong peaks. If on a channel, feel free to sculpt your sound but
beware that the more compressed and limited it is, then the less “life” and more The Expander’s Ratio parameter determines the width of the level range.
“ear-fatiguing” it will most likely sound.
Note: The Attack time is a critical parameter for an expander. A short Attack time
As an example, you could chose a threshold of -6 dB. The Attack time could be will be suitable for transient content like drums, but may create audible artefacts
short (0.2 ms), so the Limiter is capable of catching transients. The release time if applied to less transient content like drone synth sounds.
could be set to a value that could avoid unwanted pumping (0.3 s).
Note: A rather seamless way to reduce noise by using a gate or expander, is to
Set the target factor in the same way you set the compressor. The higher Factor turn down the treble, then the mids and then the bass. This is possible by setting
value, the more pronounced the Curve setting will be on the material. the Target Curve to “Air” and apply some Target Factor to the Expander. Choosing
the “Bass” curve will do the opposite.
20 MASTER X HD User Manual

7.4 Modern Mastering, Loudness and 7.4.2 True Peak

True-Peaks Often, there can be small peaks of sound in-between digital samples, inter-
The MASTER X HD is a multi-band dynamics-multi-tool, highly suitable for the sample peaks, that go undetected in digital tools including our MASTER X HD.
mastering process, with many ways to make your mix sound better, but if not Where traditional peak meters and conventional peak limiters fail to read those
used wisely, there are many ways of making it sound worse! true peaks of sound, a True Peak meter will provide the mastering engineer with
the actual reading.
There is a risk of becoming speed-blind in the tuning process, and at first prefer
an over-compressed and loud-sounding track. This is a situation that can be Without a True Peak meter and True-Peak Limiter especially, a mastered track
avoided by: could go into digital clipping when converted to a lossy format like MP3 or AAC
or when being Digital-to-Analog converted in normal playback systems. This can
• Knowing your music genre deeply
happen, even if no distortion is heard when monitoring the final master.
• Using relevant reference tracks for comparison
For a modern, versatile and trustworthy mastering chain, we recommend the
• Ensuring calibrated monitoring levels BRICKWALL HD True-Peak Limiter is inserted after the MASTER X HD to ensure
elimination of the potential and problematic inter-sample peaks in your final
• Using an optimized monitoring environment
master track.
The resulting Loudness and Dynamic Compression are two of the most important
properties of a track, adjusted finally in mastering. These two properties can be 7.4.3 Beware of The Loudness Wars
regarded as counterparts to each other. In other words, it is important to:
An important note on loudness, is that there has been a trend in mastering
• Decide how loud your tracks should be toward making songs appear louder and louder. Since you can never exceed
the 0dBFS digital ceiling, applying a brickwall Limiter at the final stage, the
• Design the dynamic profile of your music
result often has been to apply very aggressive settings on dynamics tools such
Due to the fixed 0 dBFS ceiling, louder tracks have less dynamics, and “weaker” as multiband compressors, so-called ‘loudness optimizers’, as well as the final
tracks will potentially have more dynamics. Brickwall Limiter itself. This phenomenon has been referred to as ‘The Loudness
Wars’.
We recommend that you do not hyper-compress and limit your tracks to the
extreme in the mastering process, in order to achieve a loud track. If you overdo This escalated because we naturally perceive a louder version of a song to be
it, it will reduce the audio quality of your work. And often, there is even a penalty better than a softer version, when you compare them directly. Another cause is
in playback stages so your loud track may end up sounding weaker, rather than that record industry people would compare an ‘airplay’ version of one track to a
louder. newly mastered CD track, where the former tended to sound louder and fatter
due to FM broadcast processing – leading to a request to make the master louder,
7.4.1 Loudness with more cowbell. Well, the ‘wars’ may have peaked, but it is still something
that you should be aware of and pay attention to. And while we say that they
The Loudness approach to music mastering is based upon similar methods
may have peaked, they are not completely over…
introduced more than a decade ago by the industry producing audio for TV.
Further, if you apply extreme amounts of compression, distortion occurs, which
Loudness measures how loud we actually hear audio, which is different from
may lead to listening fatigue for you as well as your audience. Of course, the
“level” PPM meters that look at transients only. The Loudness method includes
amount of compression that you can use in order to fit a certain music genre can
K-filtering that emulates human hearing, where bass affects the perceived
vary, but just stay aware of how it affects your music, and act accordingly.
loudness level less, and where frequencies from approximately 2 kHz and up
affect the perceived loudness level more. It is also very important that you always listen to your own mastering project and
your reference library at the same loudness level when you compare them. There
Loudness is a modern, but still well-rehearsed reference method, which is
is no doubt that while a heavily compressed song – dynamically speaking – may
standardized in BS-1770, and many music streaming services refer to this
sound more impactful at first, you will sacrifice detail and nuance.
standard, or similar proprietary methods.
Finally and as mentioned above, keep in mind that the current trend in music
Loudness is measured on the LUFS metering scale. LUFS stands for "Loudness
streaming is a target loudness of approximately -16 LUFS, so if you deliver a
Units Full Scale." The scale does not measure sound as a dB meter or a VU meter
significantly louder song, it will get turned down automatically if the listener
would. Rather, it accounts for how the human ear (and brain) perceives the
chooses to apply the ‘normalization’ feature such as ‘SoundCheck’ or ‘Same Level’
loudness of a track. That is also why there is only one loudness value or level,
that aligns the loudness of the songs in the library. And if that happens, your very
instead of one per channel.
loud song may well end up sounding much less impressive than the competition!
Loudness examples: Some Streaming Services will aim for -16 LUFS loudness
when they play back music tracks with “Sound Check” enabled. The AES
community recommend streaming music between -20 and -16 LUFS. Often
you will see songs that measure -14, -12, -10 or even -8 LUFS and it will vary for
example by music genre.
21 MASTER X HD User Manual

7.4.4 Compress-O-Meter - Master Analyser 7.4.5 Modern Mastering

TC Electronic has launched a free on-line service at the following address: Another highly-relevant combination of processing can be carried out with
MASTER X HD and the TC Electronic BRICKWALL HD limiter in series, as the last
https://finalizer.com/analyzer
step before bouncing your mix or master.
This analyzer can help you investigate and decide the suitable loudness level
The BRICKWALL HD will add True-Peak limiting and Loudness awareness to your
and amount of dynamics processing for your music, when you compare it to your
chain, which will ensure a solid master audio file that will comply with any play
preferred reference tracks, or pre-analyzed giant hits through the history.
back system or streaming service.
A central part of this service is the Compress-O-Meter:
There are suitable presets “pairs” located in the Preset menus of the two plug-ins
as an aid to using the two plug-ins together.

The X-axis is the amount of Dynamic Compression. It is unit-less, so you should

not add “dB”, “ratio”, or similar, when thinking about it.
The Dynamic Compression is based on the track’s Peak-to-Loudness (PLR) value
and a measurement of the micro-dynamics of the track.
• Very dynamic music with lots of transients and loud and soft passages,
will have a low Dynamic Compression value, to the left in the Compress-
O-Meter.
• Very dense music with little transients, will have a high Dynamic
Compression value and show up to the right.
The Y-axis is the full track Loudness value, shown in LUFS (Loudness Units Full
Scale).
22 MASTER X HD User Manual

8. Presets 8.2 User Presets

If you make an alteration to any of the parameters in the current preset, the
The MASTER X HD offers a collection of factory presets, as well as the option to
preset name changes to italics as a reminder that something has changed from
create and save your own custom settings as user presets and favourites.
the original factory preset.
Note that most DAWs have a built-in preset function that appears on every
plug-in, which is often found at the top of the plug-in window.

To save this new setting as a User preset, click in the PRESET window, then select
the Save As option. Save it with an appropriate name.
It is not recommended to use this as your primary method of saving presets, as it To discard the changes without saving, simply navigate away from that preset.
has limited functionality and does not allow the saved presets to be transferred
easily to other DAWs. Instead, we suggest using the Preset section at the bottom
right corner of the user interface window:

A single click on this PRESET window brings up a menu with several preset-
related options. You can recall a factory or user preset from the libraries, save the
current preset, or create a new user preset with the 'Save as' option.

The altered preset will be saved as a user preset, with your new name for it, and
its name will appear in the presets window.

If you modify a saved user preset, you have the option to "Save" (rewriting over
The presets menu is divided into Factory Presets and User Presets.
the existing user preset) or "Save As" (save as a new user preset).
8.1 Factory Presets If you modify a factory preset, then only "Save As" is available (to save as a new
user preset). Factory presets cannot be overwritten.
Factory presets are built into the plug-in and cannot be overwritten, so if a
factory preset is modified and you want to keep the changes, you need to save it User presets are not given a number unless you first assign them as favourites.
as a User preset. User presets can be edited and organized as you like. (See Favourite Presets below.)
When recalling a Factory preset or saved User preset, the name will appear in You can use your computer's keyboard to enter a specific preset number, followed
plain text as shown below. by the ENTER button.
23 MASTER X HD User Manual

8.3 Presets and the optional hardware unit When a preset is assigned a favorite slot number:
Presets can also be recalled from the hardware unit by pressing the PRESET • The preset is part of the 100 presets that can be recalled on the
button. Rotate the hardware knob to scroll through presets one slot at a time. hardware unit
• The favorite number will be displayed on the hardware unit when
recalled
• The favorite number will be locked so that two presets cannot be
assigned to the same favorite slot number. This is shown in the Favorite
menu by graying out the number in question.
• The favorite number will be displayed in brackets when you browse the
presets menu
You can remove the favorite assignment by selecting the “Remove Assignment”
feature in the Favorite menu, then saving the preset.

Browse Favorites Only

The 'Browse Favorites Only' option in the preset menu allows the UP/DOWN
arrows in the bottom bar of the plug-in, or via the hardware unit, to scroll only
through the favorites list. Otherwise, scrolling goes through all presets.
8.4 Favorite Presets
Creating your own presets will make them accessible from the Preset menu,
but they will only appear in the list of 100 presets in the plug-in or hardware unit
if you set them as a favorite. This is done by assigning a favorite slot number to
the preset using the Favorite menu.
Click the FAVORITE (heart-shaped) button in the preset window, then select one
of the 10 banks. Assign one of your custom presets to a favorite slot, then save
the preset.
8.5 Make Current Preset Default
Selecting 'Make current preset default' will cause this preset to appear every time
a new instance of the plug-in is created.

8.6 Reveal User Preset Folder in Explorer

To change the name of a preset, select 'Reveal User Preset Folder in Explorer'
and modify the file name. This will open a Finder (Mac) or Explorer (PC) window
where the user presets are stored. You can rename as well as delete, copy and
paste presets. This allows you to share presets with other users online, simply
pasting the new ones in this folder.
24 MASTER X HD User Manual

9. Software Updates 10. Specifications

New versions of the software may be released to add new features and improve
performance. Updates can be detected from the plug-in directly and can be Sound
installed after download from the website. See Chapter 2 for plug-in installation.
Processing 3 Band expansion/compression/
If the ’Automatically check for updates’ option is checked inside the update limiting, softclip, and mix
menu, the red dot will appear on the settings icon when a new plug-in
Sample rates 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz
is available.
Software Support
Operating systems Mac OS X 10.13 Sierra or above,
Windows 7 or above
Drivers No additional drivers required,
uses standard USB HID drivers
Click the gear icon and select “Check for Updates” to perform a scan.
Plugin formats AAX-native, Audio Units, VST2.4,
VST3. 64 bit

USB Connection (DT version)

Type USB 2.0, type micro-B

Power (DT version)

Power supply USB bus powered
Power consumption Max. 2.5 W

Physical (DT version)

Dimensions (HxWxD) 42 x 54 x 135 mm (1.7 x 2.1 x 5.3")
9.1 Hardware Unit Software Updates (optional)
Weight 0.19 kg (0.42 lbs)
The hardware unit firmware will be included in each plug-in update.
After you have installed a new plug-in, the system will detect mismatched Note: Operation Ambient Temperature up to 45oC

firmware and indicate a need for update via a small red dot on the gear icon.
Click the “Upgrade to x.x.xx” field to start the update. Progress will be indicated
in the plug-in, and the Feedback LED on the hardware unit will flash. (This
example shows a TC2290 plug-in.)
25 MASTER X HD User Manual

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION COMPLIANCE
INFORMATION

TC Electronic
MASTER X HD DT

Responsible Party Name: Music Tribe Commercial NV Inc.

Address: 901 Grier Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89118
USA
Phone Number: +1 747 237 5033

MASTER X HD DT
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that
interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Important information:
Changes or modifications to the equipment not expressly approved by Music Tribe
can void the user’s authority to use the equipment.