During May, PluginBoutique created a promotion for iZotope Ozone 11 Elements, offering the plugin for free as a gift with any purchase from the store. As one of the first AI-mastering tools, the bundle allows you to master any track in a few seconds.
From its early days in the music production world, AI was met with many doubts. However, as the years have gone by, AI-mastering tools have become a staple, revolutionizing the industry. As one of the pioneers, iZotope Ozone stands tall as proof of this evolution.
So, as still the industry standard in the AI-mastering-world, iZotope Ozone 11 Elements comes with quite a few features and modules to explore. While there is the main tool, which listens to your mix for a few seconds and creates an automated combination of modules to make your music shine, you can also purchase the Standard or Advanced version to use the modules separately to create your own way.
I have used Ozone 11 in some of my projects to test it out as well as take advantage of it. I can clearly say that it showed me some spots that I skipped while mastering my tracks and made the mix bright and loud. With some tweaks and adjustments, I could carve out a good mix, a much better one than I expected.
If you are familiar with the Ozone ecosystem, let me discuss the updates in the 11th version. In my experience, the user interface has been renewed and is slightly easier to use now. The Master Assistant has more information, which is great for novice producers.
There are also some new modules in the pocket, such as Stabilizer and Upward Compression, for adaptive tonal balance. I especially like the Stabilizer as it really smooths out and equilibrates the master.
Also, I believe the AI works better now, giving better results with the loudness and output levels, width targets, tonal balance, and compression.
The process is simple: you just play the loudest portion of your mix for a few seconds, press the Learn button on the plugin, and wait for the magic to happen.
But I must say the AI assistant tends to slightly overuse the Stabilizer and Maximizer, and its EQ preferences are often too bright. You have to tweak these things to create a better mix. Well, this is also a personal preference; you have to listen to the results to be sure if it serves you.
Anyway, I recommend using the EQ and Stabilizer at a maximum of 10-15, turning off the upward compression, and experimenting with the Maximizer, depending on your mix.
I also noticed that some new reference presets were added, and some existing presets were slightly changed. However, I don’t recommend using the presets, as I found the results were better without them. But I can say Ozone is getting better in that sense, so feel free to explore.
In general, I think iZotope Ozone 11 Elements is still one of the best AI-mastering tools out there, and I suggest everyone have it in their arsenal. It can also be a great way for novice producers to experiment and explore the mastering world.
Go to Pluginboutique and purchase anything you want for any price, and you will be gifted an iZotope Ozone 11 Elements. The promotion is available throughout May.
iZotope Ozone 11 comes in VST3, AU, and AAX formats for Windows and Mac users.
Get iZotope Ozone 11 Elements here as a gift with any purchase.
Check out the manual of iZotope Ozone 11 here.
Berk is a multi-instrumentalist musician from Istanbul, Turkey. He has been playing guitar, handpan, and percussion for over ten years, developing a sound that blends melodic sensitivity with rhythmic depth.
He began his musical journey as a teenager, learning guitar and performing in several bands. In 2016, he discovered the handpan, an instrument that immediately resonated with him on a deeper level and gradually became central to his artistic identity.
Since then, he has performed in streets, festivals, bars, and concert venues across different countries, connecting with diverse audiences through both intimate and large-scale performances.
Alongside his live work, Berk is deeply involved in studio production. He works from his home studio, where he composes, records, and produces his own music. His studio serves as a creative space for layering handpan, guitar, and percussion with modern production techniques, allowing him to shape fully realized, atmospheric compositions from start to finish.
His music explores a wide range of genres and textures, combining organic acoustic instruments with detailed studio production to create immersive and expressive soundscapes.