iZotope Ozone 12: The Ultimate Mastering Tool – This is What the Future Sounds Like – Review!
It Offers Even More Control and Sound, and Much Less Stress!
5,0 / 5,0 | 
iZotope Ozone 12: The Ultimate Mastering Tool - This is What the Future Sounds Like - Review! · Source: iZotope
With Ozone 12, iZotope is taking a big step forward. The well-known mastering suite has been expanded with numerous new tools that will delight beginners and experienced mastering professionals alike. The developers took a close look at the actual challenges that arise during mastering. It’s no longer just about making tracks louder or smoothing out a few frequencies. It’s now all about consistency across different playback systems, having more creative options for editing finished mixdowns, and restoring dynamics lost during compression. Exciting! Here’s my review.
iZotope Ozone 12 – the Most Important Features at a Glance
- Stem EQ: EQ for vocals, drums, bass, and instruments in a stereo track
- Bass Control: AI-powered control of the bass range for universal punch
- Unlimiter: Re-engineers overcompressed signals and restores dynamics
- Custom Mastering Assistant Flow: An AI assistant that can be controlled individually with modules, LUFS targets, and genres
- IRC 5 Maximizer Mode: New algorithm for loudness and clarity without artifacts
- 21 modules in the advanced version, which can be used individually
All About iZotope Ozone 12
Ozone 12 has Arrived!
The new generation of the Ozone Mastering Suite is based on new modules such as Stem EQ, Bass Control, and Unlimiter. With machine learning and AI-supported processes, these modules deliver results that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional tools. At the same time, Ozone 12 remains true to its credo that producers and engineers should ultimately retain control.
AI serves as an intelligent tool that makes suggestions and simplifies work steps, not a substitute for your own decisions. And that’s a good thing! As soon as you open Ozone 12 for the first time, it’s clear that this update is more than just a cosmetic refresh. It represents a significant advancement in the mastering workflow.
User Interface and First Impression
The Ozone 12 interface appears tidier and more modern than the previous version’s. The new colors, module arrangement, and responsive controls make for a more pleasant experience, even during long sessions. The new display of the Mastering Assistant is particularly impressive. It offers a clearer structure and logically embeds the individual modules into the workflow. This is especially helpful when using the assistant not only as a tool but also as a starting point for detailed fine-tuning.
In everyday use, it becomes clear how much these improvements simplify the work process. Instead of clicking through nested menus, the most important functions are in plain view. Visual feedback for EQ settings, dynamics processing, and maximizer settings has also improved significantly. Compared to Ozone 11, it’s evident that iZotope did more than add a few new features. They reevaluated and optimized the entire workflow in key areas. Very nice!
Stem EQ Allows for Precise Adjustments Without Touching Individual Tracks
One of the highlights of Ozone 12 is definitely the Stem EQ module. With this module, you can edit vocals, drums, bass, and other instrument groups separately within a finished stereo mix. This means that even if you no longer have access to the individual tracks, you can still adjust specific elements in the mix. What’s that? You can make thin vocals more present, tone down overly dominant drums, or structure a muddy bass range more clearly. Brilliant!
Stem EQ works with astonishing precision. While many other tools of this kind often create artifacts or make the entire sound unstable, Ozone 12 remains reliable. During testing, I easily brought the vocals forward in an old project where they had been pushed too far back in the mix, and it didn’t affect the rest of the mix. This is a huge time saver, especially for producers working with external mixes and labels doing mastering. Thank you, iZotope! Finally, a stem application that I will definitely use more often.
Bass Control – Control the Foundation
Next up are the interesting new features. A stable low end is one of the most important factors in good mastering. This is often where the wheat is separated from the chaff: A mix that sounds clear on small speakers can suddenly sound muddy in a club. This is exactly where Bass Control comes in. The module analyzes the bass range, ensuring that the kick and bass remain consistent and powerful, regardless of the system through which the music is played.
Tests have shown that Bass Control benefits more than just electronic productions. It also works well with acoustic genres, such as rock and jazz, ensuring that the bass range remains clean and integrates better into the overall mix. A particularly practical feature is the ability to adjust the module’s influence specifically. This allows for creative flexibility while ensuring the bass range remains balanced.
Unlimiter: Bringing Dynamics Back into the Song
One of the biggest problems in music production is overcompression. It causes tracks to lose their liveliness, making them sound flat or tiring. The Unlimiter in Ozone 12 is a tool that counteracts this problem. It analyzes the signal and restores lost transients and dynamics. In essence, it’s like a “rewind” button for poorly compressed audio tracks. It’s like a time machine for audio.
What’s particularly impressive is how subtle and effective the Unlimiter is. In a test with a track that had been overcompressed during the original mastering process, I was able to restore the dynamics with a single click, and it didn’t sound unnatural. In fact, it sounded much better than before. Suddenly, the drums sounded lively again, the vocals had more space, and the entire mix opened up. This is the new plugin that will save your old projects or make bad mixes masterable in the first place!
IRC 5 Maximizer: Loudness at the Highest Level – Now Even Better!
The Maximizer has always been the heart of Ozone and the flagship of the package. With version 12, iZotope upgraded the IRC algorithm to version 5, achieving a significant leap in quality. Even at high target values, the signal remains clear and distortion-free – without the annoying pumping effect. The IRC 5 Maximizer shines in genres such as EDM and hip-hop, where maximum loudness without loss of transparency is important.
Compared to older versions, pumping effects and distortion are much less noticeable. Even complex mixes with many layers retain their clarity and assertiveness. Thus, mastering professionals can create loud, powerful masters without compromising sound quality. Just as it should be. Unfortunately, my Mac Studio M1 Max struggles with real-time playback, with many audible dropouts, despite a CPU load of only 20%. I hope this bug has been fixed in the release version, as rendering works fine.
Mastering Assistant with Custom Flow
Mastering Assistant was already a central feature of Ozone in previous versions. However, it has been significantly expanded in version 12. Rather than blindly relying on the AI’s suggestions, you can now specify which modules to use, which loudness targets to aim for, and which genre presets to use as a basis. You can even save these settings as a “preset.” Very nice!
This makes the Master Assistant more flexible and useful than ever. In practice, you can take advantage of the speed of an automated workflow without sacrificing control over the details. This feature saves a tremendous amount of time, especially when a master needs to be finished quickly. Additionally, you receive more accurate and better suggestions for a mastering chain.
Clarity and Impact are Subtle Tools with a Significant Impact
Along with the major innovations, Ozone 12 includes smaller modules that will make a significant difference. For instance, the Clarity module makes mixes sound more open and airy without excessively intervening in the high frequencies. This elegant solution is especially useful for dull or flat sounding productions.
The Impact module emphasizes the rhythmic elements of a track, making the groove livelier. This is particularly noticeable in electronic productions with a lot of percussion. These modules exemplify how iZotope develops effective tools that enhance the music production workflow.
Transient/Sustain and Vocal Balance
The ability to edit attack and sustain separately is another example of Ozone 12’s attention to detail. This feature allows you to make drums crisper or gently embed long-lasting tones into the mix. This flexibility opens up new creative possibilities in mixing and mastering.
Vocal Balance, on the other hand, is a particularly interesting tool for beginners. It automatically places the vocals in the mix and ensures they aren’t too quiet or too loud. In our tests, it worked amazingly reliably, allowing us to quickly focus on other aspects of mastering.
Performance, Stability, and Comparison to Version 11
iZotope has also improved the technical performance and stability of Ozone 12. The software runs smoothly and efficiently on modern systems, as expected. Even with projects involving many instances, the CPU load remains manageable, allowing you to work without interruption, even in larger sessions (except for the issue with IRC 5).
A comparison with the previous version, Ozone 11, shows the many improvements Ozone 12 offers. The new Stem EQ, Bass Control, and Unlimiter modules, in particular, take the software to a new level. While Ozone 11 delivered solid results, version 12 opens up possibilities that were previously unimaginable. What will version 13 bring?
The new Maximizer IRC 5 shows that iZotope continues to push technological boundaries. Those who struggled with the pumping effects of older versions will be thrilled with the new clarity. Overall, Ozone 12 seems more mature and versatile, better suited to the real demands of mastering.
Conclusion
With Ozone 12, iZotope is setting new standards in mastering once again. The combination of innovative modules, an improved GUI, and optimized performance makes the software an interesting tool for producers and sound engineers. Stem EQ, Bass Control, and Unlimiter offer practical solutions to everyday problems, and the IRC 5 Maximizer ensures maximum loudness without artifacts. Awesome!
Despite its complexity, Ozone 12 is accessible to beginners thanks to its clear structure and intelligent help features, as well as its beginner versions, which are attractively priced. Professionals, on the other hand, will appreciate the precision and control that each module offers. Ozone 12 combines speed, creativity, and technical quality in a way that few other tools currently achieve. It’s definitely worth checking out!
Prices and Specifications for iZotope Ozone 12
iZotope Ozone 12 is now available at various prices here at Thomann* or here at Plugin Boutique*. The Elements package costs €59.00, the Standard package is available for €239.00, and the Advanced package is available for €539.00. Upgrades and crossgrades are also available. The Advanced package is also available in the Music Production Suite, the Mix & Mastering Bundle Advanced, and the iZotope Everything Bundle. If you own a previous version or another iZotope product, you can get a 25% discount on any package until October 6, 2025.
The plugin runs on macOS 13.7 or higher (including Apple Silicon support) and Windows 10 or higheras VST3, AAX, and AU in 64-bit. Authorization is via iLok or the iZotope Authenticator. Detailed online user manuals and tutorial videos can be found on the manufacturer’s website. Several presets are included in the package.
Pros and Cons of iZotope Ozone 12
Pros
- Stem EQ allows for precise adjustments in stereo mixes
- Bass Control ensures a consistent low end across all systems
- The Unlimiter can rescue overcompressed tracks
- The IRC 5 maximizer provides loudness without artifacts or pumping
- Master Assistant with Custom Flow saves time while remaining flexible
- Individual modules (Advanced) can also be used for mixing
- Very good performance and stability
Cons
- The multitude of functions can overwhelm beginners
- Full features are only available in the Advanced version
- IRC 5 does not run in real time without dropouts on my Mac Studio M1 Max (pre-release version)
More Info About iZotope and Ozone 12
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One response to “iZotope Ozone 12: The Ultimate Mastering Tool – This is What the Future Sounds Like – Review!”
And still, a mastering engineer will make you a better mastering.