IK Multimedia Lurssen Mastering Console is a unique mastering plugin developed in collaboration with Grammy Award-winning Lurssen Mastering studio. It aims to bring the expertise and workflow of professional mastering engineers to home studios and independent producers. The plugin emulates the analog signal chain and processing techniques used at Lurssen Mastering, offering a simplified interface with limited controls. Users can select from pre-configured “styles” tailored to different genres, which set up the underlying processing chain. The main adjustable parameters include a 5-band EQ, input drive, and a “Push” control for overall tonal shaping. The Lurssen Mastering Console is available as a standalone application and plugin for Mac and Windows, with a separate version for iPad. It processes audio at high sample rates of 88.2/96 kHz and includes features like automation, stereo balance adjustment, and VU metering.
Pros:
• Simplified interface makes mastering more accessible for beginners
• High-quality sound processing based on professional mastering techniques
• Genre-specific presets provide good starting points for various styles of music
Cons:
• Limited control over individual processing elements may frustrate experienced users
The Lurssen Mastering Console offers a streamlined approach to mastering, focusing on a few key controls rather than providing deep access to every processing parameter. The plugin’s interface is divided into three main views: Studio, Waveform, and Chain. The Studio view presents the primary controls, including input drive, a 5-band EQ, and the unique “Push” knob. The Waveform view displays the audio file’s waveform for visual reference, while the Chain view shows a representation of the processing modules without allowing direct access to their individual settings.
The heart of the Lurssen Mastering Console is its preset system, which they call “Styles.” These presets are designed to emulate the settings and gear choices that Gavin Lurssen and his team would use for different genres of music. The available styles include options for pop, rock, hip-hop, EDM, and more. Each style configures the underlying processing chain, which includes emulations of tube equalizers, solid-state equalizers, limiters, de-essers, and compressors.
The 5-band EQ is a fixed-frequency design, with bands centered at 60 Hz, 120 Hz, 1 kHz, 6 kHz, and 10 kHz. While this limits flexibility compared to fully parametric EQs, it simplifies the process and focuses on commonly adjusted frequency ranges in mastering. The “Push” control is a unique feature that allows users to uniformly adjust all EQ bands simultaneously, providing a way to enhance or reduce the overall tonal shaping applied by the selected style.
Input drive controls allow for adjusting the level going into the processing chain, with the ability to unlink the left and right channels for stereo balance tweaks. The plugin also features VU metering that can be assigned to either input or processing stages, helping users monitor levels throughout the signal chain.
Automation is supported for both the input drive and Push controls, with read, write, and touch modes available in the standalone application. This allows for dynamic adjustments throughout a track, addressing changes in arrangement or energy levels.
The Lurssen Mastering Console processes audio at high sample rates of 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz, ensuring high-quality output. It also includes a mono monitoring option for checking mix compatibility on single-speaker systems.
One notable feature is the ability to create and save custom presets. This allows users to develop their own mastering chains based on the Lurssen framework, which can be particularly useful for consistently processing multiple tracks in an album or for developing a signature sound.
The plugin’s design philosophy emphasizes the interaction between different processing stages, modeling not just individual pieces of equipment but also how they affect each other when connected in a specific order. This “whole chain” approach aims to capture the nuances of a professional mastering setup beyond simple emulations of individual processors.
When compared to other popular mastering plugins like iZotope Ozone or FabFilter Pro-L 2, the Lurssen Mastering Console takes a distinctly different approach. While those plugins offer deep, granular control over every aspect of processing, Lurssen simplifies the process dramatically. This can be both an advantage and a limitation, depending on the user’s needs and experience level. Ozone, for instance, provides a modular system where users can add, remove, and reorder various processing modules, each with extensive controls. It also offers intelligent assistance features that can suggest starting points based on analyzing the input audio. The Lurssen Console, in contrast, relies more heavily on its preset system and the expertise built into its underlying algorithms. FabFilter’s mastering tools focus on providing precise control and detailed visual feedback, allowing for very fine adjustments. The Lurssen Console eschews this level of detail in favor of a more holistic, preset-driven approach that aims to capture the essence of professional mastering decisions.
This plugin is best for:
• Beginners looking to improve their masters without deep technical knowledge
• Producers seeking quick, professional-sounding results for demos or rough mixes
• Musicians who want to apply mastering-grade processing to their tracks with minimal tweaking
IK Multimedia Lurssen Mastering Console offers a unique approach to software mastering, emphasizing ease of use and professional-grade sound quality over deep customization. Its collaboration with a renowned mastering studio lends credibility to its preset-based system, potentially allowing users to achieve polished results more quickly than with more complex tools. However, the limited control may not satisfy all users, particularly those accustomed to having granular access to every processing parameter. The plugin’s sound quality is generally praised, with users noting an analog-like character to the processing that can add cohesion and polish to mixes. While it may not replace dedicated mastering engineers for critical projects, the Lurssen Mastering Console provides a valuable tool for those looking to improve their masters or create polished demos with minimal effort. Its simplified workflow and genre-specific presets make it particularly appealing to musicians and producers who want to focus on creativity rather than technical details, though more experienced users may find themselves wishing for more precise control over the processing chain.