ANIMATE
by Mastering The Mix · Multi-FX · Dynamic enhancer (expand / punch / saturate / widen)
Not rated yet
ANIMATE is a four-mode enhancer from Mastering The Mix for adding energy to tracks and masters: upward expansion, transient punch, dynamic saturation and dynamic widening.
Each mode has its own frequency range, set with phase-reducing all-pass filters, and can process the mid, side or full stereo signal.
Best for: Mastering, Mix Bus, Drums, Vocals, Keys & Synths. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: enhancement, wide, punchy, drums, upward compression, full mix, mid/side, bus processing, dynamic, heavy, mastering, mix bus, mixing, subtle, visual feedback, vocals.
What it does
ANIMATE helps you "bring energy and impact to your tracks" with four processing modes, each with its own frequency targeting and mid/side options.
- Expand: clean upward expansion that raises signals above the threshold for more dynamic range.
- Punch: enhances transients so they cut through, from subtle high-frequency accents on a master to heavy smack on a channel.
- Ignite: dynamic harmonic distortion driven by the input, to raise perceived loudness and presence without compressor pumping.
- Grow: dynamic widening of selected frequencies using a psychoacoustic precedence effect.
- Filters and controls: 24 dB/octave all-pass filters per mode to limit processing to a band, plus Amount (up to 300%), Threshold and L/R, mid or side processing.
It has a free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Source: Mastering The Mix product page
When to use it
ANIMATE combines jobs you would otherwise spread across SPL Transient Designer Plus, iZotope Ozone Imager and a saturator, and it overlaps with parts of iZotope Ozone 12. Choose it when you want quick, band-limited punch, excitement and width in one plugin with little risk of phase smearing on a master. Unlike Ozone 12, it is not a full mastering suite, and dedicated transient shapers give more detailed envelope control than it does.
- Best for: lifting flat mixes and masters, adding punch to drums, and widening chosen frequency ranges.
- Genres: any style, especially electronic, pop and hip-hop where impact matters.
- Look elsewhere if: you need precise attack and sustain envelope shaping or a full mastering chain.
- Standout: four dynamic modes that can each target their own frequency band and mid/side channel.
What producers say
MusicTech rated it a versatile, well-designed enhancer.
- MusicTech (2018) gave it a Choice award, calling it a "Highly versatile set of tools to enhance the audio" and praising the visual feedback and automatic volume matching.
Where to buy
- Mastering The Mix: $79
- PluginFox: $80
- AudioDeluxe: $80
- Plugin Boutique: $80
Tutorials and reviews
- Mixing and Mastering With ANIMATE (Mastering The Mix)
- ANIMATE (Mastering The Mix)
- Animate - Inject Life Into Your Mixes (Mastering the Mix) (ADSR Music Production Tutorials)
- Animate by Mastering the Mix
- How to use ANIMATE Mastering the MIX Plugin
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