Har-Bal Mastering Tool

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:38 am

Has anyone tried Har-Bal? It's a very advanced EQ. I think I will buy it today.

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:21 am

Brain, go for it without doubt!
I use it since his first relase, and sounds very good, it's an irreplaceable tool for whoever doesn't have a professional mastering studio calibrated with monitor and high-level panels. You can tune your master with a visual approach istead (or in parallel) your "ear" approach, and it's really effective to "copy" the master settings (only EQ, of course) of another commercial CD!
Keep in mind that it's not an automatic copy like some others similar products, Harbal always allows your possibility of choice and personalization!!!
The new relase is also exceptional from the point of view of the quality of the equalizer, and of the choices that can be effected.
For the price is a must have.

After Harbal EQ processing I go to Scope for my usual mastering chain: Optimaster + PSY Q.

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:34 am

I'm using Optimaster in my final mix now. Should I take it out or is it alright to use it twice?

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:20 am

A typical mastering chain is:

Paragraphic EQ -> Harbal
Multiband Harmonic Exciter -> PSY Q
Multiband Dynamics -> Optimaster Normalizer/Comp stage
Multiband Stereo Imaging -> Waves or PSP stereo imaging tools
Mastering Reverb -> Masterverb Pro
Loudness MAximizer -> Waves L2, L3, UAD Precision Limiter or Optimaster Limiter stage

So Harbal is only for the EQ stage, Optimaster for dyanmics

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:40 am

Thanks! I will try that. I don't know what CD to pick for Harbal EQ. I should try several I guess and see how it sounds.

Tau · Post by **Tau** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:45 am

Totally, go for Har-Bal!

It's unique, it's very good, and it's very cheap too!

Best solution when you need to "master" in your mixing room, because of its visual reference.

And constant loudness eq is a great way to shape the tone of the track without interference from monitor and room loudness response.

Much peace,

T

Post by **garyb** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 10:57 am

i bought har-bal and used it, but when i got bx digital, i realized i didn't need it at all. it's a good program, though.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 11:23 am

good to know, as I'd never install something with such an ugly name, shudder...

cheers, Tom
(kidding - but a catchy label wouldn't hurt...)

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:10 pm

It's a silly way to look at devices Tom, but I do know what you mean.

I think 'Herbal' would have been more globally successfull

Post by **hubird** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 1:52 pm

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 8:13 pm

No wizard like Optimaster. I'll have to RTFM.

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 2:56 am

There is a good tutorial, simple and fast, that makes you learn the program in 15 minutes.
It's interesting also the tutorial on their site about mastering technique.
IMO it's the easiest mastering equalizer on the market...

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:29 am

Gary, one difference is that Har-Bal is visual. Another difference is the cost; a problem that Creamware and Creamware developers are not concerned with which is to their detriment I contend.

garyb wrote:i bought har-bal and used it, but when i got bx digital, i realized i didn't need it at all. it's a good program, though.

Post by **garyb** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:14 pm

i like the visual interface of har-bal. but i have to disagree about price. the hardware version of the bx is 27,000 euro. $300 for a real mastering eq is cheap.

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 12:41 pm

But it is *not* real and in the future with new operating systems there is *no* promise that it will continue to work. I have hardware from 30 years ago that I still use, also hardware *never* bombs.

siriusbliss · Post by **siriusbliss** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:00 pm

I also have harbal AND bx-digital and am finding myself using the bx for mastering and verifying my settings using harbal.

It's great for mixing down in rooms that are not setup very well acoustically.

Greg

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 5:04 pm

It should be noted that the opinion of a Creamware salesman might be biased Gary!

Post by **hubird** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:04 pm

well, then you should take that for what it is, as he never did hide that aspect...
(I don't think Gary will agree to the term 'Creamware salesman' anyway

).

Post by **garyb** » Sun Mar 11, 2007 6:17 pm

well, i sell the cards, so i guess i'm a salesman, but primarily i'm a user and that's why i sell the cards.

bx never bombs and the computer it's in never needs the os updated for it to stay useful for the next 20 years. will a new os make it sound better?

but- i never said don't get/use har-bal. i said har-bal was good and that i bought it, but that i use bx. believe me or not, it's the truth.

Counterparts · Post by **Counterparts** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:50 am

I think it's a shame that they don't offer a demo version of their product. I'm interested in it but I don't want to hand over my cash unless I'm sure I want it.

Har-Bal Mastering Tool

Har-Bal Mastering Tool

braincell