MAAT has introduced 2BusControl, a freeware (email subscription required) monitoring and metering utility (VST/VST3/AU/AAX plug-in format for PC and Mac) designed for use on the master bus.
2BusControl is a simple yet very useful tool for monitoring the master bus. Although some DAWs provide the majority of its features natively, 2BusControl packs them in a neat and easy to use interface that makes monitoring and metering more convenient. The front panel features a set of five buttons for switching between the different monitoring modes. It is possible to flip the L and R stereo channels, solo the L and R channels (as phantom center), as well as to monitor the mix in mono (useful for detecting any stereo phasing issues) or stereo difference modes.
The two meters located above the buttons show the stereo balance and correlation values in real time. What’s interesting, though, is that the team at MAAT optimized these meters to better match the way we hear sounds, meaning that they are, in a way, more precise than other meters on the market. I haven’t compared these to any other plugins in my arsenal, but it’s interesting to know that some special attention to detail was at work here. The plugin comes with two different sized GUIs, the larger version being perfectly sized for today’s widely used FHD screens. I’d say that the smaller version is way too small by today’s standards, but it was probably included for users who want to keep 2BusControl in a corner while controlling another plugin.
Although MAAT is a completely new company, it was formed by a group of professionals who have a lot of experience in audio mastering and engineering. The company has announced some big releases in the future, including a reworked version of the popular TT Dynamic Range Meter plugin. Definitely looking forward to that!
To download your free copy of 2BusControl, simply subscribe to MAAT’s newsletter on the product page linked below. A confirmation email will be delivered to your inbox, followed by a second email which contains the download link. Although the email describes it as a link for the “trial version” installer, there aren’t any other indications that this is a feature-limited version of the software.
2BusControl is available for free download via MAAT (5.20 MB download size, ZIP archive containing EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/VST3/AU/AAX plug-in formats for Windows & Mac OS).
Last Updated on May 18, 2017 by Tomislav Zlatic.
