This is a first for me. I've tested many Izotope products and never had this problem before.

 

No problems here. It works. I'm using the demo version (no R2R) + FL Studio 12.3. Same using Bitwig 1.3.13.

 

Last edited: Oct 6, 2016

Same here. Demoing in Reaper, working perfectly. Laggyess so far noticed by S1 users only if I am correct.

 

What is Neutron?

It's not Alloy 2, neither Alloy 3. It looks like Ozone but it is not. We could say, mathematically, it is composed:

(70% Alloy 2 + 10% Ozone) + (10% TA + 10% a secret spice) = Neutron​

But the question is: do I need it? My answer, at the moment, is not the best for me: yes and no.

■ Yes
- It's a new approach to mixing
- The UI is really user friendly
- Improve the mix (it does not means the final result will be necessarily good)
- Can help the user to "finalize" the mix (even as a whole)

■ No
- The user use it and has no need to learn a lot about eq, compression etc
- Helps the user to create its own bunch of presets
- Can help the user to "finalize" the mix (even as a whole)

There is a reason why I wrote "Can help the user to "finalize" the mix (even as a whole)" twice. Because the user could think: "It is powerful. It is iZotope. Why the hell I cannot let Neutron works for me all the time. Everywhere. It's better than spend hours and hours and go mad trying to obtain a better sound setting up eq, compressors, limiters...."

Why not? Who wanna go mad?

 

@thantrax My bad I forgot about uploading a comparison. At this point I'm guessing you won't need it anymore, but I promised one so here it is...

Original


Neutron + some tweaking



edit: just listening to it on a laptop for the first time (and lets be honest, shitty little 200hz-10,000hz speakers is where everyone will hear your music for the first time) the difference in clarity seems pretty pronounced. Like I said before though, the original was done with Maximus and Satin, so after Neutron I added some (lighter) expansion with Maximus and added a little life with Satin. One thing that was the most shocking difference to me was that the original had sidechain multiband compression on the beat to make a little extra room for the vocal, whereas the Neutron version really didn't need it.

 

Last edited: Oct 7, 2016

I guess that's possible. I'm just using the video card built into my CPU but it is an i7 6700k. I did experience one instance of ridiculous, CPU chomping Neutron, but I deleted that instance and couldn't replicate it. I've always had problems with Izotope and Studio One cooperating, and it extends beyond the UI. Slow load times, Studio One is constantly losing my Izotope plugin thumbnails, taking more CPU than they should. Tried them all in Reaper for a reference and everything was fine, plus I use Izotope in Live all the time without a hitch. Damn shame about that because I really like S1 too

On the one hand I could buy Studio One and complain to the Devs about it. On the other hand I could just learn a DAW that works with all my plugins
I have a hard time getting by without Trash 2 these days. And it looks like Neutron has the potential to save me a lot of time. Plus I spent a bunch of money on this shit, so if I can't get S1 to play well with others it may have to go.

 

@Cav Emp

First of all, thank you. Your work is remarkable... for every forum user. My last post is a way to let the other think if Neutron could be useful for them. So...


P.S.
The iZotope special offer is valid until October 31... there is so much time to take a decision.

 

Last edited: Oct 7, 2016

No, thank you for the nice words. Maybe someone finds it helpful. Though at this point you can all just try it for yourselves free of limitations, and as long is the cat is out of the bag, I'd encourage anyone on the fence to do so. Both the original and the Neutron mix have their strong points. The original is a bit warmer (I chose the broadband clarity option for this one) and the vocals are louder since I used maximus to smash the living shit out of them. I just really like how Neutron finds those nasty harsh upper midrange resonances so I don't have to spend an eternity trying to pinpoint them.

 

@Cav Emp Great man.I like being able to compare.Thank you.I'd like to know though how much did you push the limiter on the neutron mix.It seems like the vocals are ducking a bit.Maybe it's just me but that is what i hear.

 

There's no limiter. Like I said, I did use Maximus on the vocal track of the original mix to squash the vocals. On the Neutron mix Maximus is there post-Neutron, but just to make it a fair comparison mostly. It's bringing up some of the low level stuff

 

So no maximus on the vocals of the neutron mix? Weird. i don't hear the ducking in the original mix, but i do in the neutron one.Don't know.Maybe neutron helps some stuff to stand out and that is what makes it more obvious ,maybe a compressor in the chain of neutron in vocals,maybe it's just me.Anyway thanx for the comparison and the info.Really helpful.Right now i'm at work but tomorrow i'll twitch it a bit and see it's possibilities on my own.

 

Checked. Nice for me...but the really really great is the dynamic EQ. I don't think use a lot the comp or exciter, but EQ section with comp/expand and masking feature is a winner for me. The avanced version lets you use the plugins individuality and i love this Eq

 

Pro Tools Expert - Review

 

Hey guys,

I just want to let you know that I solved the Studio One lagging issue.

My Studio One was configured in compatibility mode, because some of my plugins don't behave correctly without this fix.

Neutron, on the other hand, doesn't seem to like compatibility mode. I turned it off and it works fine now.

Anyway, like Pollice Verso said, the best thing about it is the EQ. I think I'll be using it a lot. The rest is just average.

R.

 

Transient shaper is pretty good too.

 

Last edited: Oct 8, 2016

oh man! I encountered this problem before. I wish I remembered - I probably could have saved you some troubleshooting. I had S1 running in compatibility mode for a while because it was recommended for the ilok cracks that came out in December and, like everyone else, I wanted to try a bunch of stuff I was probably never gonna get to test otherwise (because fuck paying for a dongle). And when S1 was in compatibility mode, man my Izotope stuff barely worked at all.

Even now they're a bit slower/laggier than everything else, but not enough to be a problem. Tbh though, I feel like the problem is Studio One more than it is Izotope, because those plugs work fine in every other DAW I've tried.

 

Sorry I didn't see this reply. There is Maximus on both. On the Neutron mix I applied it much more gently because Neutron had its own compression going on, whereas in the original mix Maximus was doing heavy compression and some expansion. I often use it in lieu of a typical vocal compressor (not as a limiter) because I can draw my own curves to boost some low stuff and really squash down the peaks in the vocal. But there's nothing on the master in either mix, so there shouldn't be any ducking.

BTW @RMorgan I loaded up the same project today and some of my Neutron tracks were jumping between 15 and 30% cpu. I don't know why that happens, but it's definitely not just you. Sometimes it just goes away when I restart

Edit: actually everything is taking up absurd amounts of CPU. An instance of Satin is 10-15%. This is on an i7 6700k. I'm getting really tired of Studio One doing stuff like this. Might be time to Learn Reaper or Cubase.

 

Last edited: Oct 9, 2016

Tried it today, I'm fairly impressed.
but it seems to take some tracks out of sync randomly in fl studio,
it seems to be the 4th instance, that for whatever reason does not get it right

 

Noticed that a couple of times in LPX too.Thought it was just me but you confirm me.

 

Going to try this in Sonar when I get a chance to get back to it. I'm curious about the masking to see what it will do with the harsh upper mids (4-8K) I'm hearing in my mic'd distorted guitar tracks. I can't seem to rein them in. I'll report back with how it runs in Sonar.