Overview

All the tone of a complete analog mastering desk in one very simple-to-use plugin
A novel creation from Brainworx founder Dirk Ulrich, bx_masterdesk gives you a complete high-end analog mastering system inside of a single plugin. It is designed to be so easy to use that even inexperienced musicians can quickly dial in great-sounding masters using tastefully curated chains of some of the best-sounding mastering processors available.

Amazing models of top-tier mastering gear in an incredibly intuitive layout
Containing every component you need to create professional-sounding results, bx_masterdesk allows you to master your own material with a minimal learning curve—even if you are not a professional mastering engineer! With a clearly defined 3-step workflow and a pre-tuned processing chain, the entire mastering process becomes extremely intuitive.

Persuasively professional masters in 60 seconds?
Believe it or not, but bx_masterdesk can help you churn out high-quality masters in under a minute. It’s just a matter of toggling through the carefully crafted presets to get you in the ballpark, and sweeting things further with a few key dials if desired like “Volume”, “Foundation” and “Tone” to perfect your sound. Whether you’re a musician, engineer or producer, bx_masterdesk will help you get to where you need to go quickly.

A simple 3-step process for great sounding masters
First, decide how hard your music will hit the processing chain of bx_masterdesk with the “Volume” control. Use the Dynamic Range VU meter to help you adjust your loudness and find the sweet spot for a master that sounds loud without sacrificing quality. Then, use the “Foundation” control to adjust the overall tonality of your mix between lows and highs, setting a nice bass foundation to build your master upon. Finally, adjust the “Tone Stack” to fine tune the vibe of your master. After this, you can tweak even further if desired by adjusting the mastering de-esser, compressor mix and stereo width controls for masters that truly shine.

Features

  • High end analog mastering chain in a single plugin

  • Simple 3-step workflow and clear intuitive metering

  • Extensive pre-set list for immediate results

  • New Mid/Side features for fail-safe enhancement

  • TMT — Brainworx patent-registered “Tolerance Modeling Technology” (US Patent No. 10,725,727)

Audio Examples

Industry Reviews

  • BT (Brian Wayne Transeau)

    BT (Brian Wayne Transeau)

    Musician, Composer, Singer, DJ and Audio Technician

    bx_Masterdesk is one of my absolute top go-to “colorful” compressors. The ability to add slight color with incredible compression and regulate stereo width simultaneously makes it a formidable… Read More

  • BOLTH

    BOLTH

    Music Producer & DJ

    bx_masterdesk is the analog mastering that every DJ/Music Producer dreams of. An extremely versatile plugin, straight to the point, with magnificent sounds that makes your track go from one stage… Read More

  • Rafael Pirela

    Rafael Pirela

    Producer and artist (ARPA winner, 7x Latin Grammy nominee)

    I like to use the gentle shelving curve that Brainwork bx_masterdesk has on the lows and highs in combination with a bit of THD which makes the mix sound like a finished record. A touch of… Read More

  • KJ Sawka

    KJ Sawka

    Drummer, Record Producer, DJ (Destroid, Pendulum, The Private Language)

    I love the way bx_masterdesk can easily add extra sparkle and beef to the mix while keeping the LUFS down to where I like it - LOUD.

    It’s quick and fast and you can create up to 4… Read More

Customer Reviews

  • TopNotch

    ★★★★★
    by EugeneBelford
    Macbook M1Pro
    Sonoma 14.1.1
    Logic Pro
    Ableton
    Great for summing busses and stereo out. Full range of applications from subtle to extreme. Go-to for many projects. Has unique… Read More
  • bx_masterdesk

    ★★★★★
    by Sound Design
    The results of this analog mastering device in your workstation used on your recording sessions will be noticeable to listeners. The ease of use with time saving emphasised will be an asset to your… Read More
  • luiz mosquera

    ★★★★★
    by luizanyelo
    ahora es el momento
  • BUENOk

    ★★★★★
    by OswAlvrez
    Compactador Util
  • BX Masterdesk

    ★★★★★
    by bx_masterdesk
    I had this masterdesk plugin sleeping on my drive for a few months and I just used it for the first time to realize I am totally speechless. For a one-step mastering solution, not only does it work… Read More

Specifications

Supported Plugin Formats
AAX DSP, AAX Native, AU, AAX AudioSuite, VST2, VST3

Supported Operating Systems
macOS 14 down to macOS 11
Windows 11 down to Windows 10

Mac
Intel, or Apple Silicon

PC
x64-compatible CPU

System Requirements
Display resolution: 1440 × 900px or 1280 × 960px or higher
Memory: 2 GB RAM

Downloads

With the Installation Manager you can select, download & install all the Plugin Alliance products. Select any and all formats you need for your system! Mac & PC.

ChangeLog

bx_masterdesk

Brainworx bx_masterdesk - Changelog

Version 1.7.1 (Oct 9, 2023)
- General: fixed CPU spikes on Mac OS

Version 1.7.0 (Aug 15, 2023)
- General: added native Apple Silicon compatibility for AAX
- General: added macOS Ventura support
- General: improved plugin loading time in the DAW
- General: fixed issue causing Logic to crash when closing the plugin UI
- General: improved font drawing behavior

Version 1.6.1 (Mar 21, 2022)
- Fixed incorrect metering behavior

Version 1.6 (Mar 15, 2022)
- General: added native Apple Silicon compatibility for VST3, VST2 and AU
- General: added macOS Monterey support
- General: added Windows 11 and Windows 10 21H1 support
- General: discontinued Windows 7 support
- General: discontinued macOS 10.9 and 10.11 support
- General: fixed metering behavior in block sizes of 2048 samples and higher
- Improved metering behavior

Version 1.5 (Mar 22, 2021)
- General: Compatibility with Logic on Apple Silicon devices via the Rosetta-2 layer
- General: Fixed possible artefacts when freezing or bouncing tracks in Pro Tools
- General: Fixed automation highlighting disappearing in Studio One
- General: Improved license dialog visibility in dark mode

Version 1.4 (May 27, 2020)
- General: Qualified for use with the Windows 10 May 2020 Update
- General: VST3: Fixed potential hangs in a DAW upon loading
- General: Fixed logical issues in undo / redo behavior
- General: Fixed UI resizing issues in Ableton Live on Windows
- General: Fixed audio processing initialization issues on amp and delay products
- Added scalable UI feature

Version 1.3 (Nov 06, 2019)
- General: Qualified for use with macOS 10.15 Catalina
- General: Qualified for use with Windows 10 November 2019 Update
- General: Fixed plugin validation in Logic under macOS Catalina
- General: Fixed preset name restore in Logic when reopening a session
- General: Fixed opening authorization dialog triggering automation
- General: Improved instantiation times for plugins
- General: Improved license functionality and branding for subscription
- General: Removed 32-bit support on macOS and Windows

Version 1.2 (Jul 10, 2019)
- General: macOS 10.14.5 Update compatibility
- General: Windows 10 1903 Update compatibility
- General: Fixed activation issue in Windows hosts set to non-English language (e.g. Cakewalk)
- General: AU: Fixed issue with increased CPU and memory on reopening UI
- General: VST3: Fixed issue with adapting to host knob mode, and now prioritizing linear
- General: VST3: Fixed issue with VST3 preset permissions
- General: VST3: Improved synchronization between parameter states and some UI functions, e.g. toolbar reset

Version 1.1 (Nov 16, 2018)
- General: macOS Mojave compatibility
- General: Windows October 2018 update compatibility
- General: adding Windows High DPI support for VST2/3 plugins
- General: Fixed potential crashes in Cubase and other VST2 / VST3 DAWs
- General: Fixed potential CPU spikes and audio dropouts
- General: Fixed rendering in Pro Tools on the start of a session
- General: Fixed missing presets in Wavelab and other VST3 DAWs
- General: Improving keyboard control, fixing issues with catched keys preventing it from passing through to DAW
- General: Fixed parallel use of host sessions (e.g. with Live)

Version 1.0 (Aug 7, 2018)
- Release version