iZotope Ozone 12 has arrived, and its groundbreaking new features are reshaping the mastering landscape. As a producer always seeking tools that enhance creativity without sacrificing control, I was thrilled to explore this latest release. With 21 plugins, including a mothership and 20 component plugins, Ozone 12 introduces industry-first tools like Bass Control, Unlimiter, Stem EQ, and a customizable Master Assistant, all powered by intelligent AI that guides rather than dictates. In this blog post, I dive deep into these new additions, sharing insights from my hands-on demo and a video walkthrough embedded below.
Whether you’re a seasoned engineer or a bedroom producer, Ozone 12’s new features offer unmatched precision for professional-grade masters.
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Watch the Ozone 12 Demo Video
To see these new features in action, check out my embedded video below. I demonstrate the Custom Master Assistant, Bass Control, Stem EQ, Unlimiter, and IRC 5 on a real track, highlighting their impact on a master.
Custom Master Assistant: Your AI, Your Rules
The revamped Custom Master Assistant flow is a game-changer, making AI mastering more personalized than ever. Unlike earlier versions, I can now tailor every aspect of the process. By clicking the analyze button, I access options to set genre targets—now expanded with over 25 new ones, including EDM, drum & bass, and dubstep—add reference tracks, and favorite presets for quick recall.
I can select specific processors, adjust intensity from subtle to transformative, set LUFS levels (like -9 in my demo), and enable true peak limiting. The analysis duration is flexible, from 8 seconds to 60 or up to 32 bars. In the video, I applied it to a track, and the before-and-after showed a polished, balanced master. The Assistant View lets me fine-tune or delete modules, ensuring I stay in control. This customization saves time and empowers me to craft masters that align with my vision, whether for streaming or club play.
Bass Control: Master Your Low End Like Never Before
Low-end issues can make or break a master, and the new Bass Control module, powered by machine learning, tackles them head-on. It’s designed to add punch, balance, and energy across any listening environment—cars, clubs, or earbuds. In my demo, I worked on a track with weak bass. The module’s balance meter flagged the low end as “very light,” with punch near optimal. Adjusting the balance knob to 10 brought it to the center without overpowering the mix.
The frequency cutoff (set at 120 Hz in my test) targets specific ranges, and the real-time graph highlights kicks and lows. Sustain Power adds harmonics for small-speaker playback, with clean or dirty modes for subtle or aggressive saturation. Peak Control offers clean (soft clipping) or dirty (hard clipping) limiting. The before-and-after in my video was striking—the bass snapped into place, tight and impactful. Pushing it to extremes with the delta mode showed its power without muddiness. Beyond mastering, Bass Control doubles as a diagnostic tool, guiding me to revisit mix elements if needed.
Stem EQ: Surgical Precision in Stereo Masters
The Stem EQ is a revolutionary addition, allowing me to separately EQ vocals, bass, drums, and instruments within a stereo master. Using advanced stem separation with improved neural nets, it delivers cleaner splits with fewer artifacts compared to Ozone 11. In my demo, I soloed vocals and boosted high-end air, brightening them without affecting drums or bass. For drums, I added low-end thump to emphasize the kick, all isolated.
This is a lifesaver for fixing “unmixable” issues like thin vocals or overpowering drums without the original multi-tracks. It’s also perfect for experimenting with loops or diagnosing mix issues—I noted in the video that boosting vocals here might prompt me to adjust the source tracks instead. Stem EQ gives me unprecedented control, making it a must-have for modern mastering workflows.
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Unlimiter: Revive Dynamics with Industry-First Tech
Over-compression can sap a track’s life, but the Unlimiter is an industry-first tool that restores lost transients. Using cutting-edge machine learning, it acts as an “undo” button for overly compressed audio. I set the threshold manually or used the Learn button, then dialed in revival to bring back punch. In my demo, my track wasn’t heavily compressed, so results were subtle, but the potential for reviving dull masters is massive. It opens up space for cleaner, easier mastering, ensuring tracks breathe again without introducing artifacts.
IRC 5 Maximizer Mode: Loudness Without Compromise
The new IRC 5 Maximizer mode takes Ozone’s fan-favorite limiter to new heights. It’s the most advanced algorithm yet, delivering high LUFS with stunning clarity and no pumping or distortion. In my overview, I pushed a master hard, and IRC 5 maintained openness and impact. It’s perfect for crafting competitive masters for streaming or live settings, complementing other new features like the Stabilizer module’s 25 new genre targets for adaptive EQ and the Clarity module for smoothing dull mixes psychoacoustically.
Enhanced Workflow and Compatibility
Ozone 12’s new features integrate seamlessly into a polished, intuitive interface with a refreshed color palette. It runs efficiently on Apple Silicon (native and Rosetta) and Windows, supporting AAX, AU, and VST3 in DAWs like Logic 11, Pro Tools 2025, and Ableton Live 12. Additional enhancements include Transient/Sustain controls for depth and punch, Assistive Vocal Balance for perfect vocal levels, and Tonal Balance Control 2 for metering against pro references.
Why Ozone 12’s New Features Are a Must-Have
Ozone 12’s new tools—Bass Control, Stem EQ, Unlimiter, Custom Master Assistant, and IRC 5—redefine what’s possible in mastering. They empower me to fix issues previously out of reach, from weak low ends to unmixable stereo files, all while keeping AI assistive rather than prescriptive. Whether you’re mastering for Spotify, clubs, or vinyl, these features deliver pro results with efficiency and creativity.
Available in packages like Elements or upgrades—visit iZotope’s site for details.
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