Plugin comparison
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which effect to buy.
Independent score / workflow fit / buying signal
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Contenders
Master Plan 2 is Musik Hack's all-in-one mastering plugin, rebuilt with a new limiter, saturation and EQ, a metering overhaul and reference comparison. $179 intro, $249 regular.
sonible smart:limit is an AI true-peak limiter with Instant Impact Prediction, publishing targets, Quality Check, and sound-shaping (Style, Saturation, Balance, Bass).
Technical matrix
| Signal | Musik Hack Master Plan 2 | sonible smart:limit |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179 | €129 |
| Dubspot Score | — | 8.7 |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX, macOS, Windows | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Developer | Musik Hack | — |
| Type | All-in-one mastering plugin | Intelligent true-peak limiter with loudness guidance |
| Limiting | Redesigned architecture, Optimal Loudness Meter, Presence, Body, improved True Peak and oversampling, advanced anti-aliasing | — |
| Saturation | Aura, Silk, Target Your Saturation (four flavors including Thick), Tape Intensity, Glow | — |
| EQ and dynamics | Custom-refined Low, Mid, High EQ, Dynamic Calm filters, overhauled Multipressor, Wide stereo control with goniometer | — |
| Metering | New Gain, Spectral, EQ and Imaging views, customizable | — |
| Workflow | Reference Comparisons with beat detection, Legacy Mode, Low Latency Mode, Auto Input Leveling, latency-compensated bypass, three automatable snapshots | — |
| Formats | AAX, AU, VST3 | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Systems | macOS 11 or later, Windows 10 or later | — |
| Price | $179 intro, $249 regular, $60 upgrade | — |
| Key tech | — | Content-aware analysis, automatic parametrization, Instant Impact Prediction |
| Monitoring | — | Integrated / short-term / momentary LUFS; Loudness Range; dynamics (peak-to-loudness based); True Peak (dBTP) via high-res oversampling; gain reduction |
| Guidance | — | Publishing targets, loudness & dynamics grid, Quality Check |
| Sound shaping | — | Style (soft↔hard), Saturation, Balance (spectral polish), Bass Control |
| Manual controls | — | Full manual access to limiter parameters (incl. attack/release) with or without auto setup |
| Channel layouts | — | Mono, stereo, Dolby Surround 5.1 (per sonible specs) |
| Sample rates | — | 44.1 kHz to 192 kHz |
| Authorization | — | Machine-based (2 systems typical) or iLok transfer via sonible account |
| List price | — | €129 (sales and bundles common—smart:essentials with smart:EQ / smart:comp) |
| Trial | — | Time-limited full trial from sonible (confirm current demo length) |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.