Producer/developer Tim Exile has introduced Finalist, a new application for Mac & Windows that’s designed to let you create “release-ready” mixes in minutes.
Finalist presents you with simple aesthetic choices, and then uses audio analysis and DSP to create a mix, based on your preferences.
It features 40 varied mix presets, which you can tweak to your taste. Strength and gain knobs give you extra control over each group. Module locks allow you to lock individual modules to different presets.
Finalist’s mix engine was developed from the ground up to respond to the 300 data points it extracts from your audio during the analysis process. Analog warmth emulation, mid-side processing, multiband dynamics, transient-shaping, clipper-limiters and more are used to map your source material to targets set in each mix preset.
Finalist handles up to 32 stems and supports MacOS 11-15 and Windows 10-11 via Native Instruments’ free Reaktor Player.
Here’s an example of Finalist in action:
Pricing and Availability:
Finalist is available now, with an intro price of £89 through the end of October 2025 (normally £99).
Human mastering engineers with the experience to ride a room full of gear to nirvana are dropping in number. They also do not work cheaply. Its a bit hard to see software naturally taking over that role. On top of every other hat a synthesist has to wear, you can add mastering boss. You can’t buy those ears, but this gets you close.
Finalist clearly works well. I’ve been using Master Plan and it adds character in a similar manner. You have to learn their niceties like any other plug-in, but its the next group thing. If its a choice between no mastering and a costly pro, the software option looks pretty good.
Dave, isn’t this mixing software? Your comment is centered on mastering, so I’m wondering if I may be misreading something here.