[Review] iZOTOPE "Neutron 4" Review (AI-equipped Mix Plug-in, Details on New Features, Evaluation, etc.)
Manufacturer Information
Features
- Suite of 8 plug-ins: Neutron 4 comes with a total of 8 plug-ins, including the mothership and 7 components. Use the component plug-ins individually or combine them in the Mothership plug-in chain to sculpt your sound!
- New! Mix the Moment: The Assistant view, using machine learning, starts listening as soon as you play audio, creating a reference starting point and intelligent control center where you can personalize the result. This is a track assistant, but faster and more flexible.
- New! Match references in real time: dynamically match track tones to samples or stems using a new target library with tone matching technology.
- New! Make Space: Neutron 4's new unmasking module detects and corrects masking problems, allowing you to achieve new levels of clarity.
- New! Distort responsibly. Or not: iZotope fan favorite Trashcan slices have been added to Neutron 4. Distort and destroy sounds with the Exciter module's Trashcan mode, allowing you to discover new extremes.
- New! Punch Up: Make an impact with the Compressor's new Punch mode to control and visualize how hard a sound hits.
- New! Tone and Tame: Use the new Tone slider to change the character tone in Neutron's exciter and adjust the emphasis on low or high frequency content. Use the new Tame button to maintain dynamic expression when destroying with distortion or dial-up effects.
- New! Sidechain Metering in Compressor Module: Check the sound and set the scope of the sidechain; visualize dynamics with the new Oscilloscope view in Neutron's Compressor.
- Mix Assistant: Let Neutron automatically set levels before you even touch a fader. Combine with individual track relays and master visual mixers to set levels from the start.
- Visual Mixer & iZotope Relay: Launch MixAssistant directly from VisualMixer to move tracks in virtual space and utilize iZotope-compatible inter-plugin communication.
- Use the Sculptor module to enhance audio. iZotope spectral shaping makes instrument tracks sound like themselves or something else entirely.
- Tone balance control: measure as you mix to form balanced levels based on tens of thousands of professional mixes.
- Surround sound support and zero-latency mode in all seven modules for professional, lightweight processing of 7.1 audio post or surround music mixes.
- Beautifully smooth visualization and resizable interface for one-step control.
- Improved performance: Neutron is compatible with Apple silicon native (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max) chips for faster processing.
Quote from Neutron 4
About Editions
First, there are changes to the editions. The three previous editions, Elements/Standard/Advanced, are now Neutron 4 Element/Neutron 4. This may mean that the intermediate editions have been eliminated.
New Features
Various new features have been added, but let's take a look at the most prominent among them.
Neutron 4 detects and fixes masking problems, allowing for a new level of clarity. The new UnmaskModule creates space between two competing tracks, balancing bass and kick or letting vocals shine throughout the mix; unmasks from a DAW track or bus, and adjusts levels for optimal balance; and allows you to create a new level in the mix that is more balanced than ever before. It's easy to set up and fix a muddy mix in seconds.
I think it is simple and very easy to use. However, you need to have a good ear because the mix can get out of order depending on how much Sensitivity is set. Some people who are accustomed to post-mixing may find that the normal masking meter alone is sufficient for their needs. In any case, it is definitely a very useful feature as one of the options.
The Tone Match function is also quite useful. This is an automatic function that provides a profile for each instrument and matches the EQ to the sound of that profile. This is a function that is also included in sonible "smart: EQ". However, in addition to this, there is a function that allows you to load your own samples and make them sound similar to the profile. This is quite convenient. And, thankfully, you can load multiple samples and compare them, as shown on the screen.
I checked and it seems that it does not detect the Punch Distort and Width parameters. I think it would be interesting to make this similar, so look forward to it in the future.
Trash Mode
Some of the fan favorites Trash have been added to Neutron4. Distort and destroy sounds in Trash mode to discover new extremes by blending different textures. Curate character with the new Tone slider and explore strange and wild boundaries. Distort responsibly with the Tame button to maintain dynamic expression when destroying.
A distortion plug-in, Trash, has been added; it's not as if using Trash is all you need, but it's nice to have a little bit of processing right at your fingertips; the XY pad handles it, so it's simple and easy to use. The Tone slider on the exciter also allows you to choose which frequency to apply it to. This is quite useful for sharpening the hi-hat and other sound textures.
Evaluation
Neutron now has more automation, more detection, and more processing for sound character. Now you can complete width, punch, distortion, and saturation within Neutron, making it possible to almost complete a mix with just this one tool. Although Neutron does not have sufficient analog emulation functions, I think it has almost all of the mix processing that can be done digitally.
This is also a great feature for those who are not good at masking or those who want to quickly resolve masking to arrive at a good mix. Other plug-ins offer masking processing, but I think this is the only plug-in that can handle comprehensive mix processing in a comprehensive manner. For those who can mix to a certain degree, it is possible to mix without this functionality, but on the other hand, I think it is a product that allows those users to realize the benefits of being able to shorten the time for processing that can be cut back in the past.
