Is iZotope Ozone 12 just a routine update, or something more exciting?Believe it or not, iZotope’s Ozone is now 24 years old and, in that time, has revolutionised the process of mastering, making pro-level tools available to anyone with a couple of hundred dollars. The company has just released version 12, and has given MusicTech an early copy to dig into Ozone 12’s new capabilities, from enhanced AI tools to Stem EQ.
We’ll be publishing a full review soon, but here’s everything you need to know right now about the new suite. We’re checking out Ozone 12 Advanced, which is the fully-featured package and costs $499, but the Standard version ($219) also gets most of the new features, while Elements ($55) gets the new Master Assistant, which is the big news here.
Ozone’s Master Assistant
Master Assistant is greatly expanded from Ozone 11; it can still listen to your track and use AI to suggest a sympathetic mastering treatment, but now there’s a whole new set of options too.
Switch to the Master Assistant’s Custom mode, and you can get much more granular instead of letting the software make all your choices. For a start, there’s a new list of genre-specific target styles, including several sub-genres of EDM (where there used to be fewer), to tailor the processing to your track. Then there’s the option to enable or disable the different processing modules – love the imaging but not the EQ? It’s easy to just use some modules in this mode now. Then there’s an Intensity slider so you can apply variable amounts of the mastering processing.
Custom mode is a new addition that’s ideal for producers who don’t like the idea of trusting a whole master treatment to the software but who also want some guidance and to save some time. It’s a halfway house and a useful option to have alongside fully automated or fully manual setups. It’s worth repeating that even the most affordable version has this new feature if you’re on a budget.
Ozone 12 Stem EQ vocals. Image: Press
Three new modules
Stem EQ, found in the Advanced version, builds on the Stem Focus mode and uses AI to separate four stems: vocals, drums, bass and instruments, something we are seeing across many pro audio packages these days.
Here, you can apply EQ separately to any of these stems even when working with a mixed-down stereo file. The idea is that you don’t need to go back and do tedious mix edits and re-exports to achieve this. In some cases, you might not even have that option, so it’s super handy to be able to just go in and tame the bass a bit, for example, or pull up some mids to brighten the vocals, without having to unpick everything first.
The second new module is Bass Control (Standard and Advanced), which uses machine learning to “streamline” bass frequencies, iZotope says. It provides you with a dedicated waveform view of your low end, with light/heavy balance and punch controls, as well as a Sustain Power control. In short, the feature helps to make your bass hit harder without becoming overwhelming. It’s neither EQ nor compression, so it is capable of tightening up the bottom end in a way that’s not possible with more conventional tools.
Thirdly, and included with the Advanced version, there’s the Unlimiter, another machine learning-powered module that iZotope claims is the only tool of its kind on the market. We’re all familiar with the over-limiting that characterised the loudness wars, sucking life and dynamic range out of masters. This tool analyses your over-limited track and has a simple Amount knob you can use to “reverse” the effects of limiting, opening up dynamic range and bringing a more natural character back to the track.
This module is sort of magic, and while I doubt we’ll be told exactly how it does what it does, it’s remarkably effective. It will become an invaluable tool for re-mastering older material where stems aren’t available, correcting mistakes, and even just sweetening up tracks you’ve taken a bit too far.
Finally, the Maximizer section gets a new IRC 5 limiting algorithm, which iZotope says delivers clarity and loudness without the usual associated pumping or distortion. Digging around in this section of the software is perhaps a pursuit of more experienced users, but when doing an A/B comparison of the new algorithm, it is noticeably clearer and cleaner in the results it produces.
Ozone 12 Bass Control. Image: Press
Ozone 12 — promising update or AI slop?
While Ozone was already pretty much the most fully-featured software mastering suite on the market, the features that iZotope has added in version 12 makes it a significant update for producers of all skill levels.
The new features span a range of use cases from audio repair and AI-powered assistance to more forensic control of frequencies in a way that isn’t possible with standard EQ, compression and similar tools. This all elevates mastering into a more technically advanced process – note the prevalence of machine learning — but the software remains accessible and doesn’t blind you with science.
The Standard version is the one most people will opt for, and if you’re already a customer, discounted upgrade pricing is available via your account. You’ll only get the full tool set with the Advanced version, which is the most expensive, but there’s also a 10-day free trial, so you can try it out for yourself.
For new customers, MSRP prices are as follows:

Ozone 12 Elements: $55 USD
Ozone 12 Standard: $219 USD
Ozone 12 Advanced: $499 USD
Music Production Suite: $799 USD

Ozone 12 Unlimiter. Image: Press
Learn more at izotope.com.
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