The concept of audio mastering stems from broadcast and vinyl LPs. Radio stations wanted a competitive signal, but also needed to keep levels strong without distortion. Vinyl records required a recording that wouldn’t cause the needle to jump out of the groove when the record was played. Both sectors managed this process through the use of equalization, compression, and limiting hardware. As mixing become more sophisticated, mastering became its own creative force within the industry – often noticeably enhancing the final product after the mix. Mastering hardware became more than simply the hand-me-downs from broadcast facilities.
In the modern world of audio plugins, those specifically designed for mastering take many forms. Some are simply a series of EQs and compressors that mimic vintage hardware. Others are a single plugin with a chain of internal processes. And some apply opaque algorithms to achieve standardized results. Even if you don’t plan to do your own mastering, these plugins can still be useful when you need to present a review copy in the best light. Finally, if you are a video editor, then audio mastering tools are a great way to finalize and enhance your NLE mix.
An all-in-one mastering chain
One of the mastering chain style of plugins is Grand Finale from Swedish developer Klevgrand. Although this isn’t a new offering, they have recently updated it to the 2.0 version. In my past reviews of Klevgrand products, I’ve noted the sparse, Nordic aesthetic to their interfaces. Grand Finale is no exception. While it uses similar controls to most plugins, Klevgrand has avoided artificially dressing it up with a skeuomorphic face, simply to evoke some sense of analog hardware.
Grand Finale is structured as a chain of seven modules with a specific signal flow. Each can be turned on or off and adjusted, but you can’t re-arrange the order. Start at SIGNAL IN to adjust input level and to pick a starting preset. There’s a high-pass filter that can be set to one of three frequencies – or just turned off. From here the signal is split into two paths – the rest of the signal chain, as well as a parallel processor (more about that below).
After SIGNAL IN, the standard audio flows through the Compressor, Multiband Compressor, Stereo Width, EQ, and Master Output. The small, blue arrows from box to box in the UI show this path. Notice that each of these sections has very few knobs to tweak. The small submenu for each changes the behavior of that module, either within the preset you’ve selected or if you started from scratch.
As part of the simpler design, these modules don’t show big meters for what’s going on. For example, COMP (compression) doesn’t show a grain reduction meter. Instead, the slim curve around the dial indicating level includes a gain reduction highlight as part of that curve, whenever compression kicks in. Same for the multiband module.
The MULTIBAND COMPRESSOR is divided into four band. Each has two adjustment bars – compression threshold (left) and makeup gain (right). Drag the bars or slider up or down. The submenu at the top of this module lets you change the character of the compression. Under the hood that means attack and release time and slopes are changed accordingly. However, you don’t have user controls of those. Each of these four bands can also be soloed. Honestly, I use multiband compression often and those parameters are something I would almost never manually change.
The WIDTH control uses mid/side adjustments to to avoid phase artifacts. The EQUALIZER module applies a ‘Pultec-style’ high and low boost. This means that there’s a boost with an adjacent attenuation close to the same frequency. As you select among the style options, the nature of the boost and attenuation changes. Klevgrand’s GotoEQ plugin uses a similar ‘Pultec trick’.
An integrated parallel signal path
In some approaches to mastering, you may have to use separate send buses to create a parallel compression path in order to add more body. However, Grand Finale offers a parallel processing module that is built right into the plugin. The ADDITIVE SIGNAL PATH unit branches off from the input section and is mixed back in with the main signal at the output stage. It includes distortion (harmonic distortion for saturation), its own compression, and a wet/dry mix percentage to control the gain added back into the mix. Klevgrand points out that by integrating a parallel processing path within the same plugin, phase and latency issues are avoided. Both the distortion and compression controls include selectable style choices.
Finally, the flow ends up in the MASTER OUT section. The output gain control is pre-limiter. Therefore, with the LIMITER engaged, the OUTPUT dial is driving the signal into limiting. You have no other adjustments – just the limiter’s speed of response: Fast, Lagom (moderate in Swedish), and Slow. The horizontal line under LIMITER indicates gain reduction. The digital read-out at the the top displays the final output through the plugin.
I do miss having an overall output control after the limiter or the ability to set the limiting target. It’s set to limit at 0dB, although my readings were always -0.1db, which is typically the ‘standard’ at which audio mastering tops out. Nevertheless, I prefer to leave a bit more headroom and usually set any brickwall limiting at -1db. My NLE limiting is even lower. Therefore, depending on your needs, you may still want to add a gain plugin or second limiter plugin downstream of Grand Finale.
Overall thoughts
Grand Finale offers a nice and effective chain of processes for mastering or just to insert it onto your mix bus for some polish. Klevgrand has succeeded in producing a very compact, efficient, and clean-sounding mastering tool. But you don’t need to limit its use to the mix bus. You can certainly apply it to any bus or individual track. In fact, there are specific curated presets for various instrument groups. Individual sections can be turned on or off as appropriate and you can have finer control over adjustments by holding down the alt/option key.
I’ve been using Grand Finale on several of my mixes – both song mixes in Logic Pro and video mixes in Premiere. I like its sound and operation, so it’s starting to be my ‘go-to’ mix bus processor over other options.
Grand Finale comes in all the standard plugin formats and is available as a trial. When you run in the trial/demo mode, an audio watermark (static) pops up every 30 second. A license file is used after purchase to activate the plugin. If you aren’t into plugins that simulate a rack of vintage, analog gear, yet are easy to understand and operate, then Klevgrand’s range of plugins might just be for you.
©2026 Oliver Peters
