IK Multimedia announces new T-RackS CS with Custom Shop

IK Multimedia has announced a new version of its T-RackS mixing/mastering suite. This heralds the arrival of five new built-in processors, integration of the CSR Classik Studio Reverb processors and a brand-new Custom Shop that allows you to buy new pieces of gear on an à la carte basis.

Four of the new devices are multiband mastering processors and include a compressor, limiter, stereo imager and de-esser. There's also the British Channel, an analogue-modelled emulation of the channel strip from a popular British mixing desk.

The Custom Shop will be familiar to AmpliTube users and enables you to buy new gear as and when you need it. You can use both AmpliTube and T-RackS pieces from within T-RackS CS.

Read the official press release below to find out more or go to the IK Multimedia website. T-RackS CS is available now in CS, Classic, Deluxe and Grand versions with prices ranging from €59.99 to €319.99 (upgrades from previous versions are available). The Custom Shop is open for business now.

IK Multimedia T-RackS CS press release

IK Multimedia is proud to announce the release of T-RackS® Custom Shop, the updated version 4.0 of its world-class mixing and mastering suite for Mac and PC. The new T-RackS CS offers five brand-new, must-have analogue-modelled and digital processors, and it integrates the Custom Shop, IK's exclusive online gear shop, which allows users to purchase gear models à la carte from within the T-RackS software itself, and much more.

IK Multimedia pioneered analogue modelling in 1999 with the original version of T-RackS, the first desktop mastering- software suite, and has been at the forefront of developing mixing and mastering software ever since. The new T-RackS CS pushes the envelope even further, with features that can't be found elsewhere, and sonic accuracy and character that is unmatched.

5 New T-RackS Processors, CSR integration, Improved Sound

The new T-RackS CS includes five brand-new processing modules. Four belong to the new Quad Series of multiband mastering processors, which includes a compressor, limiter, stereo imager and de-esser. These units allow for surgical mastering and mixing precision by splitting the signal into four adjustable frequency bands (three for the de-esser) that can be processed individually. Each Quad module is equipped with a set of high-precision filters and a solo function for auditioning individual bands.

The fifth new processor is British Channel, a meticulously analogue-modelled emulation of the channel strip from the most popular British mixing desk of all time. It offers four bands of EQ, high- and low-pass filters, a compressor and an independent gate/expander section, with a sound that's been the centrepiece of countless tracks through the history of recorded music. IK used its cutting-edge DSM™ and SCC™ modelling technologies to nail down every nuance of this classic.

Additionally, T-RackS CS now integrates all of the CSR Classik Studio Reverb processors: Hall, Room, Plate and Inverse, which have been updated to offer 64-bit precision when running from the T-RackS shell.

Besides offering more processors, T-RackS CS also improves the sound of two of its most sought after compressors/limiters: White 2A and Black 76. Both have been updated with ultra-accurate modelling of their input/output stages that will please the most demanding vintage connoisseurs.

New Built-in Custom Shop

The new T-RackS CS now includes the IK Custom Shop, the extremely popular integrated online tool that allows users to expand T-RackS with à la carte processors, try them before they buy them, and tailor their studio to fit any level of personal budget.

The online Custom Shop lets users browse the gear collection - which will be expanded regularly - and make purchases with IK "Gear Credits", available in the Custom Shop. The "Try Before You Buy" feature allows for downloading a fully functional module for two days before deciding whether to purchase.

Over 100,000 users are already taking advantage of the Custom Shop inside AmpliTube, IK's flagship for guitar processing. Now those users can add superior outboard T-RackS compressors, EQs and reverbs to their DAWs by updating their Custom Shop to integrate both AmpliTube and T-RackS gear, giving them access to a staggering 285 pieces of equipment, all just one click away.

New T-RackS Custom Shop Free Version

T-RackS CS is also available for FREE! The free version, T-RackS Custom Shop, includes two fully functional modules (classic EQ and metering), making it an unprecedented value. It can be downloaded for free from the IK User Area upon registration.

The included modules are the renowned 6-band parametric T-RackS Classic Equalizer, and a comprehensive professional metering suite comprising Peak, Perceived Loudness, Phase and RMS meters, and a Spectrum analyzer. Both the EQ and meters are available in the T-RackS shell, but also open as separate plug-ins. With these two included plug-ins as a starting point, users can add gear as they see fit via the Custom Shop.

New T-RackS CS Bundle Collections

In addition to the free version, T-RackS CS is now available in three distinct collections:

Classic - formerly T-RackS Standard, it includes the four original T-RackS processors: Classic Compressor, Classic Multi-band Limiter, Classic Clipper and Classic Equalizer, plus the metering suite.

Deluxe - includes everything in T-RackS CS Classic, plus Vintage Tube Compressor/Limiter Model 670, Vintage Tube Program Equalizer, Opto Compressor, Brickwall Limiter, and Linear Phase Equalizer.

Grand - includes everything in T-RackS CS Deluxe, plus seven additional processors: Quad Comp, Quad Limit, Quad Image, De-Esser, British Channel, Black 76 and White 2A. It provides the full collection of 16 T-RackS processors, featuring all the new modules released so far (not including CSR).

As usual, all new and previous T-RackS processors can be opened in three forms: as separate single processor plug-ins, as modules available inside the T-RackS plug-in shell - which allows up to 12 to be chained - or inside the T-RackS standalone mastering suite.

Pricing and Availability

The T-RackS Custom Shop is available now in both the free and paid versions of T-RackS. Updated versions of T-RackS Classic (formerly Standard) and Deluxe, featuring the Custom Shop, are available as free updates for previous owners of those products.

T-RackS CS Grand is available for €319.99 (all prices ex VAT), T-RackS CS Deluxe is priced at €159.99 and T-RackS CS Classic at €59.99. All are available as digital downloads from IK's Online Store and the T-RackS Custom Shop.

Through January 7, 2013, a special 50%-off introductory upgrade price for T-RackS Grand is offered to users who've purchased any previous T-RackS Deluxe or Standard bundle, or single plug-in. These special upgrade prices start as low as €79.99 and go up to €119.99, depending on the version.

Credit Packs for purchasing à la carte models in the Custom Shop start as low as €15.99 for 20 credits, and go up incrementally to €399.99 for 1,000 credits.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.