How to Master in Cubase (Stock Plugins)

Updated August 2026 · by Loopin

Mastering in Cubase is done with stock plugins on the Stereo Out inserts: Frequency EQ for corrective moves, the Multiband Compressor for glue, an optional Magneto II for saturation, then the Maximizer or Brickwall Limiter with a −1 dB ceiling. Cubase Pro’s SuperVision metering shows LUFS so you can land near −14 LUFS integrated before exporting a WAV. Prefer to skip the setup? Loopin’s browser mastering does the same automatically.

Mastering with Cubase’s stock plugins

Cubase ships with everything you need to master in-the-box — a clean corrective EQ, a capable multiband compressor, tape-style saturation and two different peak limiters. You don’t need a third-party bundle to get a competitive result.

The whole chain lives on the Stereo Out channel’s inserts, and Cubase Pro’s SuperVision meter gives you accurate LUFS readings so you can target a streaming level instead of guessing.

Order matters as much as the plugins themselves. Corrective EQ comes first so the compressor reacts to a balanced signal, dynamics and saturation shape the body of the sound next, and the limiter goes last as a hard ceiling. Getting that sequence right is most of the battle.

Frequency — stock corrective/parametric EQ
Multiband Compressor — band-by-band glue
Magneto II — optional tape saturation
Maximizer / Brickwall Limiter — the peak ceiling
SuperVision — LUFS metering (Cubase Pro)

Open the Stereo Out channel and its insert rack — the whole chain lives here so everything routed to it is processed together.
Add SuperVision and switch it to a LUFS/loudness readout.
Confirm your mix feeds the Stereo Out with headroom — no clipping into the master.
Build the chain in slots in order: Frequency ’ Multiband Compressor ’ Magneto II ’ limiter.

Step 1 — Frequency EQ (corrective)

Start with Frequency, Cubase’s stock EQ, for corrective moves only. High-pass the useless sub-rumble, then make gentle wide cuts where the mix is boxy or harsh.

Resist the urge to sculpt dramatically at the master stage. Small, broad adjustments translate far better than narrow surgical ones.

High-pass the deep rumble the track doesn’t need
Cut mud or harshness with wide, gentle bands
Small boosts only — a little air can help
Aim for a cleaner mix, not a different tone

Step 2 — Multiband Compressor (glue)

Add the Multiband Compressor for cohesion. Working in bands lets you control the low end separately from the mids and highs, so bass energy doesn’t clamp the whole track.

Keep it gentle — a small amount of gain reduction per band that glues the mix together without audible pumping.

Independent bands keep bass from ducking everything
Gentle reduction per band — glue, not squash
Tame whichever band jumps out
Listen for cohesion, not obvious compression

Step 3 — Magneto II (optional saturation)

For warmth and a touch of perceived loudness, insert Magneto II after the multiband stage. Tape-style saturation adds harmonics that make the master feel fuller without leaning on the limiter.

Keep it subtle. Drive it until it flatters the track, then ease back before it sounds obviously distorted — and skip it entirely if the mix is already full.

Adds harmonics and gentle warmth
Keep it subtle — flavour, not distortion
Sits after multiband, before the limiter
Optional — skip it if the track already sounds full

Step 4 — Maximizer or Brickwall Limiter at −1 dB

End with either the Maximizer or the Brickwall Limiter, set to a −1 dB ceiling. That headroom keeps lossy encoders from clipping on inter-sample peaks when a platform re-encodes your track.

The two tools differ in feel: the Maximizer is a loudness maximizer with a gentler, more forgiving character, while the Brickwall Limiter is a hard ceiling that simply refuses to let anything through above the threshold. For a transparent master, either works — pick the one whose sound you prefer and set the same −1 dB ceiling.

Use the limiter as the final safety net. Push into it only enough to reach your loudness target — if you need heavy limiting, something earlier in the chain is too hot.

Set the ceiling to −1 dB
It’s the last plugin in the chain
Use it to catch peaks, not to force loudness
Heavy limiting means an earlier stage is too hot

How to master in Cubase, start to finish

Here’s the whole workflow in order, ending at a streaming-ready WAV:

On the Stereo Out, add SuperVision and set it to LUFS.
Insert Frequency — high-pass and gently cut any mud or harshness.
Insert the Multiband Compressor for a little band-by-band glue.
Optionally add Magneto II for subtle saturation.
Add the Maximizer or Brickwall Limiter with a −1 dB ceiling.
Watch SuperVision and adjust until integrated loudness reads about −14 LUFS.
Export as WAV (Audio Mixdown) with the chain in place.
Want it done for you? Drop the raw mix into Loopin’s free mastering tool and it targets −14 LUFS and −1 dBTP automatically.

Common mistakes in Cubase mastering

Processing tracks instead of the Stereo Out — the master chain belongs on the output bus.
Not metering LUFS — use SuperVision to confirm about −14 LUFS integrated.
Setting the limiter above −1 dB — the ceiling leaves headroom for lossy encoding.
Over-driving the Multiband Compressor — it’s for glue, not squashing.
Chasing loudness past −14 LUFS — streaming turns hot masters down and keeps the damage.
Exporting to MP3 first — keep the master a WAV and let one lossy conversion happen at the platform.

The faster free alternative

Cubase’s stock plugins give you a serious mastering setup, but building and dialing Frequency, the Multiband Compressor, Magneto II and a limiter takes time and a trained ear. Loopin’s online mastering runs the same idea — corrective EQ, multiband compression with an independent low end, saturation, M/S stereo shaping, two-pass loudness targeting to about −14 LUFS and a true-peak limiter at −1 dBTP — automatically in your browser.

It’s free, needs no signup, uploads nothing, and adds no watermark. A/B it against your mix and export a 16-bit WAV in minutes, then bring it back into Cubase if you want to refine by hand.

Frequently asked questions

Can you master in Cubase with only stock plugins?

Yes. On the Stereo Out inserts, use Frequency EQ for corrective moves, the Multiband Compressor for glue, an optional Magneto II for saturation, then the Maximizer or Brickwall Limiter with a −1 dB ceiling. Export as WAV with the chain in place.

What LUFS should I target when mastering in Cubase?

About −14 LUFS integrated, which matches the level major streaming platforms normalize toward. Cubase Pro’s SuperVision metering shows LUFS so you can confirm you’ve landed there before exporting.

Where does the master chain go in Cubase?

On the Stereo Out channel’s inserts, so everything routed to the output bus is processed together. Add the plugins in order down the insert slots: EQ, multiband compressor, saturation, then limiter.

What ceiling should the Cubase limiter use?

Set the Maximizer or Brickwall Limiter to a −1 dB ceiling. That headroom stops lossy encoders from clipping on inter-sample peaks when a platform re-encodes your track. It runs last in the chain.

Is there a faster free alternative to a Cubase master chain?

Yes. Loopin’s browser mastering runs corrective EQ, multiband compression, saturation, stereo shaping, loudness to about −14 LUFS and a −1 dBTP limiter automatically. It’s free, uploads nothing, and exports a 16-bit WAV.