Efficiency is the name of the game in any field. In the world of pro audio, being able to work in a quick and effective manner can mean the difference between no work and more clients. You want to be able to provide your best work and effort, but doing it without any assistance can hurt your workflow rather than help it. That is what an assistant like Neutron 3 is perfect for.
Neutron 3 from iZotope is the best way to speed up your mixing without sacrificing quality. We have talked about Nectar 3 before and you can see it here. This is a similar plugin however, the focus of Nectar is vocals, and Neutron is built to be a full mixing plugin for any type of track.
How We Reviewed Neutron 3 Standard
For this look into Neutron 3 we are focusing on the standard version. We want to showcase some of the best and unique facets of Neutron. Here we have a box showing what is included in the Standard version verses the Advanced.
| Standard | Advanced | |
| Mix Assistant | ✔ | |
| Improved Tonal Balance Control | ✔ | |
| Sculptor Mode | ✔ | ✔ |
| EQ Module | ✔ | ✔ |
| Two Compressors | ✔ | ✔ |
| Gate | ✔ | ✔ |
| Exciter | ✔ | ✔ |
| Transient Shaper | ✔ | ✔ |
| Output Limiter | ✔ | ✔ |
| 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Support | ✔ | |
| All Modules Available as Plugins | ✔ |
Overall
Best for:
Neutron 3 is the instrumental suite by iZotope, made to cater to your creative side. There are many effects and tools to help you pull the best possible sound out of each track you insert Neutron 3 into.
Features
Mix Assistant – Mix Assistant is the same idea as the assistant in Ozone and Nectar. Standard does only have a basic version of the mix assistant, but I can help you blend the levels and sounds much quicker.
Sculptor – The Sculptor is a more in-depth analysis of eq. It has a long list of presets for you to experiment with to find your ideal sound no matter the instrument.
Masking Meter – Muddy mixes are such an issue in the crossover frequencies between instruments. One of the main issues is the mix between bass and kicks. To help resolve these issues, there is the Masking meter which can be used to see 2 track frequency responses at once and edit them simultaneously.
Transient Shaper – Transient shapers have not been a highlight for a lot of mixers and engineers. It is a way to control the transient (which is most often associated with drums) in a way that can either boost or lower the transient of a hit. This could make a snare pop out in a mix or be used to blend it in smoothly.
Compatibility
Neutron 3 Standard will work with the majority of the major DAWs out there. It can be a great tool whether you mix with real instruments or electronic.
| Mac | Windows | |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM 8 GB recommended | 4 GB RAM 8 GB recommended |
| Operating System | 10.11.6 – 10.15 | Windows 7 – 10 |
This plugin will come to you digitally.
Pricing
It can be hard to compare this to other combined plugin suites because there really aren’t any others out there like it. The only ones that could be considered “close” do not have the in-depth tools that come with the iZotope suites.
- Rent-to-own price: $9.99 month for 25 months, pause or cancel at anytime
- Total Price: $249
Bonus & Extras
Many companies will focus on the upgrades of a plugin without taking into account the speed and power it takes to run the plugin. Neutron 3 has been built with the idea of speed in mind and it has become 3 times faster to load than its previous counterpart Neutron 2.
Honestly, iZotope could have simply worked on the general upgrades and most people would be happy, however, they were able to include the faster load time and response without sacrificing the plugin’s integrity.
The only way that Neutron 3 Standard could be any better is if you upgrade to Neutron 3 Advanced.
Maximize Your Time
The last thing you want to waste is your time. It’s one thing you will never get back. That’s why when you are working for a client and want to improve your efficiency to get the final product to them, you want tools like Neutron and Nectar 3 in your pocket. Your clients will be impressed and you will be satisfied with the work you’ve done.
If you are looking to learn more about iZotope plugins and plugins comparisons, we have a long list of information available for your convenience here.
Jarrett is a hardcore Lover-Jazz Lover-Rock Lover-Blues Lover-just a music lover. He has the hair to match — Jarrett and provides in-depth insight into all things guitar and music engineering.