Finalist 2 from Tim Exile

AI-free mixing tool gets an upgrade

Launched in October 2025, Tim Exiles Finalist is an algorithmic mixing tool that's been designed for those who don't have the time, skills, budget or desire to mix their music. Now, a new and improved version has arrived, and rather than residing inside of Native Instruments' Reaktor like its predecessor, Finalist 2 is now available as a standalone application or via a web browser.

Finalist 2 delivers many of the features commonly requested by users of the original version. Exporting can now be carried out in a single click, with offline rendering to WAV, AIFF or FLAC, and there's an option of bouncing Drums, Bass, Back and Front group stems that sum perfectly to the master. The stem limit has doubled from 32 to 64, stems are now placed automatically from their file names, and it's possible to add, replace, delete and update stems in an existing project without needing to start over again. Every mix is saved to a browsable library, with a Versions function for comparing settings within a project and Templates for reusing a sound across an album or EP. The GUI is resizable, and context-sensitive help, tutorials and a live support assistant are all built in.

Behind the scenes, the mix engine has been recalibrated to provide more dynamic range and transparency, although the Strength knobs makes it possible to dial in a thicker, denser sound when required. Finalist 2's engine responds to hundreds of data points extracted from your audio during analysis, and the points are mapped onto the mixer through hand-crafted, genre-based presets, with analog warmth emulation, Mid-Side processing, multiband dynamics, transient shaping, clipper-limiters and a limiter network all deployed at various points in the signal path. As before, Finalist does not rely on any AI-based processes.

Key Features

Finalist 2 runs in your desktop browser and as a free standalone application for Mac and Windows. No Reaktor, no account, nothing to install. Drop your stems, choose a preset, tweak it, export it.

Mix for free, pay to export. Choose credits, a subscription, or buy a perpetual licence and get infinite mixes forever. Your audio never leaves your machine.

One-click export of your master plus Drums, Bass, Back and Front stems that sum exactly to the master: stem separation without the AI artefacts.

Up to 64 stems, automatic stem placement, a recalibrated mix engine with more dynamic range, saved mixes, versions, templates and built-in help.

A lot of the time you don't actually need AI to build a really useful tool, With hand-rolled algorithms you can intentionally design an infinite number of ways to make a mix sound, rather than relying on a black box of training outputs. That is what lets Finalist 2 give you genre templates you can flip through and hear instantly, and simple controls to tweak to taste. - Tim Exile

Compatibility Finalist 2 runs in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on desktop and laptop computers, and as a free standalone application for macOS and Windows.

Pricing & Availability Finalist 2 is available now, and is subject to a flexible new pricing scheme. Mixing, analysing, presets, versions and templates are all free. Exporting a finished mix costs a credit, and is covered by either a monthly or annual subscription, or can be used forever with a perpetual licence for the desktop application, which is usable on up to three machines with no internet required.

A launch discount of 30% applies to everything until 9 October 2026, bringing the perpetual licence from £149 to £99. Finalist 1 owners can upgrade for £25 (50% off the standard £49 upgrade) during the same period. Prices include VAT.

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LINK:	https://www.soundonsound.com/news/finalist-2-tim-exile...
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