iZotope have offered me a year end deal on Ozone 8. I'm used to using Sound Forge. Anyone using Ozone? Does it have any advantages/disadvantages over Sound Forge or is it a different beast and if so how? If it helps to know I have RX advanced. Thanks.
And Sound Forge isn't?
Sound Forge is an audio recorder and editor. You can do mastering stuff in it but that's not its primary function.
(p.s. I'm not an audio guy, and I find mastering highly mysterious)
While you can use Ozone as a stand-alone, it is probably mostly used as a plug-in to DAWs, NLEs and audio editors such as Sound Forge.
You cannot "edit" in Ozone; rather, Ozone allows you to adjust the "sound" (aka Mastering) of your track by using any combination of a number of modules covering compression, exciter, dynamics, EQ, imaging and limiting. There is a huge range of pre-sets that can be used as-is or as a starting point for your creativity. It is heavily oriented to music production but does have some VO and post-prod applications.
In a way, Ozone is an audio equivalent to color grading in video.
You might just have enough time to download a trial for a quick test before the current offer expires. Check iZotope's webpage for a list of Ozone's features and the differences between the standard and Advanced versions.
Edit: Ozone 8 is a plug-in within RX6 Advanced.
"Ozone is an audio equivalent to color grading in video"
- That is a very good analogy for video folks Dexcon.