getting a track ready for mastering - my first time...

[pseudonym]

Hey,

What's the best practice for getting your track ready for mastering in terms of the levels of sound etc...

I've been using vintage warmer, UAD plugs and an outboard exciter on my track to make it sound as big as possible, but will that spoil the job the professional mastering dudes will do?

is it best to just deliver a clean sounding mix without beefing up the bottom end and making the high end polished with excitement?

or is anything I do to make the sound richer and warmer just going to add to the quality of master?

I'm getting myself hyped about having a track that's good enough to be mastered (after about 8 years of practice - damn I'm slow...)

so, in my heightened state of hype, I'd love to hear from anyone who's been though this process and can tell me what it's like to send and receive from a pro mastering studio...

cheers,

pseudo