Brainworx Mixing Month Plugin Sale (3): Mäag Audio EQ4, SPL Transient Designer Plus (~3/31, $31.90)

Hey there! I’m Jooyoung Kim, an engineer and music producer.

Brainworx Mixing Month Plugin Sale (2): Black Box Analog Design HG-2 (~3/31, $31.90)

This month, Brainworx is holding their Mixing Month sale, featuring six plugins at a discount:

  1. Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor – Compressor
  2. Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A – Compressor
  3. Black Box Analog Design HG-2 – Saturator
  4. Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS – Saturator
  5. Mäag Audio EQ4 – EQ
  6. SPL Transient Designer Plus – Transient Shaper

Following my last post, today I’ll be introducing the Mäag Audio EQ4 and SPL Transient Designer Plus.

As I’ve mentioned before, I personally bought and use 1, 3, and 5. For this round, I received NFR (Not for Resale) licenses for 2, 4, and 6 from Brainworx via Plugin Boutique.

If you purchase through the links in this blog, I’ll earn a small commission, which really helps me keep going—so thank you!

Let’s dive in!

5) Mäag Audio EQ4 – EQ

Click image to purchase maag eq4

The Mäag Audio EQ4 is a plugin recreation of the iconic EQ4 hardware from Mäag Audio. I’ve mentioned this EQ a few times in my mixing basics series, and its standout feature is the AIR BAND.

Just loading the plugin already shapes the frequency response a bit—it’s slightly bumpy, right?

Here’s what happens when you nudge up the 20kHz band. This EQ excels at lifting those ultra-high frequencies to bring out a pleasing “air” in your mix.

I often choose between this Mäag EQ4 and Slate Digital’s Fresh Air when I want to give vocals that shiny, polished feel—it depends on the track. There’s no harmonic distortion here, which keeps it clean and super easy to tweak. That’s why I highly recommend it. Honestly, I love this vibe so much I keep thinking about getting the hardware version too… haha! If you grab it during this sale, I’m sure you’ll find plenty of uses for it.

6) SPL Transient Designer Plus

Click image to purchase SPL Transient Design Plus

The SPL Transient Designer Plus is a plugin inspired by the TD (Transient Designer) module from the discontinued SPL RackPack, a 500-series rack format.

Photo: RackPack 8

It’s incredibly simple to use:

The Attack knob boosts or softens the attack phase, while the Sustain knob boosts or reduces the sustain phase. That’s it!

Below that, the Link button decides whether it processes stereo channels together or independently. The Limit button adds a limiter to prevent clipping if the attack gets too aggressive. And Parallel Mix? Well, that just blends the processed signal with the dry one.

The Side Chain Filter lets you use a sidechain signal to trigger changes in the original source’s transients—think of it like a compressor’s sidechain. Hit the SC ON button to activate it. By default, it uses an Internal Side Chain, copying the input signal and applying a filter. You can press SC SOLO to hear what’s being used as the trigger. The SC EXT button switches it to an external sidechain signal instead.

For composers or engineers like me, a transient-shaping plugin like this is a must-have. A great composition or mix depends on instruments locking together just right. You can’t always achieve that by simply sliding tracks around in your DAW.

I’ve got transient tools from Sonnox, Metric Halo, Native Instruments, SPL, iZotope, and more in my collection. This one’s another solid option—pick it up during the sale, and I bet you’ll use it all the time.

That wraps up my coverage of this month’s Brainworx sale. See you in the next post!

Brainworx Mixing Month Plugin Sale (2): Black Box Analog Design HG-2 (~3/31, $31.90)

Hey there! I’m Jooyoung Kim, an engineer and music producer.

Brainworx Mixing Month Plugin Sale (1): Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor (~3/31, $31.90)

Today, I’m picking up where I left off to talk about more of the Brainworx plugins on sale this month:

  1. Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor – Compressor
  2. Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A – Compressor
  3. Black Box Analog Design HG-2 – Saturator
  4. Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS – Saturator
  5. Mäag Audio EQ4 – EQ
  6. SPL Transient Designer Plus – Transient Shaper

In this post, I’ll be diving into the Black Box Analog Design plugins from that list—specifically HG-2 and HG-2MS.

As I mentioned last time, I personally bought and have been using 1, 3, and 5. For this round, I received NFR (Not for Resale) licenses for 2, 4, and 6 from Brainworx via Plugin Boutique.

Also, if you purchase through the links in this blog, I’ll earn a small commission, which really helps me keep going—so thank you in advance! ㅜㅠ

Ready? Let’s get started!

3 & 4) Black Box Analog Design HG-2 and HG-2MS

https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/2-Effects/44-Saturation/10203-Black-Box-Analog-Design-HG-2/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160
Click image to purchase Black Box Analog Design HG-2Ms

When I tested these two, I noticed that with the same parameter settings, their responses are pretty much identical. The differences are outlined in the manual, but since they’re so similar, I’ll explain them together using the HG-2MS as the reference point.

First off, these plugins are recreations of the HG-2 hardware from Black Box Analog Design. As you’d expect, it’s all about those glorious vacuum tubes front and center. The HG-2 uses a combination of pentode and triode tubes, running your signal through both for that signature tube saturation—that’s the core of what this hardware (and plugin) is about.

It also has an extra triode tube you can blend in. The original hardware’s signal routing looks something like this:

The output stage features a Sinemag transformer, while the parallel saturation path uses a pair of 12AX7 triode tubes.

Looking at the parameters, the “Saturation” knob on the far left controls the amount of parallel saturation. The IN/OUT button toggles whether this parallel processing is active, and the ALT TUBE button switches the tube manufacturer for the parallel saturation path, altering the harmonic distortion character.

Even if you turn off the Saturation knob, the signal still passes through the pentode and triode tubes in series, so this is a piece of gear (or plugin) that’s inherently heavy on saturation. That means if you set either Pentode or Triode to 0%, you’ll get no sound at all.

Let’s break down how it works:

Photo: Frequency response—Default state, Saturation In, Alt Tube pressed, from top to bottom

This shows the frequency response in the default state, with Saturation turned on, and with Alt Tube engaged.

Photo: Frequency response—Dark vs. Bright calibration, from right bottom

Here’s the response with the Calibration knob set to Dark and then Bright.

Photo: Frequency response—Air Amount at 100%

This is with the Air Amount cranked to 100%.

Photo: Harmonic distortion—Default state, Saturation In, Alt Tube pressed, from top to bottom

These show harmonic distortion in the default state, with Saturation on, and with Alt Tube pressed. You can see the distortion really jumps when you add parallel saturation—it’s noticeable in the harmonics, and you can hear it too; the overtones come alive.

Photo: Default state vs. Saturation In, left and right

Interestingly, even though this isn’t a compressor, it starts to subtly compress when the input gets loud enough. The left is the default state, and the right is with parallel saturation active.

Now, these parameters let you shape how the parallel saturation sounds. Hit the Solo button, and you can isolate just the parallel saturation signal.

Photo: Frequency response by parameter—High Pass, Band Pass, Flat, Band Stop, Low Pass, from up to down

I measured the frequency response for each setting to show which frequency bands they affect—High Pass, Band Pass, Flat, Band Stop, and Low Pass.

purchase Black Box Analog Design HG-2Ms at Plugin Boutique

Add colorful, frequency-selective tube saturation with M/S processing. Made by Brainworx, this is your mix bus’ best friend. Celebrated mix engineers like Dave Pensado, Bob Horn, and Jack Douglas rely on the sweet tubes and creamy-sounding transformers of the HG-2.

Personally, I like setting the Saturation to Flat, dialing back the Pentode a bit, and boosting the Triode. It gives a really nice sound—perfect for adding a touch of saturation at the final stage, like a sweet seasoning for your track.

If you’ve been thinking about a tube saturation plugin, this is a great chance to snag one at a discount.

That’s it for now—see you in the next post!

Brainworx Mixing Month Plugin Sale (1): Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor (~3/31, $31.90)

Hey there! I’m Jooyoung Kim, an engineer and music producer.

This month, Plugin Boutique is holding a sale on six Brainworx plugins, and they’re all worth checking out—so I thought I’d share them with you!

Here’s the lineup of plugins on sale:

Browse and Buy Brainworx Plugins | Plugin Boutique
  1. Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor – Compressor
  2. Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A – Compressor
  3. Black Box Analog Design HG-2 – Saturator
  4. Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS – Saturator
  5. Mäag Audio EQ4 – EQ
  6. SPL Transient Designer Plus – Transient Shaper

I originally bought and have been using plugins 1, 3, and 5 myself. For 2, 4, and 6, I requested NFR (Not for Resale) licenses from Brainworx through Plugin Boutique.

In this post, I’ll focus on introducing the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor and its Class A version.

If you purchase through the links in this blog, I’ll earn a small commission, which really helps me keep doing what I love—so thank you in advance! ^^

Let’s dive in!

1) Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor

Click image to purchase Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Plugin

Tame your dynamics with tremendous tone and precise control. Made by Brainworx, this is the supreme tycoon of master bus compression. Meticulously modeled after the instantly legendary hardware original, no details have been spared in crafting this digital version of one of the most musical and versatile compressors ever made.

This plugin is a faithful recreation of the famous Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor.

You’ve probably seen this pricey beast in mastering rooms. Back in the day, it cost around $10,000, but I hear it’s closer to $20,000 now—haha! Inside this compressor, you’ve got two flavors: an Opto compressor and a Discrete (VCA) compressor. Plus, it offers three output transformer options—Nickel, Iron, and Steel—for different tonal characters.

The Opto section uses a T4B cell, like the ones in the LA-2A or LA-3A, aiming to mimic that vibe. You can’t adjust the ratio, and it has a two-stage release (fast at first, slower later), much like the LA-2A.

The Discrete section is a VCA compressor with a bunch of tweakable parameters. They’re pretty straightforward once you look at them. For example, in the Ratio settings, “FLOOD” is around 20:1, and in Recovery, “Dual” means it follows a two-stage release like the Opto mode.

The transformer options are described in the manual like this (though I’d recommend checking frequency response and harmonic distortion tests too, with the compressors bypassed and just swapping transformers):

  • Nickel: The cleanest option with the least distortion. It subtly emphasizes ultra-high frequencies.
  • Iron: Adds a Class-A amplifier section for even-order harmonic distortion and a super musical low-end boost.
  • Steel: The most distorted option, delivering an ultra-tight low-end boost. Personally, I’m a fan of Steel—haha!
Left side Opto, right side Discrete

The Opto side adds some harmonic distortion, while the Discrete side is cleaner—both in Plugin Doctor measurements and by ear.

When I use this plugin, I tend to turn off the Opto and stick to the Discrete settings. It just feels cleaner that way, which suits my taste—I love crisp, clear sounds. The Class A version (up next) feels the same way to me… haha!

2) Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A

Click image to purchase Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A

An even smoother-sounding version of the elite mastering compressor. Made by Brainworx, this upgrade to one of the most prestigious hardware compressors of today is enhanced with patented TMT modeling. The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A Limited Edition is one of the rarest and most powerful high-end compressors out there.

This one’s a plugin recreation of the Class A VK hardware—a limited-edition model from 2012, made in collaboration with Vintage King, with only 50 units ever produced.

Here’s what sets it apart:

  1. The VCA compressor’s amplification stage is entirely Class A.
  2. It uses a Lundahl input transformer, known for its clarity.
  3. The internal wiring is handcrafted with Mogami cables.
  4. It swaps the standard LEDs for red ones (a small but cool difference!).

Testing this out, I realized something: I own the regular Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor but rarely use it. The Class A version, though? The Discrete mode really clicked with me—I’ll definitely be reaching for it more often. The sound is just so clean and polished.

The workflow is the same as the original Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, but the frequency response differs a bit.

[Photo: Opto, Discrete bypassed, frequency response followed by Nickel, Iron, Steel]

Frequency Response with Opto

When using the Opto mode, the frequency response shows it cuts quite a bit of the high end. I’m a sucker for lively highs and ultra-highs, so it’s not my thing—but I know plenty of people who love that sound!

I wanted to show you the harmonic distortion too, but Plugin Doctor seems to glitch out and not display it properly… haha. Oh, and one more thing: in both the original and Class A versions, the Opto mode is Hard Knee, while Discrete is Soft Knee. Sometimes this shows up weirdly or doesn’t apply correctly—ugh, bugs!

Anyway, the Discrete section on this Class A version is fantastic. I’ve got it set to Steel and Discrete, and I’ll probably use that combo a lot. If you’re choosing between the original and this one, I’d recommend the Class A.

Wrapping Up

When you buy from Plugin Boutique, you get a free plugin with your purchase. This month, it’s either Audiomodern Freezr or Heavyocity MicroFX Refiner—don’t forget to grab one!

That’s it for today. I’ll pick up with the rest of the plugins in my next post—stay tuned! ^^

Basics of Mixing – 14.4 Quantization Error & Dither

Hello! This is Jooyoung Kim, mixing engineer and music producer.

Today, I’d like to introduce dither/dithering, the final step in mastering. This article is based on my book, Basics of Mixing, published in South Korea.

Let’s start!

Before we talk about dithering, we must know “quantization error”. Then, what is quantization?

You may have heard the word “quantum” like quantum physics or quantum electrodynamics. Quantum means ‘discreteness’ or ‘lack of continuity’. In microscopic world, particles like electrons, protons, and neutrons have discrete physical properties. So, the word ‘quantum’ often used in particle/nuclear/quantum physics.

https://www.masteringthemix.com/blogs/learn/what-is-dither-and-does-it-matter

By the way, when we record sounds, they are saved as individual samples by sample rate and bit depth format.

In this process, continuous analog audio signals are converted into discrete digital signals. We can call this is a ‘quantization’ too.

When we play audio, digital signals are converted to analog signals in this kind of staircase format. The differences in magnitude value of original analog signals between converted signals are “quantization error”.

How to solve this problem?

The solution is really simple. Just mix noise with converted signals! The noise may sound slightly annoying, but it makes the audio sound more natural than before.

We call this noise, the solution, “dither”. Dither is more effective on digital audio files with lower bit depth.

As the bit depth increases, these quantization errors become less audible, but since quantization errors can be noticeable in very small sounds, this noise is added at the very last stage of mastering.

In the past, dither was simply used as overall noise from low to high frequencies.

When using the Dither function of Fabfilter Pro-L2

However, since you can use dither as long as there is irregular noise, these days, there are many cases where engineers use dither for ultra-high frequency noise that is low in real sound. Since this is noise, it is common to apply it only once, at the very last stage when all volume adjustments are complete.

Next time, I will explain the codec of music files and finish the basics of mixing. Then, I will see you again in the next article!