HoRNet AnalogStage MK2 1.0.2 update

We have just released an update for HoRNet AnalogStage MK2, our new analog console emulation plugin. This plugin is designed to bring the warmth and character of analog gear to your digital projects. By accurately recreating the sound characteristics associated with analog equipment, AnalogStage MK2 can transform your mix, adding a unique analog flavor that is often sought after in professional music production and mixing.

HoRNet AnalogStage MK2 simulates the behavior of classic analog consoles, providing saturation, hiss, and a nonlinear frequency response that are hallmarks of vintage gear. Whether you’re mixing in a digital studio or mastering a live recording, you can apply AnalogStage MK2 to individual channels or busses to inject the warmth and richness that analog equipment is known for. This emulation can be used in a variety of contexts, from enhancing individual tracks to adding character to entire mixes.

The plugin simulates the behavior of three different types of analog technology, each known for its distinct sound characteristics. The first is operational amplifiers, which are known for their clean and precise sound. This is ideal for users looking to add clarity and modernity to their tracks. The second type is transistor-based designs, which were particularly popular in the 1970s. These designs are known for their ability to introduce a thick, rich saturation to the signal, adding warmth and fullness to the sound. Finally, tube technology is emulated, which is famous for its dynamic, smooth saturation and warm harmonic distortion. Tube technology creates a pleasing, musical distortion that’s widely used in both analog and digital studios today.

Both Transistor and Tube modes feature advanced transformer emulation. Transformers are integral components in many analog devices, and their behavior contributes significantly to the character of the sound. This level of emulation ensures that the plugin accurately reproduces the behavior of the analog consoles it aims to replicate, resulting in more realistic, musically pleasing distortion and coloration.

One of the standout features of AnalogStage MK2 is its flexibility. You can use each instance of the plugin independently, or link them together in groups—up to 8 instances—for more complex routing. This allows you to apply consistent analog coloration across multiple channels or busses, giving you full control over your mix while maintaining the analog warmth. Additionally, you can link the plugin globally across your session, making it easier to apply the same settings to multiple tracks or groups at once.

The plugin also includes a stereo VU meter that is calibrated to -18 dBFS. This helps you ensure that the levels are correctly set, making it easier to manage gain staging. Proper gain staging is crucial for maintaining the integrity of your mix, especially when working with analog-style plugins. The VU meter provides visual feedback of the signal level, allowing you to monitor the input and output levels as you process your audio. To make gain staging even easier, we’ve added auto-gain technology to AnalogStage MK2. This new feature automatically adjusts the gain to ensure that your levels remain consistent, helping you get the right sound faster.

Another unique feature is the “age” slider, which simulates the effect of aging condensers over time. Just like physical analog gear, components such as capacitors and resistors age, affecting the overall performance of the equipment. The age slider allows you to simulate this effect digitally, giving your virtual console a more aged sound. As you adjust this slider, both the amount of saturation and the frequency response change, resulting in a warmer, more vintage-sounding signal. This feature is perfect for those who want to add a sense of nostalgia or vintage character to their mixes, simulating the sound of equipment that has been used for years.

HoRNet AnalogStage MK2 also supports intelligent oversampling up to 4x, which ensures that the plugin delivers the highest possible sound quality. Oversampling is a process that increases the plugin’s internal processing sample rate, resulting in more accurate audio reproduction with fewer artifacts, especially at higher frequencies. The internal processing sample rate is set to an impressive 192 kHz, which guarantees top-tier performance in both standard and high-fidelity audio environments. This feature makes AnalogStage MK2 ideal for users who demand the highest level of precision and audio quality in their productions.

The latest update, version 1.0.2, is a maintenance release that addresses several issues and improves the overall performance of the plugin. This version includes:

• Fixed VST3 not passing audio in certain DAWs, ensuring compatibility across more platforms.

• Fixed output compensation not working in mic mode, which was affecting the plugin’s behavior when applied to certain tracks.

• Fixed crash when clicking outside the right-click edit menu, enhancing the user experience by eliminating potential crashes.

• Fixed group light indicators not being visible in certain DAWs, ensuring that users can easily monitor their group settings.

These fixes contribute to a smoother and more reliable experience when using AnalogStage MK2. The update is available for free to all existing owners of the plugin and can be downloaded directly through HoRNet DoIn or from the user area on the HoRNet website.

In conclusion, HoRNet AnalogStage MK2 is a powerful and versatile analog console emulation tool that brings the warmth and character of vintage analog gear to your digital projects. With its customizable settings, transformer emulation, ageing slider, and oversampling technology, it is an essential tool for anyone looking to add an authentic analog flavor to their mixes. Whether you are working on music production, film scoring, or sound design, AnalogStage MK2 ensures that your tracks have the depth, warmth, and character of classic analog consoles, all while maintaining the clarity and precision of modern digital audio production.