I'd been looking for a saturator that wasn't too overwhelming, when mastering, for quite some time. This fixed a hole in my mastering tool belt!
Subtle Make-better-izer that sounds great everywhere
★★★★★
by rhysmix
As the title says, this thing feel sort of like cheating; (almost) regardless of the source, a little dash of the HG-2 just makes whatever it is sound better -- livelier, more organic, bigger, etc. Except for some supersaw-type sounds in modern electronic styles, it works literally everywhere I have tried it. Standout uses outside of the canonical mixbus role: 1) warming up vocals in a dynamic and non-resonant way that EQs cannot achieve by setting to "low" with a moderate amount of parallel saturation 2) making acoustic guitars sparkle by setting it to "high" and bumping the "air" knob bit, and then rolling back the mix knob 3) Parallel drum dirt, set to "low" with a lot of saturation and mix knob at 50% While it does sound great everywhere, one thing this is NOT is a one-stop shop for saturation; it does subtle tube goodness and it does it very well, but it is not built to scream particularly well. You can make it happen, but it was built to be a mastering and mixbus tool. If you're trying to trash an individual signal, there are probably better tools out there. Also, while calling it one-dimensional would be an enormous exaggeration -- the three positions of the "SAT. FREQ" knob offer an excellent and very useful range of shades -- it is not a chameleon like many other saturation plugins. This is great for me, as most of the chameleon plugins I have tried have disappointed me with sound quality and workflow, but it is something that you should know going in.
BBAD HG-2
★★★★★
by sean fullerton
Depth, width, resolution, focus, presence, shimmer, — it's all here. And strangely enough, we've never had anything quite like this in the plugin world. I would gladly clear out my plugin folder for more software of this caliber. HG-2 will allow you to take command, rather than to be at the mercy of lackluster sound. You will dial in and fine-tune your tone with remarkable speed and flexibility. I have yet to find a voice or instrument that cannot be enhanced or energized by this piece. Bravo Plugin Alliance! Sensational! sf
HG-2 Top 2 ever..
★★★★★
by Goldenchild / WM
What can I say the HG-2 is pure awesomeness. It's in my top 2 best in the box tube saturators ever.. it makes every sound shine just on the default settings. This gem will be inserted on most of my tracks. Another thing the CPU on it is really really minimal I was shocked. If you are reading this and not sure wether to get it or not demo it than you'll see what I'm talking about. Great job P.A
Adds the magic
★★★★★
by DJ Pezz
This is a great tool to add some grit and substance to your tones, I've found an unlimited number of uses for this to add pressure and grit to instruments. The mix knob is clutch and allows so much versatility. I love it. A+
HG-2
★★★★★
by Lou Fagenson
A permanent fixture on my master mix bus. I've spent the past year writing music for a theme park and this plug-in makes the stems jump out and come alive. Large orchestral, small orchestral, 16 piece big band - I've put it through it's paces and it never ceases to amaze me. I had bought an outboard summing mixer and returned it. There simply is no competition.
Must Have Plug
★★★★★
by Itchy Critchy
It's worth every dime. It adds the analog vibe to everything you put it on. The air knob sparkles with out sounding harsh. I also find I'm not working as hard to get things sounding good and am using less plugins. This plugin just makes things sound better. I have it on my mix buss at all times now. Awesome job guys!!!
Black Box HG-2
★★★★★
by Christian Hammer
As a matter of course I don't write reviews. It's time better spent in the studio... But in this case, I recently received a request from Plugin Alliance to write such a review about the Black Box HG-2 emulation, and I as rely quite heavily on Plugin Alliance processors for my digital mixes and am rather indebted to them for their singular focus on truly high end, professional grade quality plugins, I'm happy to report the following: In a nutshell, the Black Box HG-2 is a stupefyingly brilliant master bus/program-material-mastering plugin processor that imparts the telltale sonic qualities to a mix, via tube amplification emulation, that we all associate with commercial audio releases. Period. Of course it can be used on other areas of the mix, but the stereo summing is where it really shines for me. Mixes and masters simply will not sound as deep, detailed, glued, or nuanced without it regardless whether you're using the HG-2 to impart more "nervy" drive to your mix, or conversely, using it to impart fat "tubey" warmth --- or really just about anywhere in between. The HG-2 sonically delivers the elusive, super high end (read: expensive) "polish", "sparkle", and overall finish to a mix that such coveted hardware units have gained a studio reputation for, without the slightest hint of the type of "slick gloss" OVER the audio one encounters from similar software emulation processors on the market. The HG-2 really embeds itself INTO the sonic fabric of the audio, just like a high end processor should. It's definitely in my personal Pantheon of master bus processors along with legendary fellow travelers from Fairchild, Manley, Sonnox Oxford, and Plugin Alliance's own Vertigo and Elysia emulations. But hey, don't just take my word for it... download the demo, put it on the master bus of a developing mix with a preset that approximates the character of where you want your mix "to go" sonically (maybe tweak a few parameters along the way...), and A/B it. I'm sure you'll see and hear what I'm talking about. Another game changer from PA...
HG-2
★★★★★
by JD Mixer
This is fast becoming a secret weapon on my mix buss. Adds presence and a bit of compression and lots of attitude! The mix control works great to dial in just the right amount of that attitude.
Must have!!!
★★★★★
by Edward Selberie
This is a must have if you are serious about your music!!! There is no other plugins out there (so far to my humble knowledge) that can do what this plugin can do. In the past I had the feeling of a "home studio engineer". But with these types of p/i's developed by brain worx, I feel that I have transformed my home studio into a real PRO studio. The Pro's in the business can visit my studio and find what they use (of course in plugin format in stead of hardware). Plugin Alliance has really changed my view regarding music production. The perfect combination for any mixbus (my mixbus) = tape plugin + some kind of console modeling + vertigo compressor + bx digital v3 (awsome eq, the only one you need) + vertigo vsm 3 + bx sub synth + HG 2 blackbox. Your mixes will NEVER sound the same again!!