IVGI

Name: IVGI
Author: Klanghelm

by Klanghelm · Saturation · Console-style saturator

vst3s Score 8.2/10 · rated #8 of 10 saturation

Free saturation from the developer of SDRR. It adds anything from barely audible glue to heavy distortion, with controls for asymmetry and frequency response.

Many producers leave an instance on every channel and on the mix bus for a console-style build-up of harmonics.

Best for: Mix Bus, Drums, Bass. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: bus processing, mix bus, inspired by, mastering, subtle, bass, free, glue, metering, mixing, synths, dirty, drum bus, drums, electric guitar, full mix, heavy, neutral, single-band, transparent, vocals.

What it does

IVGI is Klanghelm's free saturation and distortion plugin, now in version 2. It ranges from very soft, subtle saturation for the master bus to dense, dirty distortion on single tracks. Its base sound is related to the Desk mode of Klanghelm's paid SDRR.

Trim, Drive, Output: set the input to about 0 VU, dial in saturation, then make up the level.
Asym Mix: moves from symmetric, compressing saturation to asymmetric, more transparent saturation.
Response: three positions that emphasise the lows, stay neutral, or emphasise the highs.
Crosstalk: dynamic crosstalk between channels, mainly for stereo tracks.
Controlled randomness: subtle internal drift that Klanghelm says makes it sound livelier and more natural.
Relaxed: an option for a variation of the original IVGI algorithm.

It includes a VU meter.

Source: Klanghelm product page

When to use it

IVGI is a flexible harmonic enhancer without a heavy fixed identity. It's less a tape or console model than a way to add density and glue. It's often left running on the mix bus, and some producers use it across many channels for a console-style build-up of harmonics.

Best for: the mix and master bus, the drum bus, vocals, and density on bass and synths.
Other uses from the manual: warming sterile sounds, brightening dull ones, low-end enhancement, and smooth de-essing.
Genres: a general mixing and mastering tool. Users report it on metal guitars and bass as well as synth-based electronic music.
Look elsewhere for: aggressive tape colour, a specific console model, or deep modeling controls.

What producers say

Reviewers treat it as one of the most practical free saturators. Musco Sound says turning up the drive brings "not distortion. It is density."

User reviews are few but glowing: 5 out of 5 on both KVR and Audiofanzine. One calls it "a real magic wand", another says subtle use "works magic".
How producers use it: subtly on key mix elements, on the master bus, on downtuned metal guitars, and using Response to choose which frequencies saturate.
Criticisms: few advanced controls, no selectable oversampling, and little visual feedback, so you work by ear.

Where to buy

Klanghelm: Free

Tutorials and reviews

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