Hazelrigg VNE

Name: Hazelrigg VNE
Price: 149 USD
Author: MixWave

by MixWave · Compressor · PWM tube compressor

Not rated yet

A model of the Hazelrigg VNE tube compressor, which grew out of the D.W. Fearn VT-7 and uses pulse width modulation for gain reduction.

It adds dry/wet mix and input and output filters, for $149.

Best for: Vocals, Bass, Drums, Acoustic Instruments, Mix Bus, Mastering. Genres: all genres.

Keywords: tube, PWM, transparent, bus processing, drums, built-in mix knob, vocals, bass, gentle, glue, mix bus, wide, full mix, mastering, parallel processing, visual feedback, circuit-modelled, component-modelled, CPU-light, metering, mixing, musical, piano, sidechain input, single-band, stereo-linked, transformer.

What it does

Hazelrigg VNE models the Hazelrigg Industries VNE, a tube compressor developed from the D.W. Fearn VT-7. Instead of an opto or FET element it uses a pulse width modulation (PWM) gain reduction circuit, which the developer says gives "transparent, musical compression."

Fixed-threshold design: the Threshold knob works as input drive against a fixed threshold, so more input means more compression.
Attack and Release: variable controls; the Midi Audio Expert review puts attack from microseconds to tens of milliseconds and release at about 50 to 600 ms.
Input switch: three positions: Bypass, IN, and HPF, which adds a gentle 6 dB per octave sidechain high-pass so low end triggers less compression.
Makeup gain: up to 15 dB, with a bi-colour output LED and a 10-segment gain reduction meter like the hardware's.
Two themes: the Classic (brown) theme limits gain reduction to about 15 dB, while the silver theme allows about 30 dB.
Tube path: class-A triode stages with transformer-coupled input and output, modelled at component level.
Plugin extras: dry/wet mix for parallel compression, pre and post high-pass and low-pass filters, a stereo link switch, mono and stereo use, and artist presets.

A 14-day fully working trial is available.

Source: MixWave product page

When to use it

Hazelrigg VNE is a clean tube compressor: its PWM gain reduction aims to stay transparent where most tube models add obvious colour. Compared with the Teletronix LA-2A Leveler Collection or CLA-2A, it gives you real attack and release controls instead of a fixed opto response, so it can be set for drums as well as vocals. It is less coloured than MJUC, which leans into variable-mu tube thickness. Against an 1176 model or Pro-C 3 it is slower and gentler, and it lacks Pro-C 3's styles, knee control and visual display. The wet/dry mix and the 30 dB silver mode let it go from subtle levelling to heavy parallel squash.

Best for: transparent tube compression on vocals, bass, piano, drum buses and gentle mix-bus glue.
Genres: any; it suits rock, pop and acoustic work where you want control without obvious pumping.
Look elsewhere if: you want fast, aggressive FET bite (an 1176 model) or a visual, highly adjustable modern compressor (Pro-C 3).
Tip: on a drum bus, try 10 to 12 dB of reduction with a fast release and blend in about 30% dry signal to keep the punch.

What producers say

The one review found is fully positive, praising its transparency, low CPU use and range of uses; it has no store user reviews yet.

Midi Audio Expert praised the PWM circuit for keeping transients and avoiding pumping, the parallel mix and filters, and CPU use under 1% per instance at 96 kHz.
Usage tips (Midi Audio Expert): use the HPF position for 3 to 5 dB of reduction while tracking, and a slow attack, long release and about 2 dB of reduction for pre-mastering glue.
Criticisms: none raised in that review, and Sweetwater lists no user reviews so far.

Where to buy

MixWave: $149

Tutorials and reviews

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