BRAINWORX Maor Appelbaum Mastering & Hendyamps Design The Oven User Manual

BRAINWORX Maor Appelbaum Mastering & Hendyamps Design The Oven User

Manual

The Hardware: Vibes & Mojo in a Box

What happens when Internationally Acclaimed Mastering Engineer Maor Appelbaum teams up with Hendyamps? Something good is „Cooking“ for sure!
Welcome THE OVEN – A tool that can seriously enhance ANY track you put into it. As the name states it‘s the device to „Cook, Bake & Broil“ any sound source, stem, group, stereo sub group, stereo mixbuss and mastering chain. This is not a typical eq, Its a Vibe / Coloration / Mojo box with tonal shaping options It will add Warmth, Size, Depth, Mojo, Vibe, Color, Saturation and Sizzle to your tracks.
Anything from subtle HiFi enhancement that you barely hear (until you bypass and feel something is missing) to saturated and driven aggressive sounds, and everything in between.
Taken from Maor Appelbaum‘s personal creative mastering concepts and built with HendyAmps‘ impeccable knowledge of creating some of today‘s most unique analog processors, we bring you a creative and versatile tool for the current Composer / Producer / Engineer / Mixer and Mastering Engineer.
So when they ask What‘s Cooking??? We can proudly say
„THE OVEN“!

Maor Appelbaum Mastering & Hendyamps

The OVEN is the first of an entire line of studio gear that is intended to become a game changer in the new generation of creative sonic tools for those involved in every stage of musical production. Imagined, concep-tualized and brought to life by the collaboration between mastering engineer Maor Appelbaum and Chris Henderson of Hendyamps, their collective experience which includes decades of recording, mixing, mastering, music production, as well as numerous awards and nomina-tions across the world (Grammy, Juno, Multi Platinum/Gold certified, etc.), and further enhanced by deep knowledge and experience in audio gear design and application, this collaboration has already taken the musical world to the next level. Maor Appelbaum, not only being recognized as a world renowned mastering engineer (Yes, Faith No More, Meatloaf, Eric Gales, Dream Theater etc.), has also become a staple in the industry at large, assisting and collaborating in the development of numerous pieces hardware and software plugins as well as presenting/giving lectures at various events and trade shows such as NAMM and AES and numerous audio and film schools across the United States.
Chris Henderson has made a name for himself as an “Out Of The Box“ designer of custom boutique audio gear company “Hendyamps“ as well as a mastering engineer (Chase Rice, Elvie Shane, etc.) and owner of Hendyamps Studios. As a tone obsessed studio addict, Chris has produced records and video content for various artists as well as original music that has been featured in films and an assortment of live performances across the world.
Individually, Maor and Chris have an incredible array of accomplishments that speak for themselves. But together…You gotta watch out! Maor and Chris consistently leverage their knowledge and first hand experiences in order to meet the needs of the most adventurous engineers of today and tomorrow. Gear designed by artistic and visionary industry professionals, for fellow industry professionals is how instant amazing classics are created, and Maor and Chris have entered the building…..

The Plugin…

As always, the engineers at Brainworx have added new digital-only features that would be impossible in the analog domain. In addition to regular favorites like the Mono Maker, Stereo Width, Auto Listen, Headroom and the ground- breaking TMT (TMT, US Patent No. 10,725,727), offering an unrivaled analog experience in the box. And the newly developed transformer model accurately reproduces both saturation and hysteresis distortions of the specific transformer, making it sound and behave exactly like its analogue counterpart.

With all the additional features, this Plugin offers everything you need in a modern digital environment.

Features

1. Headroom
   Headroom adjusts input gain and compensates output gain to give you “More” or “Less” headroom, depending on the level and dynamic of your input signal.

2. Calibration
   Adjusts the gain of the unit at its default setting, depending on the amount of saturation you want as a starting point.

3. Temp
   The TEMP Control Knob alters the drive circuit, allowing you to push the Tube and SolidState sections for extra saturation.

4. Temp Range
   The TEMP RANGE switch allows you to choose between driving it LOW or HIGH thus increasing the intensity of the TEMP knob range if needed.

5. Cook
   The COOK control is GOLDEN ! It allows the user to drive the pentode tube stage for an overall thick saturation that will enhance literally anything that runs through it. It can feel bigger without adding much level, thus staying in the same „ Zone“ but warmer & rounder with rich harmonics that are easy on the ears and create a sense of fullness with not much effort.

6. Bake / Broil
   The BAKE/BROIL switch allows the user to change the voicing of the tube and how it responds to transients. In BAKE it will operate with full dynamic response whereas in BROIL it will naturally compress the signal and increase the saturation complexity. That‘s where you can make it HIFI, MOJO-FI, and anything in between to be VIBE-FI.

7. Elec / Gas
   The ELEC/GAS switch allows the user to increase the push of the COOK control. ELEC will be the more subtle and clearer sound and GAS will be presenting a more bold, thicker and harder treatment option, in this case Intensity is not a dirty word.

Burners

The LOW BURN, MID BURN, TOP BURN controls (as we call them: THE BURNERS), give the user the ability to drive certain bands for more saturation when desired. Each band operates in a way that engages the entire circuit as a whole processor in order to give an incredible diversity of options and tone enhancing saturation. This maximizes the versatility of the unit in a way that is quite rare. You can boost and cut the saturation and tonal shaping in creative ways like using big brush strokes in a painting.

1. Low Burn
   Increases or decreases the amount of low frequency saturation.

2. Low Burn Type
   Modifies the frequency band affected by the Low Burner .

3. Mid Burn
   Increases or decreases the amount of mid frequency saturation.

4. Mid Burn Type
   Modifies the frequency band affected by the Mid Burner.

5. Top Burn
   Increases or decreases the amount of high frequency saturation.

6. Top Burn Type
   Modifies the frequency band affected by the Top Burner.

7. Bunsen
   The BUNSEN switch alters the TOP BURN control so that it provides more range to work with. That gives the user four different tonal options on the TOP Burner – The area where its very important to get the right harmonics to make the track get its presence in the mix and master.

8. Sizzle
   The SIZZLE control – The name says it all and this one only goes up ( not in flames ) – It‘s a boost only and you got two modes for it:
   Higher…. and More Where That Came From!

9. Sizzle Type
   Modifies the frequency band affected by the Sizzle control.

10. Flow
    The FLOW knob is what regulates the amount of signal coming from the first tonal shaping section into the last gain stage. As such, it operates as two functions, each useful in it‘s own right. The first is obvious as it acts as an output attenuator (in value 10 is non attenuated and as the numbers go down there is more attenuation applied). The second function is the more interesting and subtle one for it can control the saturation and harmonics of the overall sound of the unit. So when at full (value 10) the harmonics and saturation curve will be maximized on the second stage (the output stage) thus the sound will be very rich and full with lots of energy and depth and it can even distort at some settings based on the TEMP, COOK, and BURNER knob settings, including the input gain in the chain. In the case it distorts, you can lower it from 10 towards 9 (which will still be rich and full but have less push) or to 8 which will lower more but still get a very rich and full sound. The tonal structure will subtly change as you change the FLOW knob down as well as it is not an invisible gain change, though once it is below 7 the tonal shift is minimized.

11. Power
    Activates the plugin or switches into bypass.

BX Module – Features not found in the hardware

1. TMT Section
   The The Oven offers 20 different channels, made possible by TMT. TMT is Brainworx´s patent-registered Tolerance Modelling Technology (TMT) (US Patent No. 10,725,727), originally found in the bx_console line of plugins. It takes the real-world tolerances of audio components found in audio circuits into account, and offers various channels of analog audio which have realistic variances in frequency response, time constants in dynamic sections, etc. The result is digital audio that sounds as analog as possible, whereas even the L/R channels of a stereo instance will react slightly different. For more information please check www.brainworx.audio

2. Stereo Mode
   Toggles between using the same TMT channel for both units (Digital) and using two adjacent TMT channels (Analog).
   This button is only available on Stereo instances, and is the heart of Brainworx´s patent-registered Tolerance Modelling Technology (TMT) (US Patent No. 10,725,727). When ANALOG is activated, small inherent differences between the modeled componentry in each left and right channel will produce a pleasing, analog sound, as though one were working between two adjacent channels on an actual console. With the button switched to DIGITAL, the two Stereo channels will be identical in circuitry, providing a theoretically perfect, digital Stereo sound.

3. Channels
   TMT, switches between 20 different channels. In a Stereo instance, two adjacent channel numbers will be displayed. Each channel has its own, different sonic character and can give your mixes an analog feeling!

4. Random Channel
   Whenever you instantiate a The Oven plugin on a channel, it will start with the Default setup, which is Channel 1 in a flat setting. You can now randomize a channel by clicking the Random Channel button. Only the plugin instance you click on will switch to any unused channel number in that session randomly. The plugin will remember which channel numbers are already used in a session and activate an unused channel number, unless you engage more than 20 channels. At that point the plugin obviously would have to use a channel number that has already been used.

5. Mono Maker
   This tool is a critical component to several Brainworx processors, and it is an invaluable tool when mastering or tightening up a mix. Sweepable from 20 Hz to 2 kHz, this parameter folds the processed sound to mono at and below the frequency set. The most common setting is between 100-200 Hz, below which bass frequencies reside, where common practice deems that most sound should be mono. Other uses include folding an entire mix in order to check mono compatibility and avoid phase incoherency.

6. Stereo Width
   Make your mix wider than it originally was by increasing the Stereo Width without losing the center of your recordings! You will not lose bass drum power or vocals by making your mix wider this way… and it will not sound different played back in mono at all. If you notice your Correlation Meter (e.g. bx_meter) showing less than 90°, dial up the Mono Maker a bit to tighten up the low-end until acceptable levels are shown.

7. Parallel Mix
   Controls the amount of unprocessed signal being blended with the processed (compressed) signal, effectively providing the option of parallel compression.
   100% = you’ll only hear the processed signal.
   0% = you’ll only hear the unprocessed signal.

8. Output
   Adjusts the total output of the stereo signal. Ranges from -12dB to +12dB.

Top Toolbar

1. UI Scaling
   Adapt the graphical user interface to the size and resolution of your screen. The plugin will check if the user interface will fit your screen before enlarging it. So if you accidentally chose a zoom factor which is too big for your current settings, the plugin will automatically stay at the maximum possible zoom factor.

2. Undo / Redo
   You can undo and redo changes you made to the controls of the The Oven plugin at any time. The Undo / Redo will work for as many as 32 steps.

3. Settings (A/B/C/D)
   The plugin offers four internal settings (A/B/C/D) which will be stored with every preset. So, one preset can contain up to four settings. You may use similar settings with more or less compression in one setup / preset. Now, the SETTINGS can be automated in your DAW! This way it´s possible to use different sounds for your lead vocals or drums in various sections of the song. Automate the A/B/C/D settings, and you can still tweak knobs of the individual settings without overriding multiple parameters in your DAW, which would be time- consuming.

4. Copy / Paste
   To set up variations of similar sounds you don´t have to dial in the settings several times. Let´s say you like your setting A and want to use the same sound, just with less compression, as setting B.

   • Simply press Copy while you are in setting A.
   • Switch to setting B by pressing ‘B’ in the settings section.
   • Press PASTE, now setting B is identical to setting A.
   • Reduce the compression on the B setting.
     Now you can switch between A & B and decide which one sounds best or automate different settings for various sections of your session.

5. Input Gain
   Adjusts the gain at the input of the plugin to allow for proper gain staging. This is applied before the input meter, so you can keep your hot mixes below the red.

6. M/S Monitoring (for Stereo Channels only)
   Solo M: Solos the Mid (Sum) signal being processed by the plugin.
   Solo S: Solos the Side (Difference) signal processed by the plugin.

7. Icon
   The icon closes and opens the bottom panel containing the Brainworx‘s plugin only features.

Bottom Toolbar

1. PA Logo
   Clicking the Plugin Alliance logo takes you to the Plugin Alliance website via your web browser, that´s if your computer is online.

2. License Type
   The toolbar displays information about the type of license you’re running: Trial licenses will be displayed along with the number of days until expiration; there is no note for full licenses as these are unlimited.

3. $ (Icon)
   If you are using a demo / trial version of our products, you can always click this icon to open a browser that redirects you to the respective product page in the Plugin Alliance store. This is where you can easily purchase a product without having to look it up on our website.

4. Key (Icon)
   Clicking on the key icon brings up the activation dialog, allowing you to manually reauthorize a device in the event of a license upgrade or addition. You can also use this feature to activate additional computers or USB Flash Drives.

5. (Icon)
   Clicking the ? icon opens up a context menu that links to the product manual PDF, as well as other helpful links, e.g. to check for product updates online. You must have a PDF reader installed on your computer to be able to read the manual.

Modifier Keys

Tested with Logic Pro X, Protools, Cubase and
Presonus Studio One Mac/Win.

AU
Fine Control = Shift
Jump between Default / Last Setting = Option

VST / VST3
Fine Control = Shift
Jump between Default / Last Setting = Command (Mac), Ctrl (Win)

AAX
Fine Control = Command (Mac), Ctrl (Win)
Jump between Default / Last Setting = Option (Mac), Alt (Win)

System Requirements & FAQ (Links)

For latest System Requirements & Supported Platforms
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/systemrequirements.html

Particular details for your product
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products.html

Installation, Activation, Authorization and FAQ´s
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/support.html

Artist Presets

The The Oven includes artist presets from prominent Plugin Alliance users. The artist presets are accessed via the DAW application’s preset menu.
Note: Switching through presets can occur sonic artifacts while the presets are loading.

Maor Appelbaum
Maor Appelbaum is a mastering engineer and musician. He has an extensive background with the international music industry – He is well aware of the various music styles and sounds that are developing vastly as today‘s technology develops. Maor has had the pleasure of mastering recordings for major international acts such as: Faith No More, Yes, Walter Trout, Eric Gales, Starset, Ill Nino, Dokken, Fates Warning, William Shatner, Gus G, Common Kings, Sepultura, Yngwie Malmsteen, Halford, Fight, Armored Saint, Lita ford, Seven The Hardway , Marco Mendoza, Angra, Treponem Pal, Wayne Hussey, Therion, Cynic, Nekro-mantix, Butcher Babies, Billy Sherwood, The Top Chops and more…

Chris Henderson
Chris Henderson has made a name for himself as an „ Out Of The Box „ designer of custom boutique audio gear company „Hendyamps“ as well as a mastering engineer (Chase Rice, Elvie Shane, etc.) and owner of Hendyamps Studios. As a tone obsessed studio addict, Chris has produced records and video content for various artists as well as original music that has been featured in films and an assortment of live performances across the world.

Kane Churko
Kane Churko is a multi-platinum, Juno award-winning and Grammy nominated record producer/songwriter/mixer best known for his work with artists such as In This Moment, Papa Roach, Skillet, Five Finger Death Punch, Ozzy Osbourne, Bad Wolves and many more. He currently resides in Las Vegas NV where he works out of his family owned facility The Hideout Recording Studio.

Jordan Stilwell
Jordan Stilwell’s unique ear and multi-dimensional skillset has influenced and helped craft millions of records and ticket sales worldwide. He has collaborated with some of the world’s top artist, most successful albums, tours and radio hits of the past decade. His sound engineering and mixing has gained recognition across the music industry, enabling him to work on 2 Grammy Award-winning projects: “Summertime Sadness” by Lana del Rey and Beyonce’s “Lemonade” album.
Jordan has jointly worked with Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Justin Bieber, Blink-182, Rick Ross, Fifth Harmony, Bebe Rexha, 5 Seconds of Summer, The Jonas Brothers, Miguel as well as being a major player on The Chainsmokers’ creative team.
His music endeavors expand beyond the studio and the stage; as owner and co- founder of Space Bar League, his company caters to a niche demand in the music touring world, providing specialized equipment, software and reliable staffing to performers on tour across the world. Janet Jackson, Meghan Trainor, The Chainsmokers and Luis Miguel were some of the company’s first clients within weeks of its launch. Recently, jordan has been in the studio mixing a new artist, Charm La Donna, signed to Epic by CEO Sylvia Rhone.

Bob Horn
Bob Horn is a multi-platinum, Grammy award winning mix engineer known for working with artists from all over the world spanning many genres; R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, Rock, EDM & Adult Contemporary.
Some of those artists include: BTS, Usher, Timbaland, Michael Jackson, NeYo, Marshmello, NLE Choppa, Boosie, Tempest, Kane Brown, DVRKO, Neon Trees, Kelly Clarkson, Brandy, Ashanti, Twice, Everglow, Akon, Lupe Fiasco, Chinx, Stalley, Brian Culbertson, Everclear, Faith Evans, Brian McKnight, LeAnn Rimes, The Common Kings and many more. Bob attended Berklee College of Music before relocating to Nashville to begin his career as an recording engineer. In 2001 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a mix engineer.
Although Bob‘s career focus is mixing music, he is an accomplished musician playing drums, guitar, bass and piano, and is also involved in songwriting and production. In 2011 Bob, and a long time friend and colleague designed and built The EchoBar Recording Studios in North Hollywood, CA where he mixes for his clients.

Yoram Vazan
A New-Yorker currently residing in Israel. Veteran audio engineer since 1982. Owner of the legendary Hip-Hop Mecca Firehouse Studio in New York City. Worked with Wu-Tang Clan. Method Man. Mob Deep. Gang Starr. Finley Quaye…

Geoff Swan
Is a UK based mixing engineer who has mixed records for the likes of Charli XCX, Caroline Polachek, Yungblud, Anne-Marie, Rina Sawayama and many more. He is an avid user of The Oven hardware unit, which has become an essential part of his mixing process.

References

• The Best Music Plugin Deals Including VST Plugins - Plugin Alliance
• System Requirements - Plugin Alliance

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