On their third birthday Baby Audio has released a major evolution of their first ever plugin, the punchy parallel compressor I Heart NY, with improvements in sound, workflow, ‘surgical’ control and features. Here’s more details from the website…
IHNY-2 is purpose-designed for a modern parallel compression sound. It is not "subtle" or "elegant", but built for purposely slamming your tracks in parallel to squeeze out all the impact they can muster. In other words: it is not a neutral compressor but one with colour and opinion!
Features And Workflow:
Compared to its predecessor, IHNY-2 offers a range of new features to shape your wet signal – such as gain-reduction linked harmonic saturation, lo/hi preservation filters and the ability to tilt the compressor's detection signal to over-compress low or high frequencies. There's also a "punch" parameter to help bring out transients, even at very extreme compression settings.
Where V1 offered just one core compression sound, IHNY-2 gives you much more flexibility to tweak it for specific purposes – while still keeping the workflow fast and simple with the XY pad being the plugin's main control 95% of the time.
Just like its predecessor, IHNY-2 offers its own, unique sonic signature: Its style of compression is clinical and aggressive, combining the precision of a digital algorithm with a touch of analog-inspired non-linearity. It can even go into full-on saturation mode as you apply the ‘Harmonics’ control.
The plugin is designed especially with modern genres in mind – i.e. optimized for loudness and impact, without a loss of clarity. However, some of the plugin’s inspiration actually goes back in time as well, particularly to the affordable DBX units of the 80s and 90s. Whilst basic, these compressors had a brutal and hard-hitting nature that their more sophisticated counterparts just couldn’t muster. They are loved and used for that to this day.
Pricing & Availability
Baby Audio I Heart NY 2 is available for Mac OS 10.7 and up (including Native M1 compatibility) and Windows 7 and up, in VST, VST3, AU and AAX formats. There is an introductory price of $39 (normally $69).