Kazrog MHB Red: Brauer’s Rare Fairchild 666 Compressor

Kazrog has officially released MHB Red, a new virtual analog compressor/saturator plugin. This release was developed in close collaboration with Grammy-winning mix engineer Michael H. Brauer, known for his work with artists such as Coldplay, John Mayer, and Florence and the Machine. The plugin draws its inspiration from Brauer’s exceptionally rare Fairchild 666 compressor, a unit distinct from the more commonly known Fairchild 660 and 670 models due to its hybrid opto-compressor design.

The original Fairchild 666 featured a unique combination of 12BH7 and 12AX7 vacuum tubes in its audio signal path, alongside solid-state control circuitry. This configuration resulted in a compression character and tube saturation profile that was truly unique within the Fairchild lineage. MHB Red meticulously captures the specific tone and behavior of Brauer’s personal unit, while also integrating modernized controls to seamlessly fit into contemporary plugin workflows. Michael Brauer himself commented on its distinctiveness, stating, “The 666 has a very different feel from other Fairchild designs. It responds in a way that’s uniquely musical, and brings elusive character to vocals and other tracks like nothing else. MHB Red captures that behavior in a way I can easily integrate into my mix templates, as its own unique color in the sonic palette.”

MHB Red marks the second installment in the ongoing Kazrog/Brauer collaboration series. This follows the successful release of MHB Green in late 2024, which was based on Brauer’s custom-modified AWA G7201 Limiting Amplifier. Both plugins aim to bring the distinctive sonic signatures of Michael Brauer’s prized vintage gear to a wider audience of music producers and engineers. Moreover, the design philosophy focuses on retaining the analog warmth and response while providing the flexibility of digital processing.

Key Features for Modern Mixing

The plugin offers a comprehensive set of controls designed to provide both authentic vintage character and modern utility. For instance, users can precisely dial in compression settings with adjustable Attack (10ms to 200ms), Ratio (2:1 to 8:1), Threshold (0dB to -40dB), Release (30ms to 3s), and Makeup Gain (0dB to 20dB). Furthermore, a dedicated THD control allows for adjustable tube saturation, ranging from subtle warmth to heavy distortion, providing significant tonal versatility. In addition, MHB Red includes sidechain high-pass and low-pass filters, enhancing its precision for specific mixing tasks.

Features

• Attack (10ms to 200ms)
• Ratio (2:1 to 8:1)
• Threshold (0dB to -40dB)
• Release (30ms to 3s)
• Makeup Gain (0dB to 20dB)
• THD control for adjustable tube saturation
• Sidechain high-pass and low-pass filters
• Stereo link (dual mono by default, linkable for stereo bus use)
• Wet/dry mix control for parallel compression
• Analog Entropy — Kazrog’s component tolerance variation modeling
• A/B preset comparison
• Copper and black UI themes
• Adaptive oversampling with independent online and offline quality settings
• Resizable interface

For improved stereo imaging and phase coherence, Kazrog has integrated its proprietary Analog Entropy technology. This feature models component tolerance variation, thereby creating realistic stereo width without introducing phase issues. Similarly, the inclusion of a Wet/Dry mix control facilitates parallel compression techniques, allowing for more nuanced dynamic processing. The plugin also features A/B preset comparison, making it easier to evaluate different settings. Users can choose between copper and black UI themes, mirroring alternate faceplates from the original hardware, and benefit from an adaptive oversampling engine with independent online and offline quality settings, ensuring optimal performance and fidelity. The interface is also fully resizable for user convenience.

MHB Red is widely available across various platforms and plugin formats. It supports VST2, VST3, AAX, Audio Units, and LV2 formats, ensuring compatibility with most digital audio workstations on macOS, Windows, and Linux operating systems. Importantly, the plugin does not require online authorization; the demo and full versions are provided as separate downloads, with the demo being time-unlimited for extensive evaluation.

Price
MHB Red is available for $49.99 USD.

More info: Kazrog | MHB Red