Maor Appelbaum Mastering & Hendyamps Design

The Oven
Plugin Manual

Plugin Developed by Brainworx Audio in partnership with

Maor Appelbaum Mastering & Hendyamps Design,
distributed by Plugin Alliance.

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Plugin Manual

The Hardware: Vibes & Mojo in a Box Maor Appelbaum Mastering & Hendyamps

What happens when Internationally Acclaimed Mastering Engineer The OVEN is the first of an entire line of studio gear that is intended to
Maor Appelbaum teams up with Hendyamps? Something good is become a game changer in the new generation of creative sonic tools for
„Cooking“ for sure! those involved in every stage of musical production. Imagined, concep-
Welcome THE OVEN - A tool that can seriously enhance ANY track you tualized and brought to life by the collaboration between mastering
put into it. As the name states it‘s the device to „Cook, Bake & Broil“ engineer Maor Appelbaum and Chris Henderson of Hendyamps, their
any sound source, stem, group, stereo sub group, stereo mixbuss and collective experience which includes decades of recording, mixing,
mastering chain. This is not a typical eq, Its a Vibe / Coloration / Mojo mastering, music production, as well as numerous awards and nomina-
box with tonal shaping options It will add Warmth, Size, Depth, Mojo, tions across the world (Grammy, Juno, Multi Platinum/Gold certified,
Vibe, Color, Saturation and Sizzle to your tracks. etc.), and further enhanced by deep knowledge and experience in audio
Anything from subtle HiFi enhancement that you barely hear (until gear design and application, this collaboration has already taken the
you bypass and feel something is missing) to saturated and driven musical world to the next level.
aggressive sounds, and everything in between.
Taken from Maor Appelbaum‘s personal creative mastering concepts Maor Appelbaum, not only being recognized as a world renowned
and built with HendyAmps‘ impeccable knowledge of creating some of mastering engineer (Yes, Faith No More, Meatloaf, Eric Gales, Dream
today‘s most unique analog processors, we bring you a creative and Theater etc.), has also become a staple in the industry at large, assisting
versatile tool for the current Composer / Producer / Engineer / Mixer and collaborating in the development of numerous pieces hardware
and Mastering Engineer. and software plugins as well as presenting/giving lectures at various
So when they ask What‘s Cooking??? We can proudly say events and trade shows such as NAMM and AES and numerous audio
„THE OVEN“! and film schools across the United States.

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Plugin Manual

Chris Henderson has made a name for himself as an “Out Of The

The Plugin...
Box“ designer of custom boutique audio gear company “Hendyamps“
as well as a mastering engineer (Chase Rice, Elvie Shane, etc.) and As always, the engineers at Brainworx have added new digital-only
owner of Hendyamps Studios. As a tone obsessed studio addict, Chris features that would be impossible in the analog domain. In addition
has produced records and video content for various artists as well as to regular favorites like the Mono Maker, Stereo Width, Auto Listen,
original music that has been featured in films and an assortment of live Headroom and the ground- breaking TMT (TMT, US Patent No.
performances across the world. 10,725,727), offering an unrivaled analog experience in the box. And
the newly developed transformer model accurately reproduces both
Individually, Maor and Chris have an incredible array of accomplish- saturation and hysteresis distortions of the specific transformer,
ments that speak for themselves. But together…You gotta watch making it sound and behave exactly like its analogue counterpart.
out! Maor and Chris consistently leverage their knowledge and first
hand experiences in order to meet the needs of the most adventurous With all the additional features, this Plugin offers everything you need
engineers of today and tomorrow. Gear designed by artistic and in a modern digital environment.
visionary industry professionals, for fellow industry professionals is
how instant amazing classics are created, and Maor and Chris have
entered the building…..

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The Oven
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Plugin Manual

Features 5 Cook
The COOK control is GOLDEN ! It allows the user to drive the pentode
1 Headroom tube stage for an overall thick saturation that will enhance literally
Headroom adjusts input gain and compensates output gain to give you anything that runs through it. It can feel bigger without adding much
“More” or “Less” headroom, depending on the level and dynamic of level, thus staying in the same „ Zone“ but warmer & rounder with rich
your input signal. harmonics that are easy on the ears and create a sense of fullness with
not much effort.
2 Calibration
Adjusts the gain of the unit at its default setting, depending on the 6 Bake / Broil
amount of saturation you want as a starting point. 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
3 Temp full dynamic response whereas in BROIL it will naturally compress the
The TEMP Control Knob alters the drive circuit, allowing you to push signal and increase the saturation complexity. That‘s where you can
the Tube and SolidState sections for extra saturation. make it HIFI, MOJO-FI, and anything in between to be VIBE-FI.

4 Temp Range 7 Elec / Gas

The TEMP RANGE switch allows you to choose between driving it LOW The ELEC/GAS switch allows the user to increase the push of the COOK
or HIGH thus increasing the intensity of the TEMP knob range if needed. 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.

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The Oven
Plugin Manual

Burners

The LOW BURN, MID BURN, TOP BURN controls (as we call them: THE 5 Top Burn
BURNERS), give the user the ability to drive certain bands for more Increases or decreases the amount of high frequency saturation.
saturation when desired. Each band operates in a way that engages
the entire circuit as a whole processor in order to give an incredible 6 Top Burn Type
diversity of options and tone enhancing saturation. This maximizes the Modifies the frequency band affected by the Top Burner.
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 7 Bunsen
strokes in a painting. 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
1 Low Burn on the TOP Burner - The area where its very important to get the right
Increases or decreases the amount of low frequency saturation. harmonics to make the track get its presence in the mix and master.

2 Low Burn Type 8 Sizzle

Modifies the frequency band affected by the Low Burner . 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:
3 Mid Burn Higher.... and More Where That Came From!
Increases or decreases the amount of mid frequency saturation.
9 Sizzle Type
4 Mid Burn Type Modifies the frequency band affected by the Sizzle control.
Modifies the frequency band affected by the Mid Burner.
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Plugin Manual

1 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.

2 Power
Activates the plugin or switches into bypass.

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BX Module - Features not found in the hardware channel will produce a pleasing, analog sound, as though one were
working between two adjacent channels on an actual console. With the
1 TMT Section button switched to DIGITAL, the two Stereo channels will be identical in
The The Oven offers 20 different channels, made possible by TMT. circuitry, providing a theoretically perfect, digital Stereo sound.
TMT is Brainworx´s patent-registered Tolerance Modelling Technology
(TMT) (US Patent No. 10,725,727), originally found in the bx_console 3 Channels
line of plugins. It takes the real-world tolerances of audio components TMT, switches between 20 different channels. In a Stereo instance, two
found in audio circuits into account, and offers various channels of adjacent channel numbers will be displayed. Each channel has its own,
analog audio which have realistic variances in frequency response, different sonic character and can give your mixes an analog feeling!
time constants in dynamic sections, etc. The result is digital audio
that sounds as analog as possible, whereas even the L/R channels of 4 Random Channel
a stereo instance will react slightly different. For more information Whenever you instantiate a The Oven plugin on a channel, it will start
please check www.brainworx.audio 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
2 Stereo Mode plugin instance you click on will switch to any unused channel number
Toggles between using the same TMT channel for both units (Digital) in that session randomly. The plugin will remember which channel
and using two adjacent TMT channels (Analog). numbers are already used in a session and activate an unused channel
This button is only available on Stereo instances, and is the heart of number, unless you engage more than 20 channels. At that point the
Brainworx´s patent-registered Tolerance Modelling Technology (TMT) plugin obviously would have to use a channel number that has already
(US Patent No. 10,725,727). When ANALOG is activated, small inherent been used.
differences between the modeled componentry in each left and right

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1 Mono Maker 3 Parallel Mix

This tool is a critical component to several Brainworx processors, and it Controls the amount of unprocessed signal being blended with the
is an invaluable tool when mastering or tightening up a mix. Sweepable processed (compressed) signal, effectively providing the option of
from 20 Hz to 2 kHz, this parameter folds the processed sound to mono parallel compression.
at and below the frequency set. The most common setting is between 100% = you’ll only hear the processed signal.
100-200 Hz, below which bass frequencies reside, where common 0% = you’ll only hear the unprocessed signal.
practice deems that most sound should be mono. Other uses include
folding an entire mix in order to check mono compatibility and avoid 4 Output
phase incoherency. Adjusts the total output of the stereo signal. Ranges from -12dB to
+12dB.
2 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.

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The Oven
Plugin Manual

Top Toolbar 4 Copy / Paste

To set up variations of similar sounds you don´t have to dial in the settings
1 UI Scaling several times. Let´s say you like your setting A and want to use the same
Adapt the graphical user interface to the size and resolution of your sound, just with less compression, as setting B.
screen. The plugin will check if the user interface will fit your screen • Simply press Copy while you are in setting A.
before enlarging it. So if you accidentally chose a zoom factor which is • Switch to setting B by pressing ‘B’ in the settings section.
too big for your current settings, the plugin will automatically stay at • Press PASTE, now setting B is identical to setting A.
the maximum possible zoom factor. • Reduce the compression on the B setting.
Now you can switch between A & B and decide which one sounds best or
2 Undo / Redo automate different settings for various sections of your session.
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. 5 Input Gain
Adjusts the gain at the input of the plugin to allow for proper gain staging.
3 Settings (A/B/C/D) This is applied before the input meter, so you can keep your hot mixes
The plugin offers four internal settings (A/B/C/D) which will be stored below the red.
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 6 M/S Monitoring (for Stereo Channels only)
/ preset. Now, the SETTINGS can be automated in your DAW! This way Solo M: Solos the Mid (Sum) signal being processed by the plugin.
it´s possible to use different sounds for your lead vocals or drums Solo S: Solos the Side (Difference) signal processed by the plugin.
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 7 Icon
multiple parameters in your DAW, which would be time-consuming. The icon closes and opens the bottom panel containing the Brainworx‘s
plugin only features.
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Plugin Manual

Bottom Toolbar

1 PA Logo 4 Key (Icon)

Clicking the Plugin Alliance logo takes you to the Plugin Alliance Clicking on the key icon brings up the activation dialog, allowing you
website via your web browser, that´s if your computer is online. to manually reauthorize a device in the event of a license upgrade or
addition. You can also use this feature to activate additional computers
2 License Type or USB Flash Drives.
The toolbar displays information about the type of license you’re
running: Trial licenses will be displayed along with the number of days 5 ? (Icon)
until expiration; there is no note for full licenses as these are unlimited. 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
3 $ (Icon) updates online. You must have a PDF reader installed on your computer
If you are using a demo / trial version of our products, you can always to be able to read the manual.
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.

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Plugin Manual

Modifier Keys System Requirements & FAQ (Links)

Tested with Logic Pro X, Protools, Cubase and For latest System Requirements & Supported Platforms
Presonus Studio One Mac/Win. https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/systemrequirements.html

AU Particular details for your product

Fine Control = Shift https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products.html
Jump between Default / Last Setting = Option
Installation, Activation, Authorization and FAQ´s
VST / VST3 https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/support.html
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)

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Artist Presets

The The Oven includes artist presets from prominent Plugin Alliance Chris Henderson
users. The artist presets are accessed via the DAW application’s Chris Henderson has made a name for himself as an „ Out Of The Box
preset menu. „ designer of custom boutique audio gear company „Hendyamps“ as
well as a mastering engineer (Chase Rice, Elvie Shane, etc.) and owner
Note: Switching through presets can occur sonic artifacts while the of Hendyamps Studios. As a tone obsessed studio addict, Chris has
presets are loading. produced records and video content for various artists as well as
original music that has been featured in films and an assortment of live
Maor Appelbaum performances across the world.
Maor Appelbaum is a mastering engineer and musician. He has an
extensive background with the international music industry - He is well Kane Churko
aware of the various music styles and sounds that are developing vastly Kane Churko is a multi-platinum, Juno award-winning and Grammy
as today‘s technology develops. Maor has had the pleasure of mastering nominated record producer/songwriter/mixer best known for his work
recordings for major international acts such as: Faith No More, Yes, with artists such as In This Moment, Papa Roach, Skillet, Five Finger
Walter Trout, Eric Gales, Starset, Ill Nino, Dokken, Fates Warning, Death Punch, Ozzy Osbourne, Bad Wolves and many more. He currently
William Shatner, Gus G, Common Kings, Sepultura, Yngwie Malmsteen, resides in Las Vegas NV where he works out of his family owned facility
Halford, Fight, Armored Saint, Lita ford, Seven The Hardway , Marco The Hideout Recording Studio.
Mendoza, Angra, Treponem Pal, Wayne Hussey, Therion, Cynic, Nekro-
mantix, Butcher Babies, Billy Sherwood, The Top Chops and more...

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Jordan Stilwell Bob Horn

Jordan Stilwell’s unique ear and multi-dimensional skillset has influ- Bob Horn is a multi-platinum, Grammy award winning mix engineer
enced and helped craft millions of records and ticket sales worldwide. known for working with artists from all over the world spanning many
He has collaborated with some of the world’s top artist, most successful genres; R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, Rock, EDM & Adult Contemporary.
albums, tours and radio hits of the past decade. His sound engineering Some of those artists include: BTS, Usher, Timbaland, Michael Jackson,
and mixing has gained recognition across the music industry, enabling NeYo, Marshmello, NLE Choppa, Boosie, Tempest, Kane Brown, DVRKO,
him to work on 2 Grammy Award-winning projects: “Summertime Neon Trees, Kelly Clarkson, Brandy, Ashanti, Twice, Everglow, Akon,
Sadness” by Lana del Rey and Beyonce’s “Lemonade” album. Lupe Fiasco, Chinx, Stalley, Brian Culbertson, Everclear, Faith Evans,
Jordan has jointly worked with Janet Jackson, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Brian McKnight, LeAnn Rimes, The Common Kings and many more.
Stevie Wonder, Justin Bieber, Blink-182, Rick Ross, Fifth Harmony, Bob attended Berklee College of Music before relocating to Nashville
Bebe Rexha, 5 Seconds of Summer, The Jonas Brothers, Miguel as well to begin his career as an recording engineer. In 2001 he moved to Los
as being a major player on The Chainsmokers’ creative team. Angeles to pursue a career as a mix engineer.
His music endeavors expand beyond the studio and the stage; as owner Although Bob‘s career focus is mixing music, he is an accomplished
and co-founder of Space Bar League, his company caters to a niche musician playing drums, guitar, bass and piano, and is also involved
demand in the music touring world, providing specialized equipment, in songwriting and production. In 2011 Bob, and a long time friend and
software and reliable staffing to performers on tour across the world. colleague designed and built The EchoBar Recording Studios in North
Janet Jackson, Meghan Trainor, The Chainsmokers and Luis Miguel Hollywood, CA where he mixes for his clients.
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.

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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.

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