KERN audio / five plugins shipped
the essential core of sound.
five audio tools. one problem each. solved completely.
built from published research. no magic buttons.
no iLok. no subscriptions. 14-day refund.
the rules we build by
four laws. zero exceptions.
one thing, done right.
every plugin solves one problem. no feature creep. no second purpose. one job, world-class execution.
no iLok. ever.
permanent license. works offline. no account required. no dongles. no subscriptions. yours forever.
cpu is respect.
under 3% at 44.1kHz on macOS (hardware-accelerated FFT). Windows may use more. your CPU is for making music.
if it needs a tooltip, it failed.
five knobs maximum. every label self-explanatory. complexity hidden, simplicity exposed.
start here, free
CHECK / free utility
check your mix before it's too late.
see exactly where your stereo collapses in mono. free. no account. no iLok.
01 / spectral correlation curve
see mono compatibility across 40 frequency bands. not a single number: a full picture.
02 / bass-weighted scoring
low frequencies count more because that's where mono collapse actually hurts. clubs, phones, Bluetooth.
03 / instant MONO / SIDE monitoring
hear the damage in mono. solo the difference signal to find what disappears.
SMOOTH / plugin 01
dynamic resonance suppression that hears like you do.
tame harsh resonances and ringing frequencies across your mix. SMOOTH finds and suppresses them based on how your ears actually hear. one knob gets you 80% there. five knobs get you all the way.
01 / psychoacoustic precision
40 frequency bands mapped to how you actually hear. not arbitrary frequency splits.
02 / dual character modes
resonance mode for sustained harshness. transient mode for percussive spikes.
03 / M/S routing
process mid and side independently. tame vocals without touching the stereo field.
04 / real-time spectral display
see what is being reduced. the problem and the solution, visualized.
WARM / plugin 02
harmonic saturation done right.
add analog warmth and harmonic richness to anything. three characters. tape, tube, transformer. each with a genuinely different sound. precise control over every harmonic, not random distortion.
01 / three real characters
tape, tube, transformer. each with a genuinely different harmonic signature.
02 / precise harmonic control
independent control of each harmonic. precise architecture, not random distortion.
03 / program-dependent response
envelope follower modulates drive with input level. like real analog circuits.
04 / K-weighted auto-compensation
loudness-matched output. you hear the character, not the volume boost.
WIDE / plugin 03
stereo width that works with your mix.
make your mix wider without losing mono compatibility. frequency-aware expansion that puts the most width where your ears are most sensitive.
01 / psychoacoustic width curve
decorrelation follows human perception of stereo width. most expansion where your ears are most sensitive.
02 / three stereo modes
STEREO for natural width. M/S for mid-side balance. HAAS for delay-based widening.
03 / mono-compatible by design
per-band correlation feedback keeps every frequency safe for mono. no phase cancellation surprises.
04 / frequency-focused expansion
the FOCUS knob targets width to a specific frequency range. expand just the highs, just the mids, or the full spectrum.
PUSH / plugin 04
the step before your compressor.
three compression characters across 40 perceptual bands. SETTLE glues, TIGHT grips, DRIFT lifts the detail no broadband compressor can recover. sit PUSH before your final compressor and watch it do less, sound more like itself.
01 / three compression characters
SETTLE for bus glue. TIGHT for transient grip. DRIFT for upward compression no broadband comp can do. one knob each, three opinions.
02 / per-band across 40 ERB bands
compression decisions made per perceptual band, not broadband. catches stray peaks your single-band compressor would average away.
03 / the step before your compressor
sit it ahead of your final Pro-C, 1176, or SSL bus comp. PUSH shapes the signal so the final stage has less work to do and more character to give.
04 / K-weighted auto-comp
AUTO matches output loudness to input loudness so your A/B comparison is honest. you hear the character, not a volume change.
learn the science behind the sound
we don't just build plugins. we teach how sound works.
34 free guides built from the same research behind the plugins. no paywalls, no courses to sell. just the science, explained clearly.
why mixes sound harsh and what to do about it. from basic EQ to spectral processing.
13 articlesthe physics of analog warmth. tube, tape, and transformer characters explained.
8 articleshow your brain hears width. allpass decorrelation, Haas effect, and mono compatibility.
7 articlesdynamics control with character. spectral compression, upward expansion, and mix bus glue.
6 articlespricing
50 papers. 5 knobs. $29.
no iLok. no subscription. no account.
SMOOTH
one-time. yours forever.
tame harsh resonances across your mix
- + permanent license
- + all future updates
- + no iLok or account
- + works offline
- + macOS + windows
- + VST3 / AU
14-day refund policy. no questions.
WARM
one-time. yours forever.
three saturation characters. tape, tube, transformer.
- + permanent license
- + all future updates
- + no iLok or account
- + works offline
- + macOS + windows
- + VST3 / AU
14-day refund policy. no questions.
WIDE
one-time. yours forever.
stereo width that stays mono-safe
- + permanent license
- + all future updates
- + no iLok or account
- + works offline
- + macOS + windows
- + VST3 / AU
14-day refund policy. no questions.
PUSH
one-time. yours forever.
three compression characters. settle, tight, drift.
- + permanent license
- + all future updates
- + no iLok or account
- + works offline
- + macOS + windows
- + VST3 / AU
14-day refund policy. no questions.
a Soothe 2 license is $199. a single SMOOTH license is $29. same results.
THE KERN BUNDLE
all four paid plugins. one license key.
SMOOTH cleans. WARM adds character. WIDE places stereo. PUSH glues it together. the full chain.
"I just discovered the kernaudio.io plugins. super precise and elegant. Kudos on this masterful work."
plus CHECK: our spectral mono compatibility analyzer
free for everyone. no account needed.
download freeby the numbers
what you get for $29.
40 bands / <3% CPU* / 5 knobs / 92 presets / 29 guides / $29 once
*macOS at 44.1 kHz with hardware-accelerated FFT. Windows CPU may be higher.
Field Notes from KERN Audio.
3,500+ producers reading. weekly Tuesday email + new plugin announcements.
one mixing or DSP idea per issue. ~5 minute read. no spam, easy unsub.
you're on the list.
no spam. unsubscribe anytime.
the series
five plugins. built with you.
each plugin after SMOOTH is community-funded. WARM, WIDE, and PUSH were all fully funded by the community. all four paid plugins are now available.
SMOOTH
dynamic resonance suppression
available now / $29WARM
harmonic saturation
available now / $29 / fully fundedWIDE
psychoacoustic stereo expansion
available now / $29 / fully fundedPUSH
three compression characters
available now / $29OPEN
algorithmic reverb
researchingalso shipping inside Steam games
KERN plugins are in the audio pipeline of The Bornless (400,000+ wishlists) and HAM: The Game (#4 trending on Steam at launch).
what people are saying
Plugin Demo Pt. 2 — KERN WARM, SMOOTH & WIDE on a full mix / Edizon
This FREE Plugin Fixes Your Mix Instantly / CoinxDaProducer
WARM by KERN Audio — Tape, Tube & Transformer Saturation / satyatunes
KERN Audio Plugin Review: SMOOTH, WARM & WIDE / Edizon
84% mono safe on a full drum session / community member
This Mono Compatibility Analyzer Is FREE — CHECK by KERN / Free VST Plugins