The Hammer Mk2, a popular tube-flavored equalizer by Kush Audio, is designed for smooth, melodic curves, is quick to adjust, and is difficult to make sound unpleasant. The Mk2 plugin, which was developed in partnership with the hardware team behind the A-Designs HM2EQ “Hammer,” emphasizes the thick, heavy bottom end and glossy top-end sheen that mixers gravitate towards on busses and masters. In actual use, it functions more like a tone box than an EQ; subtle boosts sound huge, cuts seem organic, and the entire atmosphere is more elegant than clinical. Hammer Mk2 is specifically designed to be a sweetener that enhances voices, percussion, guitars, and entire mixes without creating any bother.
Feature Highlights:
- This three-band musical EQ has precisely calibrated curves that prioritize wide, mix-friendly shaping over precise maneuvers. The bands’ voices are used to maintain transients while adding dimension and feel.
- Increased frequency choices (Mk2): Mk2 gives you additional sweet spots without sacrificing simplicity by adding strong shelving options and doubling the number of frequencies per band that are available compared to the original plugin.
- The “default” sound characteristic of the hardware—the delicate solidity, gloss, and depth that made it a 2-bus favorite—is captured by the tube-modeled tone engine Mk2.
- Improved gain staging and metering: level-match A/B decisions and finding the plugin’s sweet spot are made simple by an integrated output section and useful meters.
- Light CPU, wide range of applications: even with heavy boosts, the curves remain smooth, whether you are polishing the mix-bus or using individual sources (vocals, pianos, overheads).
What’s New 2025:
The Hammer Mk2 for 2025 is a sound enhancement rather than a reskin. Kush changed the filter behavior behind the hood and more closely matched the hardware’s baseline tone, making the lows stay rich without smearing and the boosts seem more open and three-dimensional. Additionally, users get twice as many frequency options per band (including shelves) for quicker solutions and a wider variety of air and weight tastes. A smoother, more “expensive” sound with deeper depth than the prior version is highlighted in community remarks surrounding the debut.
Quick Guide:
- Begin broadly: Try a broad high-band lift for gloss and a little low-shelf boost for warmth on a mix bus. The curves of Mk2 are purposefully wide; often, 1–3 dB is more than enough.
- Find the sweet spot of the plugin: To push the model just enough for weight without going overboard, use the input/output trims and meters. Then, level-match for an honest A/B.
- For the most part, lift rather than carve: Hammer is quite good at adding shapes. Small trims help if something feels harsh or muddy, but you will typically get farther if you focus on what you enjoy.
- Stack delicate maneuvers: Apply a final, subtle polish to the stereo bus after adding a touch to the primary busses (drums, music, and vocals). What is unique about Hammer is the accumulated shine.
- Make a deliberate commitment: Hammer Mk2 is excellent early in the chain to create the record’s “finish” because of its melodic curves, which may subsequently be refined with compressors and utilitarian EQs.
System prerequisite:
- Windows: at least Windows 10
- Formats: host-dependent AAX and VST3
- License: a machine or iLok activation is supported; an iLok account and iLok License Manager are necessary.
These are the official, up-to-date prerequisites for Kush; before downloading, make sure the downloads page is compatible with your host DAW.
Download Steps:
- Navigate to the Downloads section of the official Kush Audio website: Select the standalone Hammer Mk2 installation or the Win Installers package.
- If you have not previously installed iLok License Manager, Next, log in or establish an iLok account.
- To add the necessary plugin formats (VST3/AAX), launch the Hammer Mk2 installer and adhere to the instructions.
Turn on your license.
- If you are buying, finish the checkout process and use the iLok License Manager to activate.
- Copy the demo code from the downloads page and follow the activation instructions to utilize the free 10-day demo if this is your first time using it.
- Check for new plugins after restarting your DAW: Put Hammer Mk2 on a bus or track and start modifying your mix.
