KERN Audio Releases Push - Three-Character Spectral Compressor Plugin (VST3 & AU)

KERN Audio has released Push, a three-character spectral compressor that distributes compression decisions across 40 perceptually-spaced ERB frequency bands.

Push is positioned as "the step before your compressor", designed to sit ahead of a final compressor (SSL bus comp, 1176, LA-2A, FabFilter Pro-C) and pre-shape the signal so the final stage has less work to do.

Unlike a traditional broadband compressor that responds to peak or RMS energy across the full spectrum, Push runs an independent gain computer on each of 40 critical bands and then ties them together via a broadband gain-reduction coupling stage. The result is per-band sensitivity that catches stray peaks a single-band compressor would average away, while still feeling like a unified compression envelope rather than a dynamic EQ.

Features:

• Three compression characters with fundamentally different gain computers, timing models, and optional harmonic coloring:
  • SETTLE - soft-knee downward compression with dual-time-constant auto-release (SSL G-Bus territory). For bus glue.
  • TIGHT - medium-knee downward compression with program-dependent ratio and gain-reduction-dependent release (1176 FET territory). For transient grip.
  • DRIFT - per-band upward compression with dual-threshold gating and history-dependent release (LA-2A T4 opto territory applied per-band). The only per-band upward spectral compressor at any price point.
• Five user-facing controls per character (Amount, Speed, Focus, Mix, plus the character selector).
• 40 perceptually-spaced ERB bands (Glasberg & Moore 1990) drive both detection and gain application.
• Optional external sidechain input (stereo or mono), routed through the same 40-band detector.
• L/R or M/S processing mode toggle.
• K-weighted auto-loudness compensation (ITU-R BS.1770) on by default for honest A/B against bypass.
• Spectral display with pre-curve ghost (dim input behind bright output), peak hold line, and transient flash overlay.
• 36 factory presets named after the problem they solve (15 SETTLE, 13 TIGHT, 8 DRIFT).
• Under 3% CPU on macOS at 44.1 kHz, single instance.
• ~93 ms latency at 44.1 kHz (4096-sample STFT).
• No iLok, no subscription, lifetime license. One-time online activation, cached offline permanently.

Push is built around the same five-knob constraint as the rest of the KERN lineup. Internal compression curves are pre-tuned through blind A/B testing against reference compressors on real source material (drum buses, vocal leads, mix buses) and are not user-tunable. The plugin uses deterministic, hand-tuned DSP. No neural networks, no machine learning.

Pricing & Availability

Push is available now for $29 as a single-plugin purchase (VST3 & AU). It is also included in the KERN bundle, which contains all four paid KERN plugins (Smooth, Warm, Wide, Push and the free Check) for $59 launch-intro through Mondy May 25, 2026, then $69 list. Existing $59 bundle owners receive Push at no additional cost.

A free fully-functional demo with a 45-second audio fade is available at kernaudio.io/push