name: Metric Halo CGII v4.0.71.235
Version: 4.0.71.235 (released in May 2025)
Core Features: Loudness enhancement, density improvement, true peak limiting, LUFS/true peak metering
File size: Approx. 10.8 MB (Windows VST3)
Latest Updates: Optimized the interface response speed, added Nixie tube style metering display, and improved low-frequency transparency.

CGII is designed for professional mixers and mastering engineers, ideal for mastering, mix bus dynamics control, and live mixing. Inspired by Chris Gehringer's mastering experience, it's designed to deliver competitive loudness for modern streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music while preserving the mix's spatial presence and dynamics.

• Loudness Processor: Enhances harmonics through soft saturation, increasing overall loudness. For example, this can make low frequencies more impactful in EDM masters.
• Density Processor: Enhances the clarity of low-level details without affecting transients, suitable for processing vocals or percussion.
• True Peak Limit: Prevent overload between samples, support -1dB, -0.1dB, 0dB threshold settings to ensure streaming compatibility.
• LUFS/True Peak Metering: Nixie tube-style display, real-time monitoring of loudness, with a latency of only 2ms, suitable for precise mastering.
• DC blocking filtering: 1Hz high-pass filter to eliminate DC offset and protect low-frequency integrity.
• Jitter processing: Built-in dithering option ensures transparent sound quality at 16-bit output.

• MasteringBoosts loudness up to -10 LUFS for pop music masters while preserving dynamics, making them suitable for streaming platforms.
• Mixing dynamics control: Use a density processor on the mix bus to enhance the clarity of details in vocals or drums.
• Live Mixing: Low latency design (2ms) ensures real-time processing and is suitable for dynamic optimization of live performances.
• Electronic Music Production: Use the loudness processor to add low-frequency impact and harmonic saturation to EDM or Trap.

Sampling rate: Supports 44.1kHz to 192kHz, up to 16x oversampling
Plugin Format: VST2/3, AU, AAX (Mac OS X 10.10+, Windows 7+)
Authorization method: iLok account (no physical dongle required)
Key parameters: Density knob, Loudness knob, Ceiling setting, Filter control

advantage:

• Transparent loudness enhancement that preserves mix dynamics and spaciousness.
• Intuitive interface design, Nixie tube meter display is retro and practical.
• Low latency (2ms), suitable for both real-time and mastering scenarios.
• Built-in dithering and DC filtering simplifies the mastering chain.

shortcoming:

• The price is relatively high (estimated price is $179, promotional price is $89), which may be too expensive for users with a limited budget.
• The functions are relatively focused and it cannot provide a complete mastering solution like Ozone 11.

CGII excels in transparency and ease of use, making it ideal for quick mastering; Pro-L 2 offers more limit modes, making it suitable for fine-tuning; and Ozone 11 is an all-around solution suitable for complex projects.

operating system：Mac OS X 10.10+, Windows 7+
Hardware Configuration: Intel or AMD processor, 4GB memory, 100MB storage space
DAW compatibility: Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Ableton Live and other mainstream DAWs