What makes Kazrog one of the biggest no-brainer choices in all of audio?

Really brings the magic of the hardware version. Smooth no matter the level of compression - first tried on both electric and acoustic guitar and quickly became my #1 go to compression plugin for those purposes. Really helped bring out the chime on EG, and some stringiness on AG, while softening a harsh attack.

Great sound, very musical! Just get you that glued and warm sound.

I own way too many compressor plugins.
I've got another plugin version of the Gates, and I've liked it.

When I saw Kazrog made this, I hesitated at first. One more compressor plug on the pile, right?

But I love the Kazrog stuff I've got already, so I tried the demo.
Hooked. Had to have it.
It's unlike anything else I've got.
I love my Opto sound, Fet, etc. etc.
But this is its own smooth, creamy thing.
Acoustic guitars gain dimension and depth.
Vocals are a match made in Heaven for this plug.

Now, it's on every track, in my workflow constantly.
I wouldn't want to work without it.

When I began my journey into audio engineering, I was searching for creators with a true sensitivity to nuance—people with what you might call exceptional ears. That search led me to Kazrog. Their plugins quickly became an essential part of my mixing and mastering chains.

There are only a handful of companies that consistently deliver tools with that rare, ‘genius-level’ quality—Kazrog is one of them. Retro Level is a prime example: once you’ve used it, it becomes indispensable. It doesn’t just enhance your workflow; it transforms it.

So far I've used the Retro Sta-Level on vocals and acoustic guitar tracks, tweaking some of the offered presets, and I've found it to be very musical and easy to use. The tracks now sit in the mix very nicely. It might just become my go-to no fuss compressor.