# Bellweather Studios

> Bellweather Studios is a boutique audio software company building professional plugins for producers, mixers, and mastering engineers. Every release ships with public test data and measurement proof, not marketing claims.

Bellweather Studios builds audio tools that hold up in real sessions, not benchmark tests. Every release ships with test data, research notes, and validation proof.

Founded by Keith Hetrick, a Grammy-nominated producer based in Nashville. The design stance is "Soul over Silicon": measured behavior, clear feedback, musical feel, and enough restraint to leave out anything that does not improve the work. Plugins are written from scratch in native C++ (the same language your DAW runs on). Zero DRM, buy-once, lifetime updates.

## Products

- [Pressure](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/plugins/bws-pressure): $9 (v1.8.0) — Original Bellweather dynamics control for density, tone, and feel.
  Pressure is Bellweather's flagship dynamics processor: an original design built for controlled density, mix clarity, and compression you can feel across demanding sessions.
  Key capabilities: Five compressor voices with independently characterized attack, release, and recovery behavior; One control that maps threshold, ratio, attack, release, and knee into a one-knob workflow; 68 host-visible parameters with full automation support; Oversampling up to 8x for tracking, 32x for offline renders; Built-in sidechain EQ to shape detector behavior; Mid/Side mode for mastering and stereo work; 43 presets with instant A/B comparison; Zero latency by default - optional lookahead when you need it.
  Requirements: macOS 11.0+, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP (Any VST3/AU/AAX/CLAP host).

- [Ceiling](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/plugins/bws-ceiling): $9 (v1.0.2) — Transparent true-peak limiting for mastering and delivery.
  Ceiling is a transparent true-peak brickwall limiter for mastering and delivery, with precise ISP-aware control, clean loudness, and reliable streaming and broadcast results.
  Key capabilities: ISP-aware true-peak ceiling in dBTP (-12 to 0), transparent by design; Four voicing styles: Transparent, Modern, Loud, and Safe; Oversampling tiers - Eco 4x, Standard 8x, HQ 16x with inter-sample-peak detection; Gain stage (-12 to +18 dB) with x0.50-x2.00 release trim; Stereo link (0-100%), delta difference monitor, and LUFS unity level-match; 14 factory presets across Style, Streaming, and Delivery targets; Sits last in the chain for clean loudness delivery; Zero character - no saturation, transient shaping, or M/S coloration.
  Requirements: macOS 11.0+, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP (Any VST3/AU/AAX/CLAP host).

- [Barometer](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/plugins/bws-barometer): Free (v1.4.0) — Gain staging and loudness metering that stays out of the way.
  Barometer is a free utility plugin for gain staging, loudness metering, true-peak monitoring, and fast level decisions without adding friction to the session.
  Key capabilities: Precision gain staging (-96 to +24 dB); Phase flip per channel with link; Stereo width, balance, mono check, and channel solo; LUFS metering (momentary, short-term, integrated); True-peak detection for streaming and broadcast standards; Loudness range metering; 10 presets with instant A/B compare; Zero-latency processing; Resizable interface for any screen.
  Requirements: macOS 11.0+ / Windows 10+, VST3, AU, AAX, CLAP (Any VST3/AU/AAX/CLAP host).

## Proof (published validation — every claim above is verifiable)

- [The Observatory](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/the-observatory): Public validation results and telemetry archive shipped with each release.
- [Testing Suite](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/help/testing-suite): The methodology behind the proof — Category 5 baseline, The Gauntlet, mutation testing, and characterization.
- [Bellweather Audio Core](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/bellweather-audio-core): Open-source C++ audio-core library with BS.1770 / EBU R128 metering, RT-safe DSP primitives, and Barometer as a source-built JUCE reference plugin.
- [Bellweather Audio Attest](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/bellweather-audio-attest): Open-source, headless C++ audio-regression proof layer; bless a known-good render into a signed reference, then verify later renders against it in CI.
- [Engineering journal](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/blog): Build notes and research findings, including per-voice compressor characterization data.

## Documentation

- [Help & manuals](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/help): Product docs, getting started, and licensing.
- [Downloads (Weather Station)](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/downloads): Installers, updates, and license management.

## About

- [About Bellweather](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/about): Company and founder.
- [Philosophy](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/about/philosophy): "Soul over Silicon" in full.

## Engineering & hiring

- [Engineering](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/engineering): How the platform is built — native C++20 plugins across five formats, a shared module kernel, validation/CI infrastructure, and the AWS revenue runtime. Gate-verified, dated metrics.
- [Resume](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/resume): Keith Hetrick - Founder and Lead Engineer. I build real-time audio software and dependable systems where correctness matters. Target lanes: platform infrastructure, audio DSP, and senior-staff software engineering.

## Optional

- [Support / FAQ](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/help/support/faq)
- [Contact](https://www.bellweatherstudios.com/help/support/contact)