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An introduction to Metric Halo / Make Believe MB Howies179, based on information from the maker and distributors: what it does, how to use it and who it may suit. It is not scored.
We worked with legendary mastering engineer Howie Weinberg to capture the essence and nuance of his personal 179-120s.
— Metric Halo / Make Believe official site
What is MB Howies179?
MB Howies179 is a compressor/limiter plugin created by Metric Halo and Make Believe Studios together with mastering engineer Howie Weinberg. It recreates his own pair of NTP 179-120 units, from the details of the dynamics processing to the box tone and distortion characteristics of those specific units.
The original 179-120 was built in 1975 for the first Neumann mastering consoles, and the maker presents it as a unit used on a very large number of masters. It is described as essentially unobtainable today.
The plugin has a streamlined interface based on the range of settings Weinberg identified over a mastering career of more than 40 years. Controls were added so it can be used in the box rather than in an analog loop, with recallability and no restriction to a stereo pair.
The maker's key features are adding weight, smoothness and glue, and applying the analog saturation of Weinberg's units. Intended uses include the mix bus and mastering, as well as drums and guitars.
Detailed model of Weinberg's NTP 179-120
Based on his actual pair, it recreates the dynamics behavior, box tone and distortion character. It may suit adding weight and cohesion at a final mastering stage.
Weight, smoothness and glue
The maker positions it as adding glue, weight and smoothness rather than simply more loudness, with mix-bus cohesion as the intended use.
Analog saturation
The saturation of the hardware units can be applied, from a small touch of coloration to a heavier effect.
Streamlined, DAW-oriented design
The interface is kept to a few controls, with additions for in-the-box use, so settings can be reached without complicated menus.
Recall and flexible channel use
Unlike the hardware pair, it is not limited to one stereo pair, and settings can be saved and recalled later.
30-day trial and preset manager
A fully functional 30-day trial is offered, and MH Preset Manager shares presets across platforms.
Specifications
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | Howie Weinberg's NTP 179-120 compressor/limiter (original design from 1975) |
| macOS | macOS 10.10 or newer (Intel or Apple Silicon; AU, VST 2/3 or AAX; 64-bit) |
| Windows | Windows 7 or newer (Intel processor; VST or AAX; 64-bit) |
| Licensing | An iLok.com account is required for licensing (an iLok dongle is optional; iLok Cloud also works). One license covers both platforms and includes two activations |
| Other | A +DSP version runs with zero latency on Metric Halo 3d audio interfaces |
What is included and system requirements
- MB Howies179 plugin (AU, VST2, VST3, AAX Native)
- MH Preset Manager
- Fully functional 30-day trial (from the maker)
- A +DSP version for Metric Halo 3d interface owners
How to use it
- Get the trial or the full version from the maker's page.
- Register the license to your iLok.com account.
- Install and rescan plugins in your DAW.
- Insert MB Howies179 on the mix bus or in a mastering chain.
- Start with small settings and listen to changes in cohesion and weight.
- Adjust the analog-saturation setting as needed.
- Also try it on drums or individual tracks and compare how it acts.
- Save settings as presets and recall them on other mixes.
Mix-bus glue
The maker intends it to add cohesion and weight across a whole mix, so it may be worth trying as a final mix stage.
Mastering
Use in a digital mastering chain is mentioned. It may suit shaping tone with small settings.
Parallel drum compression
Comments on the maker's page mention it for parallel compression of drums, so a drum bus is one place to try it.
Guitars and single tracks
Use on tight electric guitars is among the examples shown. It could add character to home-recorded tracks.
Who it may suit
- People looking for final weight and cohesion on the mix bus or in mastering
- People interested in the NTP 179-120 lineage
- People who want a compressor with a few simple controls
Good to know before you buy
- An iLok.com account is required (the dongle is optional).
- The page shows an intro sale price valid until August 20, 2026; the regular price is the $179 MSRP.
- Supported on 64-bit macOS 10.10 or newer and Windows 7 or newer.
How it differs from similar products
We do not pick a winner; the official figures are placed side by side.
David’s 2Bus
MB Howies179 recreates the NTP 179-120 compressor/limiter and has a regular price of $179. David's 2Bus combines tape saturation, transformers and stereo processing and also has a regular price of $179.
Price
$179 (Metric Halo / Make Believe official site, checked 2026-10-27). Prices can vary by region and promotion, so check the official page before buying.
See MB Howies179 on the product page
Sources: mhsecure.com (checked 2026-10-27)
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