Quick answer: classic Wave Hammer and Wave Hammer 2.0 are different processors. Classic Wave Hammer sends one full-band signal through a Compressor and then a Volume Maximizer. Wave Hammer 2.0 splits dynamics across as many as four frequency bands. For the classic workflow, set and level-match compression first, add only the peak control the destination needs, render a new file, then verify that saved file with separate LUFS and true-peak meters.
The similar names set two traps. First, if you open Wave Hammer 2.0 expecting the classic Compressor and Volume Maximizer tabs, you won't find them. Second, classic Wave Hammer isn't a button for hitting a file harder until it looks loud. Compression changes punch, density and envelope; maximizing raises level and restrains peaks. Set and judge those stages separately.
The current Boris FX Sound Forge 2026 documentation describes classic Wave Hammer DirectX as a compressor followed by a volume maximizer. A separate current Wave Hammer 2.0 help page says 2.0 edits dynamics in up to four independent frequency bands. This guide follows the classic effect because its two-stage controls do not transfer directly to 2.0.
Documentation checked September 5, 2026. Boris FX 2026 help confirms the two processor identities; its classic Wave Hammer page directs users to the dialog’s ? help for detailed controls. This guide does not claim a hands-on test of every control in the current build. Spotify numbers below are destination-specific guidance.
Wave Hammer and Wave Hammer 2.0 Are Different
Treat them as separate tools. Classic Wave Hammer runs the Compressor first and the Volume Maximizer second; the table below describes that signal flow. Wave Hammer 2.0 is multiband. If the dialog shows crossover bands instead of the classic Compressor and Volume Maximizer sections, this guide doesn't match the effect you opened.
| Stage | Main job | What to listen for | Typical failure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compressor | Reduce dynamic range above a threshold | Punch, sustain, vocal consistency, pumping | Flat transients or audible level breathing |
| Volume Maximizer | Raise level and control peaks at the output | Peak density, distortion, loss of impact | A loud but brittle or clipped render |
Neither stage replaces measurement. Check the file before and after processing with Sound Forge Statistics or the LUFS and true-peak meters. Keep the source and final reports so the comparison can be repeated. A waveform that looks full isn't proof the delivery is correct.
Preview Wave Hammer and Save a Processed Copy
- Save a working copy: Keep the unprocessed source or master intact so every decision remains reversible.
- Measure the source: Read the current peak, loudness, and dynamic behavior before deciding whether compression or limiting is needed.
- Open classic Wave Hammer: Open classic Wave Hammer for its full-band Compressor and Volume Maximizer. Older Sony versions place it under Effects > Wave Hammer; check the installed help if your menu differs. Do not choose the multiband Wave Hammer 2.0 processor.
- Set the Compressor first: Bypass the Volume Maximizer, then set threshold, ratio, attack, and release from representative loud and quiet passages.
- Level-match bypass: Use compressor output gain to make the processed preview approximately as loud as bypass, then judge punch, breathing, low end, vocal position, and room movement.
- Set the Volume Maximizer: Enable the maximizer only after compression passes the level-matched comparison. Set Threshold, a conservative sample-peak Output level, Release, and Longer look-ahead for the source; the rendered file still has to pass the destination's separate dBTP limit.
- Render the final delivery: For a directly opened effect, select the intended range and channels, then click OK to process the working copy. For a whole-file master, clear the temporary audition selection first. If using the Plug-In Chainer, leave the intended effects enabled for saving. Save a new file in the required format instead of overwriting the source.
- Verify the rendered file: Reopen the saved file and measure Integrated LUFS and True Peak in dBTP. The classic Output level control is not a substitute for this post-render check.
The Sound Forge Plug-In Chainer is the safer place to work when Wave Hammer belongs to a larger chain because you can change order and bypass individual processors before rendering. Applying the effect directly commits processing to the working file; keep an unprocessed copy for comparison and later revisions.
Set the Compressor from the Signal, Not a Recipe
Threshold
Threshold determines where compression begins. Lowering it doesn't just make the file louder; it makes more of the signal eligible for gain reduction. Start high, play the loudest representative section, and lower it until the gain-reduction meter only moves when the material needs control.
For a stereo master, 1–3 dB of reduction on the loudest passages is a sensible audition range, not a rule. A spoken-word file may tolerate more consistent compression, while a transient-heavy mix can sound smaller after only 2 dB if the attack is too fast.
Ratio
Ratio controls how strongly levels above the threshold are reduced. Once the signal is above threshold and the compressor has settled, a 2:1 ratio means that a further 2 dB input rise produces roughly a 1 dB output rise. For mastering, 1.5:1 to 2:1 is a conservative audition range. For dialogue or an unruly single source, 3:1 or 4:1 may be appropriate, but only after listening to consonants, breaths, and room tone.
Attack
Attack decides how quickly the compressor reacts. A very fast attack catches peaks but can shave the front off drums, picked strings, and consonants. A slower attack lets the initial transient pass and controls the body that follows. On a full mix, start slowly enough to preserve the kick and snare, then shorten the time only if the peaks remain uncontrolled.
Release
Release determines how quickly compression relaxes. Too short, and the background and reverb can surge between hits; too long, and the next phrase arrives while the processor is still holding the level down. Listen through several musical bars or complete spoken sentences, because a loop of one loud hit can't reveal bad release timing.
Output Gain, Auto Gain, and Smooth Saturation
Output gain restores level after reduction. Use it to match the processed preview to bypass; winning the comparison by being louder proves nothing. For manual level matching, turn automatic gain compensation off first; otherwise changing compression can change the comparison level again. If you deliberately use auto-gain, recheck the matched level after every adjustment.
The Sony Sound Forge 7 manual, pages 198–199, documents the classic Auto gain compensate, Smooth saturation and look-ahead controls. It is historical documentation, not proof that every current dialog is identical. Use the installed effect’s ? help if a control name or behavior differs.
Smooth saturation changes the character of heavy compression; it is not a true-peak safety check. Compare it at matched loudness. If transparent peak control is the goal, reduce excessive compression before adding coloration.
How to Level-Match the Bypass
Human hearing is easily biased toward the louder version. If the processed side is 1 dB louder, it can appear clearer, wider, and more exciting even when the envelope is worse. A fair comparison needs approximately equal perceived loudness.
- Preview the Compressor with the maximizer bypassed.
- Use output gain to bring the processed signal close to the bypass level.
- Switch bypass on and off during the same section.
- Ignore loudness and judge the attack, low-end stability, vocal position, and room movement.
- Reduce compression if the processed version loses impact or breathes audibly.
Don’t chase a perfect LUFS match during every small move. A close meter match plus repeated listening at moderate monitoring level is enough to expose a preset that works only because it is louder.
Set the Volume Maximizer Second
Once compression is stable, enable the Volume Maximizer. Threshold here determines how much material is driven into peak control, and Output level sets the maximum sample-level output in dBFS terms. Release and Longer look-ahead change how that control behaves. Lowering Threshold makes the result denser, which isn't the same as better. The classic manual also warns that longer look-ahead can start attenuation before an attack. If a transient sounds softened before it arrives, compare with that option off instead of treating more look-ahead as automatically preferable.
Choose a conservative Output level as a sample-peak control, but don't copy a destination's dBTP limit into that field and call the job finished. Spotify's current loudness guidance recommends keeping a -14 LUFS master below -1 dBTP and a louder master below -2 dBTP. Those recommendations are Spotify-specific; they aren't universal master settings. A displayed -1.0 dB Output level in classic Wave Hammer doesn't prove that the encoded delivery stays below -1 dBTP.
Render the required delivery format, reopen it, and read Integrated LUFS and True Peak with a separate meter. For speech, the maximizer should catch occasional peaks rather than remain in heavy reduction. For music, listen to kick, snare, cymbals, and bass together. If the top end turns grainy or the low end makes the whole mix duck, raise Threshold or revise the compressor instead of pushing Output level harder.
Starting Settings for Music, Voice and Sound Effects
| Source | Compressor starting point | Maximizer approach | Stop when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stereo music master | 1.5:1–2:1; slow enough attack to preserve transients; 1–3 dB reduction | Set a conservative sample-peak limit; verify rendered dBTP | Kick or snare loses impact |
| Podcast or voice | 2.5:1–4:1; moderate attack and release; control phrases, not every breath | Catch occasional peaks after level balancing | Room tone pumps or consonants dull |
| Sound effect | Choose attack from the transient you must keep | Use only if a hard output cap is required | The effect loses its intended contrast |
These ranges are audition points. Threshold cannot be copied reliably from one file to another because source level changes where the compressor works. A threshold of -18 dB can be gentle on one recording and relentless on another.
Wave Hammer for Mastering vs Voice
On a stereo master, the processor affects everything at once. One bass hit can trigger gain reduction across the entire mix, so small moves matter. Correct frequency-balance problems before asking a broadband compressor to solve them. The Sound Forge normalization guide explains the other boundary: constant gain changes level without reshaping dynamics, but Sound Forge’s RMS Normalize can apply dynamic compression and Loudness Normalize includes dynamic limiting. Check those options before assuming normalization is gain-only. Wave Hammer gives direct compressor and maximizer controls for deliberate envelope changes.
On voice, the goal is normally intelligibility and consistent phrases. Remove distracting clicks and large level jumps first, then use compression to narrow the difference between ordinary speech and louder words. The maximizer is the last guardrail rather than the primary leveling tool. The dedicated Sound Forge podcast workflow covers the rest of the chain.
Presets, Reopening, and the Sound Forge 18 Behavior
A preset stores a control state; it doesn't diagnose anything. Preview the loudest and quietest relevant passages before saving one. Name useful presets by job and source, such as “voice light control” or “stereo master 2 dB GR”, rather than “make loud.”
A March 2026 MAGIX community discussion about Wave Hammer in Sound Forge 18 documents a recall question and a qualified reply: an experienced user reported that Sound Forge Pro 17/18 and Audio Studio 17 return to the last saved preset, while older versions behaved differently. This is directional community evidence, not a Boris FX specification. Save a named preset and write the important settings into project notes instead of trusting a transient dialog state.
Common Wave Hammer Mistakes
- Adjusting both stages together: you cannot tell whether compression or limiting caused the damage.
- Comparing at different loudness: the louder preview can seem better even when it sounds worse at matched level.
- Copying a threshold: threshold depends on the source level.
- Using a fast attack by default: transients disappear and the master feels smaller.
- Using a short release on bass-heavy material: the file pumps between low-frequency hits.
- Trusting a preset name: “Smooth Compression” or “Mastering” cannot know the source dynamics.
- Double limiting: Wave Hammer maximization followed by another hard limiter can remove impact without providing useful extra loudness.
- Skipping the final render check: codec conversion can change true-peak behavior.
Wave Hammer FAQ
Is Wave Hammer a compressor or a limiter?
It is both in series. The first stage is a compressor; the second stage is a Volume Maximizer that limits sample peaks while raising the overall level.
Should I use Wave Hammer or Normalize?
Use Peak Normalize for a constant-gain peak change. RMS Normalize can apply compression when clipping would occur, and Loudness Normalize can limit dynamics, so neither is always gain-only. Choose Wave Hammer when you need its explicit threshold, ratio, attack, release and maximizer controls. Measure the rendered result whichever route you use.
What ratio should I use for mastering?
Start around 1.5:1 to 2:1 and listen for roughly 1–3 dB of reduction on loud passages. The correct value depends on the mix; preserving punch matters more than matching a number.
What Output level should I use?
Use Output level only as a conservative sample-peak setting. A destination's dBTP limit must be verified on the rendered file. Spotify currently recommends below -1 dBTP for a -14 LUFS master and below -2 dBTP for louder masters, but that is Spotify-specific guidance. Classic Wave Hammer's Output level is not a true-peak reading.
Why does Wave Hammer make the audio pump?
The threshold may be too low, the release may be too short, or low-frequency peaks may be driving excessive gain reduction. Raise the threshold, lengthen the release, and reduce the amount of compression while listening through complete phrases or bars.
Should I use Wave Hammer 2.0 instead of the original?
Do not treat 2.0 as a drop-in replacement. Use classic Wave Hammer for the single-band Compressor and Volume Maximizer workflow in this guide. Use Wave Hammer 2.0 when you specifically need multiband dynamics across up to four independent frequency bands and can manage the crossover decisions.
Choose the Processor Before You Set It
Keep the unprocessed source, a named processor preset and the final measurement report together. If the only improvement is extra loudness, return to the level-matched comparison before approving the render. A preset is useful only when you can explain which source problem it solves.