Why we Do what we Do

Too many talented people lose their edge (and often clients) as a result of hearing loss… and with it, their joy of mixing. HEARS was built to give it all back to them.

Who We Are

HEARS Plugins was founded by two audio professionals, Doug Holmquist and Toby Tomplay, who’ve spent their lives in sound. With decades of mixing and mastering experience, their shared goal with Hears Plugins is to create tools that truly help people — not only making mixing easier, but making hearing easier, too.

Meet Toby & Doug

Doug Holmquist is a top-tier, veteran Nashville mix and mastering engineer and former recording artist (Giant Records). For 30 years, Doug’s resume spans talent as diverse as The Four Tops and Willie Nelson to Sara Bareilles and Scott Weiland (STP). His ear for detail and passion for helping others have made him one of the most respected engineers in the industry.

Toby Tomplay has been a full-time singer/songwriter/guitarist for nearly 25 years, as well as a producer, engineer, and voiceover artist. Over the past two decades, he’s mixed and produced music, commercials, podcasts, and jingles heard by millions. He’s the kind of creative who lives and breathes sound — and brings an artist’s passion to every project he touches.

How They Met

The two first met in 2007 when Toby was in Nashville being shopped for a record deal and Doug was producing his project. Toby quickly realized that Doug wasn’t just a phenomenal engineer — he was one of the kindest, most genuine people he’d ever met. He also discovered that Doug is a pioneer-style inventor, always dreaming up effective techniques to make mixes as perfect (and competitive) as possible. A lasting friendship and mentorship was born, built on respect, creativity, and a shared love of stellar mixes.

The Spark That Started It All

In late 2019, Doug called Toby with an idea that immediately captured his imagination. Toby’s response: “You HAVE to do something with this idea! This is like prescription glasses for your ears. This is too big of an idea to let go!”

Doug had long been concerned about hearing loss in engineers and musicians. He said, “I have an idea for a plugin. It would help anyone with hearing loss. It’s sad to see so mix engineers, especially veteran pros, lose their ‘edge’ when they experience hearing loss.”

Turning an Idea into a Revolution

The concept itself was simple, yet revolutionary:

A plugin that gives the user a quick hearing test, detects where they have hearing loss, then corrects the curve inside the DAW so they hear everything flat again.

Originally aimed at helping older engineers, they soon realized hearing loss affects everyone, including younger generations (many who grew up blasting earbuds). This plugin would restore clarity, confidence, and trust in what you hear.

Toby immediately saw the potential. He knew Doug’s idea wasn’t just clever — it was transformative. That conversation became the spark for a partnership — and soon after, HEARS Plugins LLC was born in 2021.

The first version of HEARS took nearly 3 years to finish. It was nearly perfect when it caught the attention of Plugin Alliance / Brainworx. They were blown away by the life-changing technology behind Hears.

In 2025, they partnered to develop HEARS Perfection, a completely re-written and powerful plugin launched in September 2025.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your ears are holding you back, or wished you could trust what you’re hearing again, HEARS Perfection was made for you.

👉 [Get HEARS Perfection here.]