diff --git a/plugins/Cardinal/src/HostAudio.cpp b/plugins/Cardinal/src/HostAudio.cpp
index 68459ae..8e12603 100644
--- a/plugins/Cardinal/src/HostAudio.cpp
+++ b/plugins/Cardinal/src/HostAudio.cpp
@@ -36,11 +36,6 @@ struct HostAudio : TerminalModule {
     dsp::RCFilter dcFilters[numIO];
     bool dcFilterEnabled = (numIO == 2);
 
-    // for stereo meter
-    volatile bool resetMeters = true;
-    float gainMeterL = 0.0f;
-    float gainMeterR = 0.0f;
-
     HostAudio()
         : pcontext(static_cast<CardinalPluginContext*>(APP)),
           numParams(numIO == 2 ? 1 : 0),
@@ -63,13 +58,10 @@ struct HostAudio : TerminalModule {
     void onReset() override
     {
         dcFilterEnabled = (numIO == 2);
-        resetMeters = true;
     }
 
     void onSampleRateChange(const SampleRateChangeEvent& e) override
     {
-        resetMeters = true;
-
         for (int i=0; i<numIO; ++i)
             dcFilters[i].setCutoffFreq(10.f * e.sampleTime);
     }
@@ -103,7 +95,51 @@ struct HostAudio : TerminalModule {
         }
     }
 
-    void processTerminalOutput(const ProcessArgs&) override
+    json_t* dataToJson() override
+    {
+        json_t* const rootJ = json_object();
+        DISTRHO_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(rootJ != nullptr, nullptr);
+
+        json_object_set_new(rootJ, "dcFilter", json_boolean(dcFilterEnabled));
+        return rootJ;
+    }
+
+    void dataFromJson(json_t* const rootJ) override
+    {
+        json_t* const dcFilterJ = json_object_get(rootJ, "dcFilter");
+        DISTRHO_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(dcFilterJ != nullptr,);
+
+        dcFilterEnabled = json_boolean_value(dcFilterJ);
+    }
+};
+
+struct HostAudio2 : HostAudio<2> {
+    // for stereo meter
+    int internalDataFrame = 0;
+    float internalDataBuffer[2][128];
+    volatile bool resetMeters = true;
+    float gainMeterL = 0.0f;
+    float gainMeterR = 0.0f;
+
+    HostAudio2()
+        : HostAudio<2>()
+    {
+        std::memset(internalDataBuffer, 0, sizeof(internalDataBuffer));
+    }
+
+    void onReset() override
+    {
+        HostAudio<2>::onReset();
+        resetMeters = true;
+    }
+
+    void onSampleRateChange(const SampleRateChangeEvent& e) override
+    {
+        HostAudio<2>::onSampleRateChange(e);
+        resetMeters = true;
+    }
+
+    void processTerminalOutput(const ProcessArgs&)
     {
         const int blockFrames = pcontext->engine->getBlockFrames();
 
@@ -116,11 +152,15 @@ struct HostAudio : TerminalModule {
 
         float** const dataOuts = pcontext->dataOuts;
 
-        // stereo version gain
-        const float gain = numParams != 0 ? std::pow(params[0].getValue(), 2.f) : 1.0f;
+        // gain (stereo variant only)
+        const float gain = std::pow(params[0].getValue(), 2.f);
+
+        // left/mono check
+        const bool in2connected = inputs[1].isConnected();
 
-        // read first value, special case for mono mode
+        // read stereo values
         float valueL = inputs[0].getVoltageSum() * 0.1f;
+        float valueR = inputs[1].getVoltageSum() * 0.1f;
 
         // Apply DC filter
         if (dcFilterEnabled)
@@ -132,68 +172,111 @@ struct HostAudio : TerminalModule {
         valueL = clamp(valueL * gain, -1.0f, 1.0f);
         dataOuts[0][k] += valueL;
 
-        // read everything else
-        for (int i=1; i<numInputs; ++i)
+        if (in2connected)
         {
-            float v = inputs[i].getVoltageSum() * 0.1f;
-
-            // Apply DC filter
             if (dcFilterEnabled)
             {
-                dcFilters[i].process(v);
-                v = dcFilters[i].highpass();
+                dcFilters[1].process(valueR);
+                valueR = dcFilters[1].highpass();
             }
 
-            dataOuts[i][k] += clamp(v * gain, -1.0f, 1.0f);
+            valueR = clamp(valueR * gain, -1.0f, 1.0f);
+            dataOuts[1][k] += valueR;
         }
-
-        if (numInputs == 2)
+        else
         {
-            const bool connected = inputs[1].isConnected();
+            valueR = valueL;
+            dataOuts[1][k] += valueL;
+        }
 
-            if (! connected)
-                dataOuts[1][k] += valueL;
+        const int j = internalDataFrame++;
+        internalDataBuffer[0][j] = valueL;
+        internalDataBuffer[1][j] = valueR;
 
-            if (dataFrame == blockFrames)
-            {
-                if (resetMeters)
-                    gainMeterL = gainMeterR = 0.0f;
+        if (internalDataFrame == 128)
+        {
+            internalDataFrame = 0;
 
-                gainMeterL = std::max(gainMeterL, d_findMaxNormalizedFloat(dataOuts[0], blockFrames));
+            if (resetMeters)
+                gainMeterL = gainMeterR = 0.0f;
 
-                if (connected)
-                    gainMeterR = std::max(gainMeterR, d_findMaxNormalizedFloat(dataOuts[1], blockFrames));
-                else
-                    gainMeterR = gainMeterL;
+            gainMeterL = std::max(gainMeterL, d_findMaxNormalizedFloat(internalDataBuffer[0], 128));
 
-                resetMeters = false;
-            }
+            if (in2connected)
+                gainMeterR = std::max(gainMeterR, d_findMaxNormalizedFloat(internalDataBuffer[1], 128));
+            else
+                gainMeterR = gainMeterL;
+
+            resetMeters = false;
         }
     }
+};
 
-    json_t* dataToJson() override
+struct HostAudio8 : HostAudio<8> {
+    // no meters in this variant
+
+    void processTerminalOutput(const ProcessArgs&) override
     {
-        json_t* const rootJ = json_object();
-        DISTRHO_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(rootJ != nullptr, nullptr);
+        const int blockFrames = pcontext->engine->getBlockFrames();
 
-        json_object_set_new(rootJ, "dcFilter", json_boolean(dcFilterEnabled));
-        return rootJ;
+        // only incremented on output
+        const int k = dataFrame++;
+        DISTRHO_SAFE_ASSERT_INT2_RETURN(k < blockFrames, k, blockFrames,);
+
+        if (isBypassed())
+            return;
+
+        float** const dataOuts = pcontext->dataOuts;
+
+        for (int i=0; i<numInputs; ++i)
+        {
+            float v = inputs[i].getVoltageSum() * 0.1f;
+
+            if (dcFilterEnabled)
+            {
+                dcFilters[i].process(v);
+                v = dcFilters[i].highpass();
+            }
+
+            dataOuts[i][k] += clamp(v, -1.0f, 1.0f);
+        }
     }
 
-    void dataFromJson(json_t* const rootJ) override
+};
+
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+template<int numIO>
+struct HostAudioWidget : ModuleWidgetWith8HP {
+    HostAudio<numIO>* const module;
+
+    HostAudioWidget(HostAudio<numIO>* const m)
+        : module(m)
     {
-        json_t* const dcFilterJ = json_object_get(rootJ, "dcFilter");
-        DISTRHO_SAFE_ASSERT_RETURN(dcFilterJ != nullptr,);
+        setModule(m);
+        setPanel(APP->window->loadSvg(asset::plugin(pluginInstance, "res/HostAudio.svg")));
 
-        dcFilterEnabled = json_boolean_value(dcFilterJ);
+        createAndAddScrews();
+
+        for (uint i=0; i<numIO; ++i)
+        {
+            createAndAddInput(i);
+            createAndAddOutput(i);
+        }
+    }
+
+    void appendContextMenu(Menu* const menu) override {
+        menu->addChild(new MenuSeparator);
+        menu->addChild(createBoolPtrMenuItem("DC blocker", "", &module->dcFilterEnabled));
     }
 };
 
-template<int numIO>
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
 struct HostAudioNanoMeter : NanoMeter {
-    HostAudio<numIO>* const module;
+    HostAudio2* const module;
 
-    HostAudioNanoMeter(HostAudio<numIO>* const m)
+    HostAudioNanoMeter(HostAudio2* const m)
         : module(m)
     {
         hasGainKnob = true;
@@ -211,69 +294,58 @@ struct HostAudioNanoMeter : NanoMeter {
     }
 };
 
-template<int numIO>
-struct HostAudioWidget : ModuleWidgetWith8HP {
-    HostAudio<numIO>* const module;
+// --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    HostAudioWidget(HostAudio<numIO>* const m)
-        : module(m)
+struct HostAudioWidget2 : HostAudioWidget<2> {
+    HostAudioWidget2(HostAudio2* const m)
+        : HostAudioWidget<2>(m)
     {
-        setModule(m);
-        setPanel(APP->window->loadSvg(asset::plugin(pluginInstance, "res/HostAudio.svg")));
+        // FIXME
+        const float middleX = box.size.x * 0.5f;
+        addParam(createParamCentered<NanoKnob>(Vec(middleX, 310.0f), m, 0));
+
+        HostAudioNanoMeter* const meter = new HostAudioNanoMeter(m);
+        meter->box.pos = Vec(middleX - padding + 2.75f, startY + padding * 2);
+        meter->box.size = Vec(padding * 2.0f - 4.0f, 136.0f);
+        addChild(meter);
+    }
 
-        createAndAddScrews();
+    void draw(const DrawArgs& args) override
+    {
+        drawBackground(args.vg);
+        drawOutputJacksArea(args.vg, 2);
+        setupTextLines(args.vg);
 
-        for (uint i=0; i<numIO; ++i)
-        {
-            createAndAddInput(i);
-            createAndAddOutput(i);
-        }
+        drawTextLine(args.vg, 0, "Left/M");
+        drawTextLine(args.vg, 1, "Right");
 
-        if (numIO == 2)
-        {
-            // FIXME
-            const float middleX = box.size.x * 0.5f;
-            addParam(createParamCentered<NanoKnob>(Vec(middleX, 310.0f), m, 0));
-
-            HostAudioNanoMeter<numIO>* const meter = new HostAudioNanoMeter<numIO>(m);
-            meter->box.pos = Vec(middleX - padding + 2.75f, startY + padding * 2);
-            meter->box.size = Vec(padding * 2.0f - 4.0f, 136.0f);
-            addChild(meter);
-        }
+        ModuleWidgetWith8HP::draw(args);
     }
+};
+
+struct HostAudioWidget8 : HostAudioWidget<8> {
+    HostAudioWidget8(HostAudio8* const m)
+        : HostAudioWidget<8>(m) {}
 
     void draw(const DrawArgs& args) override
     {
         drawBackground(args.vg);
-        drawOutputJacksArea(args.vg, numIO);
+        drawOutputJacksArea(args.vg, 8);
         setupTextLines(args.vg);
 
-        if (numIO == 2)
-        {
-            drawTextLine(args.vg, 0, "Left/M");
-            drawTextLine(args.vg, 1, "Right");
-        }
-        else
+        for (int i=0; i<8; ++i)
         {
-            for (int i=0; i<numIO; ++i)
-            {
-                char text[] = {'A','u','d','i','o',' ',static_cast<char>('0'+i+1),'\0'};
-                drawTextLine(args.vg, i, text);
-            }
+            char text[] = {'A','u','d','i','o',' ',static_cast<char>('0'+i+1),'\0'};
+            drawTextLine(args.vg, i, text);
         }
 
         ModuleWidgetWith8HP::draw(args);
     }
-
-    void appendContextMenu(Menu* const menu) override {
-        menu->addChild(new MenuSeparator);
-        menu->addChild(createBoolPtrMenuItem("DC blocker", "", &module->dcFilterEnabled));
-    }
 };
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-Model* modelHostAudio2 = createModel<HostAudio<2>, HostAudioWidget<2>>("HostAudio2");
-Model* modelHostAudio8 = createModel<HostAudio<8>, HostAudioWidget<8>>("HostAudio8");
+Model* modelHostAudio2 = createModel<HostAudio2, HostAudioWidget2>("HostAudio2");
+Model* modelHostAudio8 = createModel<HostAudio8, HostAudioWidget8>("HostAudio8");
 
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------