Forward Audio Releases faSmartAlign - Automatic Multi-Mic Alignment, Phase EQ & Gate In One Plugin

Forward Audio has released faSmartAlign, a multi-mic alignment plugin for Mac and Windows in VST3, VST2, AU, and AAX formats.

One instance loads per mic track. The plugin reads the track name to detect the instrument, groups matching instances automatically, and runs alignment, Phase EQ, and gating across the full mic array at once — every instance shares analysis data across the session, so time offsets, polarity, and phase corrections are solved simultaneously for the group rather than track by track.

Phase EQ adds allpass-based correction for the frequency-dependent phase error that a delay step alone cannot fix. The gate derives its open threshold and release time from the bleed and hit energy measured across all mics in the session; snare-bottom polarity flips automatically when the measurement calls for it.

On DAWs that support ARA — Studio One, Cubase, Nuendo, and Reaper — faSmartAlign reads existing audio regions directly via VST3 ARA2, without a separate playback capture pass.

Pricing & Availability

faSmartAlign is available at forward-audio.com. Launch pricing is $139 USD through July 19, 2026; list price is $179 USD from July 20. One-time purchase, no subscription. A free demo is available — full quality, watermark only, no time limit.