SPL De-Esser

The SPL De-Esser Collection

The SPL De-Esser is a highly specialised audio tool for removing undesired sibilant frequencies in a very simple and musical way without compromising the timbre and natural character of a voice.

This plugin collection contains of 2 Analog Code plugins. No other De-Esser gets the job done so easily while keeping the original vocal signal so "untouched".

There are some small but audible sonic differences between the 2 different De-Essers, that's why we have decided to model both of them. Check the PDF manual for more details.

Mastering:

For mastering purposes we have added an M/S mode which the hardware doesn't have. This way you can de-ess a full mix and keep the high frequencies of cymbals, guitars or keyboards nearly untouched.

Conventional De-Essing

Traditional de-essers use compression techniques. In addition to the threshold parameter used to set the processing level, there is a frequency controller for setting the center frequency of the process (with bandwidths generally up to 4 kHz). Processing therefore compresses the entire selected range, notjust the sibilant or S sounds. This results in the familiar and undesired side-effects such as lisping and a nasal-sounding vocal.

SPL's De-Essing

SPL's Auto Dynamic De-Esser monitors the entire frequency spectrum and automatically detects the sibilant frequencies. The bandwidth is set so narrowly around the range of the sibilance that neighboring frequencies remain unaffected. This frequency band is mixed back into the main signal phase-inverted to cancel out the sibilance. The result is a sound-neutral, inconspicuous and extremely effective process. Even at high s-reduction values the de-essing has an egligible effect on the character and timbre of the voice.

Auto-Threshold

Part of this outstanding concept is an automatic threshold-adjusting function: Differences in the input level caused by the singer moving in relation to the microphone are automatically compensated, so that the selected reduction value remains constant. In traditional de-essers, the processing intensity drops off with increasing distance, and compressors placed after the de-esser for signal correction tend to respond incorrectly to the changed values.

Male/Female

The SPL system doesnt just look for sibilance in a wide "general sibilance" region of the spectrum. Instead, the user simply sets a front-panel switch to Male or Female to adjust for the vocal characteristics of male or female voices.Features.

{See video at top of page}