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smart:deess

The content-aware de-esser

Where other de-essers just reduce volume, smart:deess automatically detects and reduces harsh sibilance with precision. Get smooth, natural vocals without tedious frequency hunting.

Original price was: €129,00.Current price is: €79,00.
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Thomann

4.5 / 5

Audio Deluxe

5 / 5

Plugin Boutique

Based on 116 ratings

4.9 / 5

Instinctual sibilance
and plosive removal

The content-aware approach

Simply tackling sibilance and plosives

smart:deess analyzes the signal’s actual content – not just the level of one frequency band – before it decides what to do. As soon as you load the plugin on a channel, smart:deess builds a ‘voiceprint’ of the input voice signal and starts balancing any sibilants and plosives that are present. Your job then is to review the analysis and refine the results. smart:deess allows you to spend time on getting the sound you want, rather than correcting the sound you don’t want.

The power of AI

Looking deeper than ever before

smart:deess identifies specific individual phonemes – S, Z, Sh, Ch, T, P… – in real time, determining the exact start and end point of each sibilance without you having to set a threshold. The entire sibilant is then processed, rather than just the loudest part, making the final result far more natural sounding. Each phoneme type is identified and processed independently, an “Ess” is treated differently than a “Ch”, which is treated differently than a “T”. The result is as though the original recording had simply been better balanced.

Advanced spectral processing

Shape and refine

Other de-essers are just automatic volume controls. smart:deess does contain a broadband component, but it also draws on additional spectral processing to shape and refine harsh sounds at a deeper level. Use the Color controls to tune the sibilant character (soft, balanced or sharp) and achieve the desired balance without losing edge. What’s more, dull and lisping sibilants can be revived and given new life by applying smart:deess' spectral processing.

The full package

Bundles

FAQ

Before you ask

When de-essing, smart:deess analyzes the signal’s actual content – not just the level of one or multiple frequency bands – to make decisions. Since each person has their own voice characteristics, smart:deess asks you to playback some audio to learn a short vocal fingerprint. This vocal fingerprint – we also call it voiceprint – is like a fingerprint of the vocal characteristics of the analyzed person. Once a voice has been analyzed, smart:deess adapts its internal processing to match the observed characteristics.

When working with a new speaker or singer, you should therefore always re-analyze the signal to make sure that the processing adapts accordingly.

See all FAQs

Voices of the industry

Testimonials

"smart:deess takes a completely new approach. It’s super quick to work with and keeps things sounding natural, making sure your vocals pop in the mix without any issues."

– Alex Solano

Immersive Audio Specialist | Alex Pro Mix

“I never thought I’d be excited about a new de-esser plug-in but Sonible have created an absolute monster with smart:dees! It sounds transparent and is an absolute time saver to treat harshness and plosives. I can see myself using this on every mix.”

– John Nathaniel

Producer, composer & mixer

Features, specs & changelog

The core of your sound

Download Manual (PDF)
  • AI-powered detection of S, Z, Sh, Ch, T and P sounds

  • Automatic voiceprint creation

  • Threshold-free sibilance processing

  • Spectral de-essing

  • Dedicated plosive processing

  • Full-phoneme processing instead of peak-only reduction

  • Independent processing for different phoneme types

  • Sibilant Color control: Soft, Balanced and Sharp

  • Adjustable Suppression and Shaping

Give smart:deess a try

Want to try before you buy?
Test-drive smart:deess for 30 days – completely free and without any limitations.