The latest version of Steinberg’s spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strengths of its predecessor with an array of powerful new algorithms and tools. Along with a range of user-requested improvements, SpectraLayers 13 comes loaded with a suite of new tools dedicated to creative unmixing, speech refinement, audio reconstruction and noise control.
New Modules & Processes
SpectraLayers 13 features an all-new process that separates short sounds from continuous environmental and ambient background sounds such as wind, crowd, traffic and nature. Named Unmix Sound Effects, the function is ideal for audio post-production, providing users with fast, precise isolation of a wide range of sounds and allowing them to be extracted to a dedicated layer. The background texture is preserved on its own layer, which can then be shaped using other new arrivals.
A new Ambience Heal feature significantly improves the spaces that are left in the audio spectrum by unmixing and cut-to operations — any gaps that were previously occupied by voices on a source layer, for example, can now be automatically filled with the existing environment sound or room tone. Unmix Two Voices then allows users to automatically separate two voices without having to register voice profiles, while Voice DeCrosstalk allows individual non-target (background or foreground) voices to be separated from the primary voice, even if the two overlap. Voice DeClick, meanwhile, removes unwanted mouth noises like accidental lip smacks and tongue clicks. Another new module, Reconstruct, resynthesises selected spectral data, tracking before/after selections to reconstruct tones and above/below selections to reconstruct transients and noise. The reconstruction amounts are configurable for all three components, delivering an extremely versatile fine-tuning process.
Paste Operations & More
Paste operations have been updated, too, with a new Paste Into Selection tool making quick work of repeating or replacing events in the timeline, while the Time Fade and Frequency Fade sliders can now be used on active selections. A variety of loudness data can now be quickly calculated and displayed, including True Peak and a host of LU measurements, and SpectraLayers’ full range of sophisticated batch processing options can now be applied across multiple open projects at once. Lastly, the Pro Tools AudioSuite Bridge plug-in now includes support for round-trip editing and processing of multiple audio clips at once, supporting both Dolby Atmos (up to 9.1.6) and Ambisonics formats.
Key New Features
Here’s a quick overview of what’s been introduced in SpectraLayers 13:
- New Unmix Sound Effects and Ambience Heal processes.
- New Unmix Two Voices, Voice DeCrosstalk and Voice DeClick modules.
- Spectral data resynthesis with the new Reconstruct module.
- New Paste Into Selection and Paste Insert tools.
- Time Fade and Frequency Fade sliders can be used on active selections.
- Automatically updated level checking for spectral selections and layer combinations.
- More flexible batch processing.
- Save and recall user interface layouts.
- Assignable keyboard shortcuts.
- Improved Pro Tools compatibility.
- A range of other process and user interface improvements.
Compatibility
SpectraLayers 13 is supported on Macs running macOS 12 and later and on PCs running Windows 10 or above.
Pricing & Availability
SpectraLayers Pro 13 and SpectraLayers Elements 13 are available now, priced as follows:
- SpectraLayers Pro 13: $359.99€359
- SpectraLayers Elements 13: $199.99€199
Upgrade discounts are available for users of earlier versions, and those who have activated SpectraLayers Pro / Elements 12 or earlier versions from 3 June 2026 are eligible for a free, downloadable grace-period update to the latest version.
