Black Salt Audio say that their latest plug-in has been built based on the belief that de-essing should be fast and easy. As such, DSR features just two controls, but still promises to offer enough power to tackle sibilance without negatively affecting the overall frequency balance of the vocal.
The lower section of DSR houses a Threshold control, which the company say acts on an internal side-chain signal that has been fine-tuned to pinpoint harsh sibilance, allowing the processing to be focused on the most problematic areas of the incoming audio. A Range slider follows, making it possible to limit how much attenuation is applied by the plug-in, and in terms of controls, that’s it! The top half of the plug-in’s GUI is then home to a waveform display that offers some visual feedback, highlighting the areas of the audio signal that are being targeted by the processing.
Only two features remain: a preset management system, and a toggle switch that allows users to switch between dark and light GUI colour schemes. Thanks to its minimal approach, Black Salt Audio say that DSR offers the fastest and most satisfying way to achieve transparent de-essing. There are some audio demos on their website that provide examples of its use on a range of different vocal styles, and the company are offering a 14-day trial alongside their introductory pricing offer for those who’d like to try it out for themselves.
Compatibility
DSR is supported on PCs running Windows 10, and Macs running macOS 10.13 and higher. VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available.
Pricing & Availability
DSR is available now, and is currently (18 March 2024) being offered for an introductory price of £24.37, reduced from its full cost of £39 including VAT.
