Your Favorite De-essers?

[brandondrury]

Hey guys,

I was just curious if you guys had a favorite de-esser. I've used various de-essers and multi-band compressors over the years in an attempt to fix vocal sibilance and I can't say I've ever really been happy with any of them.

Maybe it's my usage of them, but it always seems like they are either overused or underused. It seems like the amount of control I want over the width of the cut is seldom ideal either.

So what are you favorite de-essers?

Brandon

[zildjohn01]

I tend to use Spitfish, and if that doesn't work i just build my own with ReaXComp. I guess I'm not that picky though... back when i used cubase the built-in one was fine for me

[Bigduggieface]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

I can't say I've ever really been happy with any of them.
Brandon

That one sentence sums up every instrument, piece of audio gear, and software program I've ever used (Not to mention the ladies!). The Holy Grail of equipment always seems to be just around the corner.

De-essers are no exception. They always do damage. But sometimes, things have gotta sound worse in order to sound better.

I'm no connoisseur when it comes to de-essers, but perhaps we can change that on this forum.

I primarily use software de-essers made by Waves, Timeworks, or BlueTubes. As a standard practice, I use a de-esser on virtually every vocal track. In my experience, sibilance is inevitable once you start compressing a vocal track in the digital realm. At the end of the day, de-essers can be very useful tools in order to get a vocal up-front where you want it.

[tal4jesus]

I've never used a software or hardware de-esser that I've liked. Sorry!

[MatsonMusicBox]

HAven't used it all that much, but I like the Waves de-esser so far.

[Raagra]

yup i like the waves de-esser, and i use the one built in my preamp (focusrite voicemaster)

[bflat]

just getting started with de-essing-i used Blue Tubes and i was mostly happy with the results,it seemed very "touchy" though.

[kenkurtis]

Watch your mouth.

:-)

I do voice-overs, so . . .

1. Wear headphones.
2. Speak at about a 45 angle across the mic.
3. Listen carefully while you speak carefully.

- Ken

[Mark83]

I really, really don't like de-essers. Running the entire vocal through yet another device, be it analog or digital just to take off a little of the "tss" just seems (and generally sounds) crazy to me.

Back in the analog days I remember wanting to put the vocal to tape with a little extra zing on it as I knew it would kind of "burn off" over the mixdown process. I swear I could hear just a bit of the top end coming off the tapes in the first few days after recording, then they seemed to settle in and hold their sound.

Now I first try to find the right mic for the vocalist and the right angle from the mouth to minimize the problem.

If all else fails then I use Waves.

- Mark

[Renegade Studios]

Im with the lot here. I use The Wave DeEsser in to the Cubase DeEsser...

I prefer the way it sounds.

Ive used the URS Classic Console Strip on the De-Esser Setting and it doesnt sound the same...