Dial Amount for the most transparent de-essing¶
The Amount knob sets the maximum attenuation the de-esser applies when sibilance peaks above the threshold. Dialing the right value lets you tame harshness without making your audio sound processed or pumped.
Before you start¶
- The Aetherial De-Esser (DESS) stage must be enabled in the CHAIN widget. The applet is hidden until the stage is active.
- Open the Aetherial De-Esser applet via the Aetherial Audio Channel Strip. The floating editor (previously accessible by double-clicking the DESS stage) no longer exists; all controls are available directly in the applet.
- Set Freq and Thresh first so the de-esser is already triggering on the right band. See Sweep Freq to locate peak sibilance and Set threshold just below the loudest 'S' peaks.
Steps¶
- Have someone transmit into the microphone — or read a sibilant phrase aloud — so the de-esser is actively triggering.
- Watch the Gain-reduction bar. It fills right-to-left in soft red to show how much attenuation is being applied. A tick marks the −6 dB point.
- Turn the Amount knob counterclockwise to increase attenuation (more negative values) until the harshness is gone.
- Back off clockwise until the Gain-reduction bar only reaches the −6 dB tick on the loudest "S" peaks. Stopping here keeps processing transparent.
- If the Gain-reduction bar is pegged near 24 dB or the audio sounds hollow, raise Amount toward 0 dB in small steps until naturalness returns.
- Changes are saved automatically. The setting persists as
ClientDeEssTxAmountDb.
What each control does¶
| Control | Default | Valid range | Persisted key | Behavior |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | −6.0 dB | −24.0 to 0.0 dB | ClientDeEssTxAmountDb |
Maximum attenuation applied to the sibilance band when signal exceeds the threshold. More negative = more reduction. 0 dB disables attenuation entirely. |
| Gain-reduction bar | — | 0 to 24 dB GR | — | Horizontal soft-red strip showing current gain reduction in real time. Scale maxes at 24 dB; a tick marks −6 dB. Refreshed approximately 30 times per second. |
Bypass dimming¶
When the DESS stage is bypassed via a single click in the CHAIN widget, the entire applet renders at reduced opacity (55 %). This matches the dim effect used on the EQ curve and gives a clear visual indication that the stage is inactive. Click the CHAIN widget again to re-enable the stage and restore full opacity.
Tips¶
- −6 dB (the default) is a reasonable starting point for most voices. The tick on the Gain-reduction bar marks this level, making it easy to use as a reference during adjustment.
- Aim for the Gain-reduction bar to move noticeably on "S" and "T" sounds but never pin against the 24 dB end. Heavy gain reduction at that extreme is audible as a lisp or dropout.
- Narrowing the sidechain band with Q before finalizing Amount reduces collateral attenuation on nearby speech energy, which helps transparency. See Narrow or widen the sidechain band with Q.
- Amount values are always negative or zero — they represent reduction, not boost.
Troubleshooting¶
- Audio sounds hollow or lisping on every "S" — Amount is set too low (too much attenuation). Raise it toward 0 dB in 2 dB steps while speaking until naturalness returns.
- Gain-reduction bar never moves — The de-esser is not triggering. Check that Thresh is set below your actual sibilance level and that the DESS stage is enabled. See Set threshold just below the loudest 'S' peaks.
- Gain-reduction bar pins at 24 dB constantly — Thresh is set too low, causing the de-esser to trigger on all speech, not just sibilance. Raise Thresh first, then re-evaluate Amount.
- Applet appears faded or dim — The DESS stage is bypassed. Click the stage in the CHAIN widget once to re-enable it.