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Ableton is unlike any other DAW you can get your hands on these days. Many producers are drawn to it due to its impressive functionality and efficient workflow. It helps the user to explore the bounds of their creativity and dive into new musical ideas. For this reason, Ableton is among the most powerful DAWs on the market today.
The plugins that are included in Ableton Live are a great starting point for any music producer, but there are tons more plugins that can be combined with these to really enhance your production process. We’re going to look at what we consider to be the best plugins for Ableton to add to your collection.
Top 9 Ableton Plugins
Wavasour is a feature rich audio editor, and is a very good free software to reduce noise from audio. Noise reduction is not a native feature on this software, however you can reduce noise from audio with. Redunoise is a versatile noise reduction plug-in that has some surprising tricks up its sleeve, particularly in the realm of creative EQing. Although it is free, it definitely measures up to even some of the best payware offerings available. Sound Recovery by Bitsonic. To sum it all together, all these noise reduction plugins come with their very own unique features for you to explore and work with. The iZotope RX 6 tops them all since it meets all the high standards of what a noise reduction plugin should possess. It’s flexible, fast, and convenient to use. However, the rest of them follow through as well. Redunoise is a versatile noise reduction plug-in that has some surprising tricks up its sleeve, particularly in the realm of creative EQing. Although it is free, it definitely measures up to even some of the best.
- Xfer Records Serum (Best Synthesizer)
- FabFilter Saturn (Best Saturator)
- Waves H-Delay (Best Delay)
- SoundRadix SurferEQ2 (Best EQ)
- UAD Classic Limiter Collection (Best Compressor)
- Waves Center (Best Stereo Spreader)
- Valhalla VintageVerb (Best Reverb)
- Waves Smack Attack (Best Transient Shaper)
- Dadalife Sausage Fattener (Bonus)
1. Best Synthesizer – Xfer Records Serum
Ableton Live has a pretty good selection of VST instruments and synthesizers, but you may want access to a bigger collection of sounds. If that’s the case, you should check out the Xfer Records Serum wavetable synthesizer. It got a lot of attention when it was first introduced years ago because of its unique ability to minimize aliasing. If aliasing is not a term you’re familiar with, just think of inharmonic artifacts that come along with digital audio. With the Xfer Records Serum, you can avoid the unfortunate high-end distortion that virtual synthesizers typically give you. This means you end up with a much more realistic sound than you’ll get with the majority of VST synths currently available.
You’ll find A and B oscillators that you can see in 2D or 3D with the help of an advanced wavetable engine. You have the ability to blend these waveforms through the use of spectral morphing, standard crossfading, or harmonic morphing. If you are a synth aficionado and like to develop your sounds from scratch, you’ll appreciate this tool.
This plugin has a number of exciting features, including a filter module, a third oscillator for sub sounds, an editable graph display to manipulate waveforms, a variety of modulation sources, and a massive collection of editing options. The interface is beautiful and will give you a great visualization of how different sounds affect the mix. There’s also a crazy collection of over 450 presets to choose from. The Serum gives you nearly unlimited possibilities when it comes to shaping your sounds, so it’s definitely a handy wavetable synthesizer to have at your disposal.
Pros
- A great selection of modulation options
- An impressive library of presets and effects
- Flexible, morphing oscillators
Cons
- Takes up a lot of CPU
2. Best Saturator – FabFilter Saturn
The Ableton Saturator is sufficient for when you want to add a little warmth and distortion to your signals, but if you need a saturator that offers more flexibility, we recommend checking out the Fabfilter Saturn. This multiband saturation and distortion plugin is one of the most flexible saturators available today. Its versatile modulation routing technology will enable you to saturate your signal down to the finest detail.
Saturn acts like a single band frequency analyzer as it helps you visualize how your signal appears when coming in and when pushed. The display is very hands-on, enabling you to work with your multiple bands right on the interface without having to mess with knobs or sliders. You simply create a band, choose from 16 distortion or saturation options, and then push or pull that band however you like.
The Fabfilter Saturn offers incredible functionality and flexibility. You can use it for warm, subtle tape saturation or complete sound decapitation—and everything in between. You’ll be able to drive a portion of your signal, pan it, utilize M/S processing, and then blend it in with the use of the wet/dry knob. If you want to take it to a higher level, you can explore everything the modulation system has to offer, including envelope followers, the modulation step sequencer, and much more.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better multiband plugin with so many customization options and a user-friendly interface. If you are in need of a saturation plugin, this one won’t let you down.
Pros
- Unique modulation system
- Making crossovers is a breeze
- Awesome range of sounds
Cons
- Lacks real-time modulated parameter visualization
3. Best Delay – Waves H-Delay
No matter what genre you’re working with, delay is an essential part of most modern productions. When looking for a delay plugin, your focus should be on flexibility and low CPU usage. The H-Delay from Waves has you covered in these areas, even if it does lack versatility. If you want a go-to delay plugin that can get you where you want to go quickly, this is a great choice. And its analog tone makes it a great choice for electronic music.
The H-Day gets its inspiration from the PCM 42, a piece of Lexicon Hardware. You’ll have access to just about any delay effect you can imagine, including slapback, phasing, ping pong, flanging, and others. One of the most critical parameters it offers is delay time, which allows you to set your delay to the host tempo or in milliseconds or BPM. The sound can then be manipulated through the Delay and Feedback knobs.
The onboard pitch modulation includes adjustable depth, which allows you to modulate LFO frequencies up to 6kHz. This will give you even more creative freedom when it comes to manipulating your sounds. The analog design ensures that you will end up with natural sounds, and you can further control your delay tone through the use of low and high-pass filters.
The H-Delay is a unique plugin from Waves that has all your delay bases covered. It’s very accessible for beginners but has enough effects to satisfy even seasoned producers.
Pros
- LFO range is wider than you would expect
- Super smooth parameter transition
- Intuitive interface
Cons
- Not able to bypass variable pitch
4. Best EQ – SoundRadix SurferEQ2
Ableton Live comes with an impressively versatile parametric EQ, so we don’t blame you if you just want to stick with that. However, if you want to explore other options, we recommend that you start with the SoundRadix SurferEQ2. You’ll have access to two filters and five frequency bands for equalization and pitch tracking.
Frequencies often shift in dense modern productions. The Surfer EQ plugin is able to analyze frequencies in polyphonic material to determine if they should be corrected. This is super beneficial because you won’t have to worry about your EQ for the verse negatively affecting the chorus. The SurferEQ2 will read your signal while the song plays to make the best EQ choices.
One feature we love is the sidechain, which gives you the ability to make space in a track for each instance a certain sound pops up. For example, if your synth pad is consistently overwhelming your vocals, you just have to sidechain it and then it will drop down whenever vocals come along.
The GUI is gorgeous and incredibly functional. It will combine well with the standard parametric EQ in Ableton Live to give you even more capability and creative freedom.
Pros
- MIDI pitch tracking
- Unique Spectral Gate
- GateHelpful Sidechain feature with pitch tracking
Cons
- Limited Q widths lessens its surgical capability
5. Best Compressor – UAD Classic Limiter Collection
Ableton Live comes with a compressor that can pretty much get the job done. However, if you’re looking to add some more color and excitement to your mix, you should think about picking up some character compressors. We recommend the UAD Classic Limiter Collection.
UAD has a strong reputation for faithfully recreating some of the world’s best hardware compressors in software form. Bill Putnam was the designer of the original UA 1176 many years ago. It’s known for being one of the first true peak limiters with all-transistor circuitry. Its rapid FET gain reduction enables it to boost the grit and punch of whatever signal you’re working with.
The Rev A Bluestripe is included in the Classic Limiter Collection. It comes with many distortion characteristics and FET gain amplifier attributes. Another in the collection is the Rev E Blackface with low noise and linear compression straight from the 70s. Finally, there’s the 1176AE, which is UAD’s 40th anniversary edition.
If you’re looking for advanced sidechaining capabilities or multiple bands with various thresholds, you won’t find them here. But it still stands out as the best option for us because the sounds it produces have a quality that has yet to be matched by its competitors. Combined with the functionality of what you already have with Ableton Live’s compressor, this plugin will definitely take your mixes to a new dimension.
Pros
- Super detailed sound
- Three compressors in one bundle
Cons
- Drains processing pretty quickly
- Less flexible than other compressors
6. Best Stereo Spreader – Waves Center
The beauty of the Waves Center plugin is its simplicity. But don’t be fooled—it’s still a more than capable stereo image manipulator. You can utilize a stereo spreader to widen signals or elevate your masters to a more professional level. The Waves Center is basically a signal splitter that gives you the ability to make sure the center and sides of an individual signal, multiple signals, or the whole mix remain balanced.
With Ableton Live you’ll find a Utility plugin, which can be used to separate the sum and difference of your stereo signal, the sum being a mono mix of both the right and left signals. With the Waves Center, on the other hand, you’ll get a “perceived” center rather than a mono sum. This gives you the ability to work individually with various parts of the stereo field.
DJs love using the Waves Center to take out certain mono parts of a track like the vocals or the drums. You’ll also be able to rebalance the side and central elements throughout your mix. While we can’t tell you exactly how or why it works, Waves Center does give you an easy and effective way to adjust your stereo image.
Pros
- Has many different applications
- Unique stereo manipulation capabilities
- User-friendly interface
Cons
- Isn’t able to pan signals
- No one can really explain exactly how it works
7. Best Reverb – Valhalla VintageVerb
The onboard reverb VST for Ableton does offer some flexibility, but if you want to get a true vintage sound, you’ll have to add something else into the mix. We recommend the Valhalla Vintage Reverb, which utilizes downsampling and modulation shaping to produce that distinct vintage sound. You’ll find nine different algorithms packed into this VST plugin, which all draw their inspiration from Lexicon. These include rooms, halls, ambient spaces, plates, and a few other unexpected options.
https://cvclever.tistory.com/7. Native Instruments FM8. Native Instruments Kontakt 6. Reveal Sound Spire. Arturia V Collection.
Check out the 1970s button if a warm, lo-fi texture is what you’re after. The 1980s button will give you a shimmery result, while the modern button offers a crisp digital version of the reverb sound of today. Drum plugin garageband. You can also add color to your individual sounds rather than having to destroy the reverb algorithms to elevate a sound. That’s one reason why this plugin stands out among its competitors.
There are a number of controls on this plugin that will give you all the power you want without overwhelming you. These include dampening controls that give you multiple shelving options, a Size knob for you to set the room size, a Decay dial that lets you set the reverb time, density controls to change up the early and late diffusion settings, and a bass multiplier to stretch out the decay time of various elements.
If you want to extend your reverb capabilities beyond what’s already included in Ableton Live without spending too much money, the Valhalla Vintage Verb should be at the top of your list.
Pros
- Super affordable
- User-friendly interface
- Great option if you want to add color to your sound
Cons
- Not an ideal option for simple room sounds
- Not able to sync pre-delay to BPM
8. Best Transient Shaper – Waves Smack Attack
If drums play an essential role in your mix, a transient shaper will help you achieve the best drum and percussion sounds. Smack attack follows in the footsteps of the Waves Trans-X, but there are several additional features that make it stand out.
Smack Attack gives you all the functionality you would expect from a typical transient shaper. It enables you to individually boost your transients on either the front or back end. This gives you the power to drive up the attack to achieve more front-end punch on your kick drum if you want. Or you can cut back the release to eliminate some unwanted decay. One feature we want to point out is the sensitivity thresholds. These give you the unique ability to set exactly when the plugin should get to work. This will help preserve the natural sound of the transients.
You’ll also find a limiter that will keep you from pushing your DAW past its limits. The Mix knob gives you the ability to mix in your transient-shaped sound. With the unique capabilities of the Smack Attack’s transient shaping technology, you’ll be able to easily achieve transparent sounds that will enhance any style of mix.
Pros
- Envelope shape controls
- Amazing transparent sound
- Protection limiter
Cons
- No multiband shaping
- Can take a while to figure out
9. Bonus – Dadalife Sausage Fattener
We’ll be the first to admit that this plugin is a bit on the silly side, but it’s also way more useful than you would expect. Dada Life got a lot of attention when they introduced their own plugin to help up-and-coming DJs replicate their sound. But it was uncertain if the Sausage Fattener would live up to the hype.
The beauty of this VST plugin is in its simplicity. It has one primary function—to add thick, bold compression while also dialing in incredible distortion. On the interface you’ll find two knobs: Color and Fatness. Use the color knob to dial in some brightness to your signal. The Fat knob can add some weight to your signal. Another feature is the small gain parameter, which enables you to view the incoming level.
No, the Sausage Fattener isn’t going to blow your mind, but it is a different and fun plugin option if you want to add weight to your signals.
Pros
- Affordable
- User-friendly
- Incredibly beautiful sound
Cons
- Limited flexibility
- Might make you hungry
Go to Another Level with Ableton Live
It’s easy to underestimate the plugins that are included in the Ableton Live Suite. The truth is they offer tons of functionality and will take your productions to the next level. That being said, as a mixer and producer, you never want your creative process to be limited. For this reason, you should experiment with as many plugins as possible and add the ones you like to your mixing toolbox. If you are looking to broaden your musical horizons, we suggest that you start with the high-quality plugins from our list.
Noise reduction can a be crucial part of music production.
In a perfect world, we’d have noiseless and buzzless audio signals galore. But if you’re sampling vinyl, or are forced to record in less than stellar environment, you need something in your audio toolkit that’s got your back.
So in this guide we’ll take a look at some of the best noise reduction plugin software for music producers on the market.
Quick answer: iZotope RX 7 is the top choice for sure.
But if you want something for quick and easy noise reduction, that’s easier on the budget, take a look at ERA Bundle by Accusonus and Waves Z-Noise.
The rest of this guide will look at these and other plugins more in depth, so you’ll be able to make the right choice for what you need.
Let’s take a closer look 🙂
Table of Contents
- Noise Reduction Plug-In Buying Guide
Find more great gear here:
Noise Reduction Plug-In Buying Guide
What is a Noise Reduction Plug-in?
Like the name suggests, noise reduction plug-ins essentially reduce or eliminate noise from audio material. They do this by using different algorithms and modeled circuitry. These software tools, like the one we’re about to talk about, eliminate things that you’d rather not have in your music production, like background noises, electrical interference, ground buzzes, clicks, hums, and crackles from the source audio.
How Noise Reduction Plug-ins Work
Noise reduction circuits employ different methods for eliminating noise. Here are some of what they include:
- Spectral noise gating or Fourier analysis – This detects the spectrum of tones that comprise the background noise and reduces their volume levels.
- Manual threshold setting – This sets the threshold for each individual band and reduces their level independently. Meaning, if a sound is below the a certain threshold (like environmental sounds), then it will be cut out during the “silent” portions of a recording.
- Graphical noise reducers – Samples the noise profile and creates a frequency-dependent threshold that varies across the harmonic spectrum. Provides control over multiple variables.
- Spectral analysis – Breaks up sound into different frequency ranges, allowing the removal of specific bands.
Features to Look for in a Noise Reduction Plug-in
As with all plug-ins that have the potential to significantly affect the quality of the sound, transparency is one of the most desirable properties to look for in a noise reduction plug-in.
Although you want your plug-in to effectively remove the noise—or at least reduce it to such a degree that it is no longer apparent—you don’t want to compromise the overall quality of the audio.
Low-latency is also a must as noise reduction is a very CPU-intensive process. When applying noise reduction to several tracks of audio, you might find that some of them will lag as your CPU struggles to cope with the load. This can lead to phasing, loss of sync, and other issues.
Sufficient control over the various parameters is also a good quality to have in a noise reduction plug-in. However, don’t discount the benefits provided by automation, particularly with regard to identifying and detecting noise prints. In some cases, the auto-detect circuitry of a good noise reduction plug-in can be far more effective at pinpointing noise than your ears.
Choosing the Best Noise Reduction Plugin for Music Production
When choosing a noise reduction plugin, a good rule of thumb is to decide on one that offers a good balance between ease of use and control.
Although you will want the ability to get under the hood and tweak the various settings to your content…
…. there will be times when you simply want to “set-and-forget” the controls. Y
ou should therefore choose a great sounding noise reduction plug-in that allows you to get as detailed or as simple as you need.
With that same, let’s take a look at some of our options.
7 Best Noise Reduction Plugins to Use
iZotope RX 7
Upon its release, iZotope’s RX 6 – the previous version – was widely lauded for its ability to clean up even the most troublesome recordings. Used by everyone from bedroom producers to industry professionals, it quickly achieved a reputation for solving audio problems that other software solutions simply couldn’t touch.
With RX 7, iZotope’s RX 7 once again proves that it is at the forefront of audio repair, with a host of new features that greatly expand the suite’s capabilities.
Specs and useful features
- Repair Assistant intelligently detects noise, clipping, clicks, hum, and other audio anomalies
- Music Rebalance effectively isolates individual elements of a track for precision enhancement
- Variable Time and Pitch enables the alteration of pitch without affecting audio timing, and vice versa
- Dialogue Contour improves pitch, performance, and intonation of spoken dialogue
- Dialogue De-Reverb reduces reverberations in dialogue tracks
- Multichannel support
- Enhanced UI
User impressions
Just like RX 6 before it, iZotope RX 7 is widely considered to be the most powerful and versatile audio repair and restoration tool around. More than just a solution for cleaning up noise, users have found it amazingly effective for getting rid of most anomalies in recorded audio.
RX 7’s users range from bedroom hobbyists to studio owners, and even industry professionals. The versatility of this software suite is such that it can be used for a multitude of tasks of any size. Even with its sheer power and versatility, its ease of use makes it the noise reduction and repair tool of choice for many users.
Bottom-line
iZotope RX 7 is by far one of the most flexible and all-out powerful solutions for restoring and repairing audio. More than just a noise reduction plug-in, it is a comprehensive suite of precision tools that can pretty much fix whatever ails your audio. Whether for individual tracks or completed mixes, iZotope RX 7 will definitely give you quality results.
Demonstration
Sonnox Oxford DeNoiser
“Surgically-precise” noise reduction is what the Sonnox Oxford DeNoiser specializes in, and there not that many tools better than this in that arena. It has a lot of useful features that enable you to clean up even the most problematic audio, like an integrated de-hisser, continual input analysis, and even a Freeze Mode that samples chunks of audio containing just noise.
The Oxford DeNoiser is also capable of preserving the quality of the original recording with a useful post-processing “Warmth” control.
Specs and useful features
- Separate sections for de-hissing, noise detection, and noise removal
- High-resolution display of input signal and noise profile
- Frequency bias curve allows for the fine-tuning of noise threshold and reduction
- Mid-side mode
- Warmth control for restoring audio warmth after processing
- Make-up gain facilitates A/B comparison
User impressions
Most users agree that the Sonnox Oxford DeNoiser packs a lot of bunch a slick and easy-to-use package. The plug-in’s ability to automatically adapt to a varying noise floor is one of its most useful features, although it is possible to set the bias for the detected noise curve to a precise degree.
One other feature that many users appreciate is the “Warmth” control that sweetens the sound after processing. Overall, the Oxford DeNoiser seems to have made a favorable impression, although some users advise using it in moderation in order to avoid introducing unwanted sonic artifacts.
Bottom-line
Sonnox’s track record of producing outstanding plug-ins at reasonable prices is well known, and the company upholds that tradition admirably in the Oxford DeNoiser. Offering the ability to get as simple or as detailed as you like, the DeNoiser is just as capable of delivering quality results quickly as it is at allowing more intensive tweaking and parameter fine-tuning.
Demonstration
Waves W43 Noise Reduction Plug-in
The Waves W43 draws inspiration from the legendary hardware noise reduction unit, the Dolby Cat43, a classic film processor noise reduction from the 1970’s. Like its predecessor, you can expect professional results from the W43 in a highly intuitive user interface.
Of course, a host of modern features is also provided, enabling you to target and eliminate noise to a remarkably precise degree.
Noise Reduction Plugins Free
The W43 is part of the Waves suite of “Intelligent” plug-ins, which utilize DSP in order to differentiate noise from the audio signal.
In the case of the W43, the threshold can be set independently for multiple bands, giving you total control over the noise reduction process.
Specs and useful features
- Affordably-priced
- Easy to use
- Zero latency
- Multiple instances possible
- 24-bit/192kHz resolution
User impressions
The Waves W43 is especially lauded for its four fixed frequency bands that provide a good range of noise reduction options. Many users feel that the plug-in is a worthy successor to the hardware unit that inspired it, citing the Waves W43’s high-quality noise reduction capabilities.
Bottom-line
Of all the noise reduction plug-ins available under the Waves banner, the W43 may be the one that provides the most bang-for-the-buck. Now that it is priced more reasonably, adding it to your studio toolkit is practically a no-brainer. For the money, you get a very versatile and great-sounding noise reduction plug-in that comes with a host of useful features.
Noise Reduction Plugins
Antares SoundSoap 5
Antares SoundSoap is a standalone app and a plug-in that works in a variety of hosts. Originally manufactured by BIAS, it has since been made part of the Antares line of audio processing tools, which include the notorious “Auto-tune.”
Now in its fifth iteration, SoundSoap has garnered considerable praise for its simplicity and high-quality results.
Best Free Noise Reduction Vst
Specs and useful features
- Improved hum removal algorithm
- Audio metering
- Automatic noise detection*
- Ability to set noise location*
- Video waveform display *
- Enhanced media controls*
- Support for FLAC and MP3*
- Full bypass facilitates A/B comparison*
- Reset control*
*Standalone only
User impressions
A common thread in user reviews of the SoundSoap 5 is how easy and straightforward it is to use. Users report being pleasantly surprised at how effective the plug-in is at eliminating noise, even with a seemingly modest set of controls.
Unfortunately, although SoundSoap 5 is a pretty capable noise reduction plug-in by most accounts, the fact that most of its best features are available only in the standalone app limits its usability somewhat.
Bottom-line
Antares SoundSoap 5 is a pretty impressive plug-in that suffers from one serious flaw: most of its best features are available only in standalone mode. This really is lamentable, as noise reduction is generally better applied to individual tracks and stems rather than entire mixes. If not for this misstep, the excellent algorithms and precise control provided would warrant a more favorable ranking.
Demonstration
Waves Z-Noise
Z-Noise is only one of the many noise reduction plug-ins marketed under the Waves banner. Boasting of a new proprietary algorithm, this one aims to eliminate background noise from recordings without inducing artifacts or compromising audio quality.
Part of the Waves “manual” plug-ins collection, Z-Noise requires you to specify the noise print to be targeted, after which you can hone in on the offending frequencies with the threshold and band controls.
- Specs and useful features
- Improved “musical” algorithm
- Dynamic noise profiling
- 5-band EQ
- Extract mode for creating noise profile from any audio
- Real-time operation
- Preserves low frequencies
- Improves high frequency detail
- Reduced time domain sensitivity eliminates “smearing”
- True broadband processing
User impressions
Most reviewers of the Waves Z-Noise mention the plug-in’s ability to reduce noise while retaining high-end detail and low-end clarity. The absence of “smearing” is definitely one of the plug-in’s biggest strengths, and many users appreciate the ability to eliminate noise without reducing the punchiness of the source audio.
That being said, some users did feel that the Z-Noise isn’t quite as effective as other plug-ins in terms of eliminating more severe noise.
Bottom-line
Waves Z-Noise is quite a capable and versatile solution to most noise reduction needs. It isn’t quite as easy to use as other plug-ins in the Waves lineup, although that comes as no surprise given its extensive features and capabilities. And although it isn’t as effective as removing noise as other more recent offerings, it does provide excellent value for the money.
Demonstration
Accusonus ERA Bundle
The Accusonus ERA Bundle is a set of audio restoration plug-ins that includes the ERA-N, feature in our article on audio restoration and enhancement.
Well this is the noise reduction plug-in of the bunch, providing you with the ability to reduce noise via a single knob control, which is pretty unique. The ERA-N actually provides a surprising amount of flexibility even with its modest controls, with the automatic noise profile estimation especially useful at pinpointing problem areas. Used in conjunction with the five frequency presets, the ERA-N is quite effective at removing noise in different frequency ranges.
The bundle also includes the ERA-D, which provides “intelligent” noise reduction capabilities in a dual-channel configuration, along with the reverb reduction features of the ERA-R.
Specs and useful features
- Enhanced de-noise algorithm
- Five spectral presets for focusing on specific frequency bands
- Automatic noise profile estimation
- Single knob noise reduction
User impressions
Ease of use and simplicity seem to be the biggest draws of the Accusonus ERA Bundle, going by the overall tone of the user reviews of the plug-in. Users especially seem to appreciate the modest-yet-effective set of controls that consist only of a single knob and a couple of settings.
Although it may be too simple for those that require more control over certain parameters, users generally agree that the ERA Bundle makes it possible to get great results quickly.
Bottom-line
The Accusonus ERA Bundle is a surprisingly capable set of noise reduction plug-ins that gives you get great results with minimal effort. Although there are lower-priced solutions that provide results of comparable quality, there is no denying the ease of use and simplicity of these plug-ins.
Demonstration
Waves NS1 Noise Suppressor
Also part of the Waves “Intelligent” range of plug-ins, the Waves NS1 Noise Suppressor is equally at home in the studio and on stage. Those that don’t want to bother with the extensive controls of other noise reduction plug-ins will definitely appreciate the single-fader interface of the NS1, as it provides all the control needed for most basic tasks.
Despite its simplicity and modest features, the NS1 is quite effective at removing noise without causing warbling, unwanted modulation, or other artifacts. It also imparts no latency whatsoever, allowing you to patch it into any audio track without having to worry about losing sync.
Specs and useful features
- Simple-yet-effective noise-reduction
- Intuitive single-fader design
- Attenuation gauge for monitoring noise removal
- Suitable for cleaning up audio from a wide variety of sources
User impressions
“Simplicity” is also a common thread in many user reviews of the Waves NS1, with the single fader interface garnering praise for its effectiveness and ease of use. Users report simply being able to turn the fader up to just before the artifacts set in, easing back a bit, and getting acceptable results. Like even the most fully-featured plug-ins however, subtlety is key in using the Waves NS1 to maximum benefit.
Bottom-line
As far as noise reduction plug-ins go, the Waves NS1 Noise Suppressor is about as simple as they come. Although it has only a single fader, it still manages to deliver performance that equals–and even surpasses–that of its higher-priced counterparts.
Demonstration
Final thoughts – Which to Get?
The iZotope RX 6 is truly the Big Daddy of audio restoration tools, and its noise reduction components meet the highest standards for usability, flexibility, convenience, ease of use, and sound. In fact, this could very well be the only noise reduction plug-in worthy of discussion, if not for the excellent qualities of the other plug-ins in this roundup.
Tied for a close second are the Waves W43 and the Sonnox Oxford DeNoiser, which both provide excellent bang-for-the-buck. Even though these don’t come close to the features and functionalities of the iZotope RX 6 suite, they are definitely deserving of a place in any studio.
Special mention has to be made of the Antares SoundSoap 5, which is a pretty serious piece of noise reduction technology. As impressive as it is however, the fact that most of its best features are available only in the standalone app forces us to shave a few points off its final score.
As for the Waves Z-Noise and the Waves NS1 Noise Suppressor, these definitely aren’t slouches by any means. Even though they have both been surpassed by more recent offerings, they could still be of some use for general noise reduction tasks where surgical control isn’t absolutely necessary.
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