DeEsser by Waves de-esser plugin interface

DeEsser: Vocal De-Esser Plugin by Waves

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (5 ratings)

DeEsser is a de-essing plugin from Waves that reduces harsh “ess” and “shh” sounds in vocal and other recordings. It is available in VST2, AU and AAX formats for Windows and macOS.

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01Overview

DeEsser from Waves is an effects plugin built around one job: taming sibilance. Sibilant sounds such as “s” and “sh” can become harsh after high frequencies are boosted for clarity in vocals, narration, audiobooks and podcasts. The developer describes the plugin as inspired by vintage precision de-essing and high-frequency limiting gear. It runs as a VST2, AU or AAX plugin on Windows and macOS.

Best for

Vocal de-essing
Podcast and narration cleanup
Audiobook processing
Taming cymbals in drum loops
Softening amp sim harshness
Smoothing digital synth highs

Developer: Waves
Category: De Essers
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Preview removed signal to isolate ess and shh sounds
Fast, efficient interface for straightforward de-essing
Adjustable range from 2 kHz to 16 kHz
Presets for male voice, female voice and full mixes
Wideband or split processing modes
Bandpass or highpass filter options for the sidechain

03In depth

Precise De-Essing Controls for Vocals

DeEsser's range control lets you set the frequency band it works on, from 2 kHz to 16 kHz, so you can target the exact area where sibilance sits in a given voice. A preview function lets you hear only what is being removed, which makes it easier to home in on ess and shh sounds before you adjust the amount of reduction.

You can run the plugin in wideband mode, which treats the full signal, or in split mode, which focuses the de-essing on the high-frequency band only. The sidechain filter can be set to bandpass or highpass, giving you control over which frequencies trigger the reduction. Presets for male voice, female voice and full mixes give you a starting point for each source.

Beyond Vocals: Other Uses for De-Essing

The developer notes that de-essing is not limited to voice. Its gentle action can reduce harshness from amp simulators, tame cymbals in drum loops and soften the top end of digital synthesizers.

This makes DeEsser useful in any mix where high frequencies become fatiguing, not only on lead vocals and spoken word recordings.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Waves
Type	Plugin
Category	De Esser
Formats	VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does DeEsser support?

DeEsser is available in VST2, AU and AAX formats. It runs on Windows and macOS.

Which operating systems are supported?

DeEsser supports Windows and macOS. On Mac, the listed system requirements are macOS Monterey 12, Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 and Sequoia 15. On PC, Windows 10 or later is listed.