StageOne 2 by Leapwing Audio stereo width plugin interface

StageOne 2: Stereo Width and Depth Plugin by Leapwing Audio

Rated 4.7/5 on Plugin Boutique (96 ratings)

StageOne 2 is a stereo width and depth effects plugin by Leapwing Audio. It widens stereo audio, adds a sense of depth and creates stereo from mono sources, with three-band control over the stereo soundstage.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

StageOne 2 is the second version of Leapwing Audio's stereo spreading tool. The update reworks the plugin around three bands of control, each able to shape how the stereo field is spread and positioned. Its algorithms cover widening, depth, mono-to-stereo conversion, phase correction and balance. The developer also highlights a visualizer that shows the stereo image as you adjust it, along with a phase recovery stage designed to keep out-of-phase material from dropping out when a mix is summed to mono.

Best for

Stereo widening mixes
Mono-to-stereo conversion
Adding depth to pads
Stereo image balancing
Mono compatibility checks

Developer: Leapwing Audio
Category: Stereo Width
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Widens stereo audio using the WIDTH algorithm
Adds perceived depth with the DEPTH algorithm
Creates stereo from a mono source with MONO SPREAD
Three-band controls over the stereo soundstage
PHASE RECOVERY re-aligns out-of-phase components
CENTER GRAVITY tilts the stereo image left or right
Unique visualizer of the stereo image
Available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats

03In depth

Stereo Width, Depth and Mono Spread Algorithms

The WIDTH algorithm stretches the stereo field, moving off-center content toward and possibly beyond the speakers while keeping the phantom center in place. The DEPTH algorithm adds directionally optimized reflections to give the sound field a sense of depth.

MONO SPREAD uses a filter design that turns mono signals into pseudo-stereo. Leapwing Audio notes that the same tool can push center content in a stereo signal toward the sides.

CENTER GRAVITY lets you rebalance the stereo image by tilting it left or right.

Phase Recovery and Working With the Stereo Image

The PHASE RECOVERY algorithm identifies out-of-phase components and re-aligns them. Leapwing Audio says this is intended to avoid information loss when the signal is summed to mono.

The built-in visualizer lets you see how the stereo image changes as you work, which helps when balancing width across the three bands.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	Leapwing Audio
Type	Plugin
Category	Stereo Width
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05Upgrades

Upgrade and crossgrade options

Option	Store link
StageOne 2 Upgrade from StageOne	Plugin Boutique ↗

06FAQ

Questions, answered

What is StageOne 2 used for?

StageOne 2 is used to widen stereo audio, add a sense of depth and turn mono sources into stereo. It also includes a center gravity control for rebalancing the stereo image left or right.

Which formats and operating systems does StageOne 2 support?

StageOne 2 is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats, and it runs on Windows and macOS. The plugin is 64-bit only.

What is the PHASE RECOVERY feature?

PHASE RECOVERY identifies out-of-phase components in the signal and re-aligns them, which the developer says avoids information loss when the audio is summed to mono.