iZotope Nectar 3 Plus

Verdict
For Very easy to use dynamic EQ
Particularly good on harsher vocals
Features great envelope controls and
lexible ilters
Excellent features like Balance and a
sidechain input
Against Attack and Decay options per
frequency band would be good
An easy to use, adaptable and transparent
dynamic EQ that no serious producer
should be without
1 0 / 1 0
vocal plugins roundup / reviews <
August 2022 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 77
Verdict
For
Very easy to use dynamic EQ
Particularly good on harsher vocals
Features great envelope controls and
Oeksound
Soothe 2 €199/£169
Soothe is an automatic dynamic
frequency editor, and designed to
remove harshness from instrumental
and vocal recordings. It uses spectral
processing to detect unpleasant
resonances, and dynamically attenuates
them via numerous level-sensitive notch
ilters. You might think this sounds like
an EQ, but the band nodes control the
reduction sensitivity dynamically within
their speciic frequency ranges. If you
raise a node on screen, it will notch out
the resonances within that band more
profoundly as the volume increases.
Soothe makes this a beautifully
realised process and the plugin has
been a big hit with producers around
the world. The latest version (2) reduces
CPU load and latency and has much
faster rendering plus a wider frequency
range that covers the lower end down
to 20Hz. It also comes with many more
EQ options than the debut version.
Add in extra envelope controls to
control the shape of the attenuation, a
Balance option – to adjust the depth of
processing between the left and right or
mid and side channels – and Soothe 2 is
a great, but not obvious tool for a
producer’s vocal armoury.
It will make any vocal (or instrument)
recording that much less harsh, without
losing the punch and impact.
oeksound.com
TYPE: Dynamic EQ/resonance suppressor for removing harsh frequencies | KEY FEATURES: Soft/hard mode, Attack and Release parameters, frequency graph, optimised
performance and lower latency, external sidechain input | SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: MacOS 10.10 (Yosemite) and newer as 64 bit VST, AU, and AAX, Intel-based Macs;
Windows 7 and newer as 32/64 bit VST and VST3, 64 bit AAX (PT11 and newer); iLok account and iLok License Manager installation required
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