XILS Labs | XILS DeeS De-esser Plug-in XILS Labs

Architecture : Once it enters into the DeeS, a signal is split into two independent channels ( Detection Step ) : The Voice ( Minus Sibilants ) and the Sibilants Only.

Each channel has its own EQ.

The Detection module helps you to find the right Voice frequency range to process to remove the sibilants, and specify the quality ( fastness ) of the processing.

Deessing : The detection Module

Select the cutoff frequency between Voices and Sibilants, select the amount of reduction you want to apply, select the quality of the deessing (how the result will be smoothed and slow or rough and fast), find the right spot for the plosives, allowing a better sibilant recognition et voilà !

The vumeter simply displays the detected sibilants.

Analog EQs to the rescue

The internal XILS DeeS algorithm allows to equalize with different settings the two split signals ( The voice, and the Sibilant ) : Each « Channel » has its own EQ.

This results in a transparent and versatile audio process !

Even better : The involved EQs, Low Pass 6 and 12db, Bell and High Shelf, has been developed to mimic analog behavior in the hight frequency range (zero-delay filters) : The standard digital artifacts and latency brought by the internal delay has been totally removed.

Furthermore, this simple organization is obvious to understand and to work with.

Simple structure, but not simple internal algorithm

A lot of attention has been put in the sidechain treatment (with or without latency), including a Plosive detection for a better sibilant recognition.

Fast and robust Sibilant detection, accurate level modulation, total independence from input level, were required in order to make this tool as transparent as possible.

You’ll notice that being independent from the input level is a big advantage, because the DeeS won’t work in a different way ( Over-compression, under-compression ) if the entering signal gain varies, which is the behavior of most similar units, and will therefore retain all the dynamics and lively character of the original.

Sibilant Path :

Easy and obvious, you can select your filter type (Low Pass 6dB, Low Pass 12 dB, Bell, High-Shelf) and tweak the cutoff frequency, resonance (or emphasis) and Gain when applied. The Level knob allows you to reduce or increase the Sibilant audio path.

You can listen to your equalized sibilants by clicking on the SOLO button.

Voice Path :

Almost the same than the Sibilant path, excepted that it has no specific level

You can listen to your equalized voices by clicking on the SOLO button.

Display :

The display allows you to “see” what happens in your audio track and simultaneously visualize the Voice and the Sibilant spectrum, as well as the curve and spectrum of the applied EQs

Deessing has never been so easy !

XILS DeeS is available with the following formats (32 and 64 bits):

• Mac OSX 10.5 and later : VST, Audio Unit, RTAS (Protools 7.0 and later),AAX (32&64 bits, native)
• Windows XP, Vista and 7,8,10 ; VST, RTAS (Protools 7.0 and later),AAX (32&64 bits, native)