Hello AudioSexers,
The title pretty much lets you know what this post is about.
I've tried many DeEssers and I find myself not satisfied with the results. I always have to go back, after DeEssing, to spend a fair amount of time to automate S's, T's, Sh's, K's, Ch's and sometimes G's.
I've used Eiosis E2DeEsser, FF ProDS, Waves, McDSP, iZitope Alloy2 DeEsser...you name it.
This has left me with the question: Do these things really work?
Even when I see and hear them used in tutorials, I barely notice any difference
I know the problem is not that I don't have enough knowledge about DeEssers. Many of them has the option of soloing and focusing on problem frequencies. Many times, I thought it was a mic problem so I did try different mics but the problem still exist. And no, I don't have hearing problems
I really appreciate to know your opinions, knowledge, techniques and recommendations.

thanks in advance

 

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 27, 2015

Try over using it and see what effect it has on your audio file. The idea is not over use just to take a little edge of those harsh peaks. i don't care for de-essing, try automating on the sss with volume much more natural, sure its time consuming but it works best. Try a dynamic mic.

 

This. Or be willing to spend an extraordinary amount on a condenser mic. Low budget LDCs tend to have a high frequency boost to superficially improve their 'clarity'. Problem being that the frequency response isn't smooth enough for that boost to be entirely pleasing in the long run.

My sibilance woes are well documented on Audiosex from recording on a Rode NT1-A, NT1 2014, and a couple times on a friend's AKG C414. I bought a Shure SM7B - problem solved.

BTW fabfilter Pro-DS is the most useful IMO. DMG Essence is good too.

 

sm7b solved my de-essing issue also.

 

I did that method where I over dess. the effect is terrible. It sounds choked or gives the impression the vocalist has lisp. Lately, I do automation instead of using deEssers.

I have Sennheiser MD 421 II that I haven't tried yet. I will give a shot and see how it sounds. I hope this will end my problem. If not, I will grab Shure SM7B

thanks for your replies guys. really appreciate it

 

I really rate the SPL de-esser. It has a very industry response and can actually help make a vocal sound in-line with 'Billboard' records, if that's your thing

 

What is the best DeEsser? Easy: the one which solve your problems.

 

Never hand the microphone over to somone with a lisp?

 

yes spl is the besti have heard spl in generally is the best

 

Editing and Automation is the best for me. After that comes Fabfilter Pro-DS.

 

firstly sibilance issues are usually due to cheap mics, pres and bad mic technique.
mic technique can change a lot, a real tube pre(not a cheap starved plate design) and a decent mic can do wonders.
as far as best deesser, i prefer Fabfilter ProDS, Precision De-Esser(uad) and Oxford SuprEsser.
but before pulling out a deesser i automate and clip gain if i have any sibilant issues.

the go to deesser in music is a DBX 902. most ppl dont know that the pro tools stock deesser was meant to emulate the 902, you have to learn how to set it correctly to sound good though.
.
LSR VLB902 is a new plugin that's an emulation of the 902
i own a dbx520 in my 500 rack to have a hardware 902. 902/520's

Nectar 2's deesser is a 902 emulation.
Massey De-esser is always a good go to
SPL dual band deeser isnt bad but simply 3db reduction begins to give the lisp sound.

 

proper compressing and limiting,
if the high frequency range had no dynamic range, they will allways be to hard or soft but never in between,

try to de-ess first and try some compressors who leave the high frequency range untouched

I disagree sibilance is a due to cheap mics, I think it's 99% of the time because of overprocessing

 

Last edited: Oct 25, 2015

cant agree there when i just had an artist send me some songs that are completely unprocessed and killing my ears. its bad when the unprocessed vocals are extremely sibilant on my mixcubes.. soon as i turn on my adam audio s3x-h, equator q10s or ns10s... my ears want to bleed. i ended up using my avedis e27 cut 6db from 10k then through my dbx 520 deesser back into PT to simply start off with the sound i wanted.

his vocals were tracked with a cheap chinese ldc into a presonus studiolive console into pt.

with my vocal chain i hardly ever process anything vocally.. i add effects more often than eq.. i may cut some freq here and there to marry hooks bgv's together or something simple like that but when your front end is great, a ton of processing isnt needed but i understand not everyone can afford a $4000 mic, $3500 pre, into $3300 compressors... just thinking about all the money i have invested makes me want to cry now lol

 

a piece of chewing gum on the front tooth works best.

 

DMG Essence has me set. If the plugs don't work you'll surprised how many professionals do it manually.

 

I will keep that in mind

You, my friend, deserve a trophy . This is a good idea for someone that needs the opposite due to a lost tooth though

I thought I was the only one doing the extra work to solve that problem. I always had to resort to that. Thanks for the re-assurance.
Let's see if iZotope RX 5 with it's new de-essing feature can handle such task.

thanks for the all the help guys. I will try all suggestions and see how things work out. If not, I guess, I will have to use the old method of automation. It sounds more natural also.

Every time I see this topic, I remember my son's teacher in elementary school. She has one of the baddest esse's I've ever had to hear. I always put ear buds before going to teachers-parents conference.
But seriously, her esse's are ear piercing.
I keep thinking of de-essers every time I get to meet with her.

 

probably the same deesser in nectar 2

 

Build your own one with Fabfilter's Pro-MB. Just look for the harsh sounds in the mix and create a band (or more) there and tweak to your liking. ;) e.g. to compress these harsh s sh ch sounds.

easy

 

Learning to speak and avoiding coming stoned to a session is the best one I think (kidding of course)

The Fabfilter`s one is easy to use and effective IMO , but like Baxter suggested, editing works the best, tho it is a bit time consuming.

 

I can't say authoritatively which might be the "best," but I personally like Fab Filter Pro-DS. I also find that Apple/Logic's De-Esser works well in most cases. I also sometimes have good luck with notching the EQ, depending on where the sibilance actually lies, somewhere between 48k-52k - although that can cut into some enunciation, if too broad. Selective automation curves notching the "s" peaks down is another way - though I tend to do that by exporting the audio file and leveling/reducing peaks (along with overall leveling, and removing inhalations and other stray noises) in an editor such as Audacity.