THE_SMOOTHER 2
AUDIO SMOOTHING. EVOLVED.
Why do I need THE_SMOOTHER 2?
Break free from static processing and harsh resonances. An ultra-high-definition spectral engine with 6 quality modes - including a zero-latency LIVE mode you can track and perform through. 8 adaptive bands that suppress, shape, or boost. SMART detection that finds the problem frequencies for you. Key-aware suppression that cleans the junk without ever chewing on the actual notes. Smart transient protection that keeps your punch intact. This is spectral processing without compromise.
ULTRA-HIGH-DEFINITION SPECTRAL PROCESSING
At the heart of THE_SMOOTHER 2 lies a customized, high-resolution processing engine that analyzes and corrects your audio dynamically - without the phasing issues of traditional crossover filters. Choose from 6 Quality Modes: LIVE runs a time-domain engine at zero latency so you can record and perform straight through it. Eco for blazing-fast, efficient tracking. Normal and High for perfectly balanced mixing. Ultra and Maximum for pristine, artifact-free mastering. And your offline bounces always render on the full high-resolution spectral engine, no matter which mode you monitor in.
8 BANDS. 3 MODES. TOTAL CONTROL.
Take absolute control with up to 8 independent frequency bands. Each band can Suppress harsh resonances and frequency buildups without affecting the good parts of the signal. Shape your tone by intelligently cutting unwanted resonances while dynamically boosting missing frequencies. Or Boost frequency ranges that are lacking to bring forward detail and presence. No two resonances are alike - so every band offers deep control over selectivity, sharpness, attack, release, knee, boost limits, and shape tilt.
YOUR TRANSIENTS STAY INTACT
One of the biggest problems with resonance suppressors is that they dull your transients. THE_SMOOTHER 2 incorporates advanced transient detection that recognizes exactly when a hit or pluck happens and preserves its punch - smoothing only the lingering resonances that follow. Combined with frequency-dependent timing that intelligently scales attack and release based on the frequency being processed, every correction sounds natural and musical.
MID/SIDE. L/R. EXTERNAL SIDECHAIN.
Each of the 8 bands can be independently routed to process Stereo or Mid/Side domains. Target both channels, solely the Left/Mid, or solely the Right/Side. Dial in Stereo Link from 0-100% for true dual-mono processing or perfectly stable imaging. Use Depth Balance to skew intensity toward a specific channel. And with external sidechaining, feed another signal in to dynamically carve space - like routing your snare to suppress its fundamental frequencies on your guitar bus whenever it hits.
IT TAKES THE MUSIC'S SIDE.
New KEY mode tells THE_SMOOTHER 2 what key your song is in - so it protects the notes that belong and pushes harder on the ringing that doesn't. Pick a root and one of six scales, and in-key resonances are spared while out-of-key junk gets caught. Clean harshness and ring out of tonal, busy material without ever chewing on the actual performance. It's a prior on the cut side only, fully opt-in - the music stays, the junk goes.
SMART FINDS THE PROBLEMS FOR YOU.
One click and SMART scans your audio, then hands you the exact problem frequencies as ready-to-add bands - tuned for Vocal, Drums, Bus, Bass, or a Target reference. Press and hold any suggestion to audition it; the brighter the marker, the more confident the detection. A brilliant starting point for de-essing, de-harshing and de-mudding without hunting by ear.
SPECTRAL SHAPING THAT THINKS FOR YOU.
Frequency-dependent smoothing means every band reacts at exactly the right speed. Low frequencies get the time they need. High frequencies respond instantly. Adaptive thresholding adjusts to the dynamics of your signal in real-time. You set the intent - THE_SMOOTHER 2 handles the details.
WATCH THE_SMOOTHER 2 IN ACTION
A FIRST LOOK
- 6 Quality Modes
- LIVE, Eco, Normal, High, Ultra, and Maximum - from zero-latency tracking all the way to the highest spectral resolution available in any plugin
- Frequency-Dependent Smoothing
- Intelligent timing that adapts to frequency content - lows get longer release times, highs react instantly - for results that sound natural, not processed
- Smart Transient Protection
- Automatically detects and preserves transient energy so your drums and percussive elements keep their punch even under heavy smoothing
- Adaptive Thresholding
- Define an absolute volume floor per band so processing only kicks in exactly when needed - no unnecessary corrections on quiet signals
- Global Spectral Tilt
- A single macro slider to shift the entire processing curve from warm to bright
- Delta Mode
- Solo only what the plugin is removing or adding - globally or per band - so you can hear exactly what the processing is doing
- 3 Processing Modes Per Band
- Suppress resonances, Shape the spectral balance by cutting problems and boosting what's missing, or Boost detail in lacking frequency ranges - each band operates independently
- Selectivity & Sharpness
- Fine-tune how narrowly each band targets problem frequencies and how aggressively it acts
- Per-Band Attack, Release & Knee
- Full dynamic control per band - smooth out the reaction curve or keep it sharp and aggressive
- Boost Limits
- Set maximum gain amounts per band to prevent over-processing in Shape or Boost modes
- Shape Tilt
- Per-band tilt control to weight the target tonal balance from warm/dark to bright/airy
- Mid/Side & L/R Routing
- Process Stereo or Mid/Side domains independently - target both channels, Left/Mid only, or Right/Side only - per band
- Stereo Link & Depth Balance
- Unlink detection for true dual-mono processing or blend channels for stable imaging - and skew processing intensity toward a specific channel
- External Sidechaining
- Feed an external input into any band for frequency-aware ducking and unmasking - every band can selectively listen to the main input or the sidechain
- SMART Auto-Detection
- One click scans your audio and suggests the exact problem frequencies as ready-to-add bands - the brighter the marker, the more confident the detection, and press-and-hold to audition before you commit
- SMART Source Profiles
- Detection tuned to your material - Vocal, Drums, Bus, Bass, or Target to match a reference curve fed in via the sidechain
- KEY - Key/Scale-Aware Suppression
- Set your song's root and scale (12 roots x 6 scales) and the engine protects in-key notes while pushing harder on out-of-key ringing - clean the junk without chewing on the performance, fully opt-in
- LIVE Mode - Zero Latency
- A time-domain engine at 0 samples of latency for recording and performing straight through the plugin - offline bounces automatically switch back to the full high-resolution spectral engine
- Per-Band & Global Solo
- Isolate a single band's frequency range to zero in on the problem area, then switch to Delta to fine-tune the fix
- Preset Browser
- Task-ready starting points - DE-HARSH, DE-MUD, BALANCE IT, BRIGHTEN, GOLDEN MASTER and more across Mix, Vocals, and Master categories
LIKE NETFLIX BUT FOR MUSIC PRODUCTION
Gain access to countless hours of tutorials and masterclasses where I share in-depth knowledge to elevate your music production skills to a new level. I'm also releasing more and more AI-supported tutorials, allowing you to ask questions in real-time as you watch the videos.
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WORKS WITH ALL MAJOR MUSIC SOFTWARE
MAC (Intel or M-Processors) | WINDOWS
VST3, AAX, AU
Frequently Asked Questions
THE_SMOOTHER 2 works with any music software hosting VST3, AAX, or AU plugins—like Ableton Live, Pro Tools, FL Studio, Logic, GarageBand, Cubase, and Reaper. Both Windows and macOS (including M1 and higher) are supported.
Suppress surgically cuts harsh resonances and frequency buildups without affecting the rest of the signal - perfect for taming harshness, de-essing, or cleaning mud. Shape intelligently cuts problems while dynamically boosting what's missing to match a target tone - ideal for sculpting the spectral balance of vocals, buses, or masters. Boost dynamically enhances and brings forward frequency ranges that are lacking - great for adding presence, air, or body to dull material.
The 6 quality modes exist precisely for this. Use LIVE for zero-latency tracking and performing, or Eco for blazing-fast rough mixing. Normal and High for balanced mixing sessions. Ultra and Maximum for final passes and mastering where every detail counts. Each mode delivers excellent results - Maximum simply gives you the finest spectral resolution available - and your offline bounce always renders on the full high-resolution engine regardless of the mode you monitor in.
Yes - set the engine to LIVE mode and it runs a time-domain filter bank at 0 samples of latency, so you can track vocals and perform straight through the plugin with no lag. It reacts a hair later and sounds a touch softer than the full spectral engine, and that is the honest tradeoff for zero latency. When you bounce, offline rendering automatically switches back to the full high-resolution spectral engine, so your final print is never compromised.
KEY makes the suppression key-aware. Tell it your song's root note and scale, and it weighs whether a frequency actually belongs to the music before deciding how hard to act - protecting in-key notes while pushing harder on out-of-key ringing. On tonal, busy material it lets you clean harshness and resonance without ever chewing on the actual notes of the performance. It only ever influences the cut side, so it can never boost anything, and it is fully opt-in - older presets load with KEY off.
Press SMART and it analyses your audio, then drops clickable markers on the exact resonant frequencies it finds - the brighter and chunkier the marker, the more confident the detection. Press and hold any marker to audition it, then click to turn it into a band. Right-click SMART to tune detection for your source: Vocal, Drums, Bus, Bass, or Target (which matches a reference curve on the sidechain). It is the fastest way to start a de-ess, de-harsh or de-mud without hunting by ear.
Traditional resonance suppressors process everything equally, which can dull the attack of drums, plucks, and percussive elements. THE_SMOOTHER 2's transient detection recognizes exactly when a transient happens and preserves its energy, only smoothing the lingering resonances that follow. Your drums stay punchy. Your plucks stay sharp. The resonances still get fixed.
In many cases, no. Set a high-frequency band to Suppress mode with the right selectivity and sharpness, and you get context-aware de-essing that reacts to the actual spectral content rather than just a simple threshold. It's often more musical and precise than a dedicated de-esser because it understands the full frequency picture.
I'm super confident you'll love THE_SMOOTHER 2, but if you discover it's not the perfect fit within 30 days of purchase, just reach out. I'll handle a smooth license transfer and give you a full refund—no hassle.
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