NoiseWorks Audio has released PloseAssist, a plug-in that automatically finds and removes plosives from voice recordings.
Often the result of poor mic technique or the absence of a pop-shield, Plosives can be tamed by a high-pass filter but only by thinning the whole voice, and fixing it by hand means working through a take one pop at a time. PloseAssist finds every pop and turns down only the low end of that short moment. Everything else stays as it was recorded.
PloseAssist is made for single voice tracks, including speech, dialogue, podcasts, voice-over, singing, and rap. It works with mono, stereo and multichannel tracks up to 7.1.
The default settings work for most recordings. The Amount control goes from 0–150 per cent, so that users can leave some of the pop in for delicate vocals or cut more for close-miked takes. Sub ranges from 1.00x to 3.00x and increases the cut below 100Hz. This is helpful for rap, close-miked voices and boomy rooms where pops can be very strong. Amount, Sub, Delta and Bypass can be automated in the host DAW.
Low Latency mode has a delay of 17.5ms, which is short enough for singers or presenters to monitor while recording. Balance mode uses a longer delay of 137.5ms and is more accurate when editing and mixing. Both modes report their latency to the DAW for automatic delay compensation.
The plug-in includes presets, undo and redo options, and a window that can be resized up to twice its original
PloseAssist also has a third mode, HQ 0ms, which is available only in VoiceAssist Advanced. It analyzes the entire recording before removing any pops, giving precise results for each syllable with zero latency.
Compatibility extends to macOS: VST3, AU and AAX. macOS 10.15 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel, and Windows: VST3 and AAX, 64-bit.
Key Features:
- Automatic detection: PloseAssist recognises the usual shape of a plosive, ignoring normal low-frequencies in the voice.
- Targeted processing: It only cuts frequencies below about 250Hz, and only when a pop occurs.
- Two controls: Amount adjusts how much each pop is reduced. Sub adds extra reduction below 100Hz, where the thump is most noticeable.
- Two modes: Use Low Latency for recording and monitoring, and Balance for editing and mixing.
- Visual feedback: Each cut shows up as a red dip on the display, next to a gain reduction meter.
- Delta: This feature plays only what PloseAssist removes, so engineers can make sure no voice is lost.