Noisebud has released Hiss, a spectral processor for targeting resonant and noise-like parts of a signal independently.
Hiss began with a mastering problem: a great mix with vocal sibilance that was too sharp, where conventional de-essers, dynamic EQs, and existing spectral processors either did not catch the right part of the sound or changed too much around it.
The goal was not to remove the entire S sound. It was to reduce the harsh resonances inside it while preserving the natural noise component and vocal character.
That idea became Hiss.
Within a user-defined frequency range, Hiss identifies between 1 and 20 resonances and separates the selected signal into two complementary components:
- Tonal: the detected resonances.
- Noise: the remaining noise-like energy after those resonances have been extracted.
The Tonal and Noise components can then be adjusted independently, from -48 dB to +24 dB. This makes it possible to reduce piercing resonances while leaving the airy noise around them intact, or reduce noisy, gritty energy without flattening the tonal definition of the sound.
More precise than broad de-essing
An S sound is rarely one single thing. It can contain narrow resonant peaks, broadband noise, and information that is important for intelligibility and naturalness.
Hiss is designed to let those elements be treated separately. For example, lowering Tonal while leaving Noise unchanged can reduce sharp vocal sibilance without making the vocal dull, lisped, or overly filtered. In other situations, the unwanted character may be primarily noisy, distorted, or diffuse, making the Noise control the more useful option.
The detector can react to the filtered Dry signal, the detected Resonance component, Noise, or Rest. This lets Hiss respond to the part of the sound that is actually causing the problem rather than applying the same treatment continuously across an entire frequency area.
From 20 Hz to 20 kHz
Although Hiss was originally developed for vocal sibilance, it works across the full audible spectrum, from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
It can be used for harsh cymbals, ringing acoustic instruments, brittle synths, aggressive upper-midrange buildup, distorted guitars, low-mid resonances, and other situations where a conventional de-esser or dynamic EQ gets close but affects too much around the problem.
Frequency, Correlation, Resonances, and Window Size controls determine where and how precisely Hiss works. Attack, Release, Dry / Wet, Delta monitoring, Bypass, and Single / Shared stereo correlation modes are also included.
Hiss is not designed to make everything smoother. It is designed to identify the part of a sound that actually needs attention and leave the useful material intact.
Availability & Pricing
Hiss is distributed through Noisebud’s Patreon-based model.
For $7/month, you get access to 40+ plugins, Reaper scripts, and tools. Downloads are yours to keep permanently — no subscription required to keep using them. Resubscribing is only needed if you want a future update.
Alternatively, Hiss is available as a one-time purchase for $39 via the Patreon shop, which includes all minor updates up to the next major version.
Demo downloads:
- macOS
- Windows
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