On Wednesday, Techivation launched the M-De-Esser 2 spectral de-esser (normally $129), and it’s now available for $45 in a 65% off introductory deal.

The plugin is available for macOS (VST, VST3, AU, AAX) and Windows (VST, VST3, AAX). The 45% off deal will expire after February 20, 2025. 

The M-De-Esser 2 builds on the first release by improving the plugin’s precision, sound quality and feature set.

The new release introduces features such as an AI-powered Mix Assistant, selective sibilance targeting, adaptive processing range, and enhanced spectral shaping. 

The plugin is designed to produce transparent de-essing with greater control over the output. 

The central control of the M-De-Esser 2 is the Sensitivity dial, which is flanked by the Input, Output, Mix, and Air controls. 

Below the main panel are features such as Auto Gain, Strength, Focus, Left/Right, Mid/Side, Mix Assist, response speed modes (Fast, Medium, Slow), Frequency Limit, Filter, and Difference Mode. 

These controls are rounded out at the top of the plugin with an on/off switch, an A/B testing section, and a menu with ways to further customize the output. 

I can tell they’ve spent a lot of time figuring out how to add features that really bring the plugin to the next level, rather than just dropping yet another de-esser. 

Techivation created a five-minute introductory YouTube video, which shows the plugin in action and runs through what all the controls do. 

Let’s dig into some of the features some more. Sensitivity controls how responsive the plugin is to sibilance, and Air Control dynamically boosts presence to maintain clarity.

The Air Control can be further adjusted with four oversampling quality options.

M-De-Esser 2 continually analyzes the audio and adjusts the processing range to target sibilance. The Frequency Limit slider allows you to set upper and lower bounds on where the plugin is allowed to target sibilance. 

The Strength parameter controls how much compression is applied to the sibilance, while Focus determines how precisely the plugin targets sibilance, with lower settings taking a broader brush approach. 

Note that it is possible to disable the Adaptive Processing and take full manual control over the de-essing, which I think is an important inclusion. 

I think it’s safe to say that M-De-Esser 2 is one of the…