Specifications

Sabine Smart Spectrum

Wireless

LIT-SWM6-7000-OG-EN-090317.indd - rr

9. DE-ESSER

9.1. De-mystifying De-essers

Certain consonant sounds produced by the human voice contain more energy

than others, and have the potential to overload a microphone capsule. This

can produce a disproportionately harsh result when ampliﬁed through a sound

system, and/or recorded to analog or digital storage media. The most common

and obvious of these sounds (in English and many languages) is the “ssss”

sound, associated with pronunciation of both “s” and soft “c” consonants, also the

consonants “t,” “f,” “x” and sometimes “d.” The technical term for this particular

vocal sound is “sibilance,” and the devices that control such sounds are typically

called “de-essers” (or sometimes sibilance controllers). The frequency range of

sibilance will vary depending on the singer/speaker, the consonant involved, the

orientation to the microphone, the microphone itself, and the normal variations

in human vocalization. Cardioid- pattern condenser microphones are especially

susceptible to sibilance problems, but the problem can also occur with other types

and patterns of microphones. The range of frequencies affected by sibilance

starts above 2 KHz, and generally tapers off above 10 KHz; in other words,

sibilance is primarily a problem associated with higher frequencies (though not

the upper octave of human hearing).

9.2. The Sabine De-esser

The Sabine De-esser is essentially a type of frequency-band compressor, active

in the 2-10 KHz range, and inactive below 2KHz and above 10 KHz. Sabine’s al-

gorithm works by dynamically comparing band-speciﬁc and associated harmonic

energy levels to the total signal energy. When spikes are detected that correspond

to sibilance, a shelving ﬁlter is imposed on the appropriate frequency bands, and

remains in place only for the duration of the sibilance. High frequency energy

levels that remain below the comparison threshold do not trigger de-essing, and

lows and highs outside the sibilance range are also passed unprocessed and

unaffected. This means the Sabine De-esser is effective but transparent.

9.3. Using the De-esser

Using the Sabine De-esser is simplicity itself. Turning the knob labeled “DE-

ESS CUT” counterclockwise will increase the amount of sibilance reduction, by

increasing the maximum depth of the shelving ﬁlter. The maximum allowable

cut is 24 dB.

Fig. 9a: De-esser

De-esser