Fire The Dees
by Acustica Audio · Vocal Tool · Analog-style de-esser
Not rated yet
Fire The Dees is an Acustica Audio de-esser based on a mastering analog EQ, with four modes for vocals, instruments and creative use.
It comes with an LP variant; the price is not shown on the product page.
Best for: Vocals, Acoustic Instruments. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: vocals, corrective, mastering, creative, dialogue, podcast, cymbals, vinyl, bus processing, CPU-light, linear-phase, analog-sounding, digital-sounding, gentle, mix bus, mixing, percussion, sampled hardware, smooth.
What it does
Fire The Dees is an Acustica Audio de-esser built around a sampled mastering EQ rather than a plain digital filter. Acustica pitches it as an "advanced analog de-esser" for refining vocals and taming sibilance.
- Analog EQ engine: the cut is made by an EQ sampled from a high-end mastering unit, driven by Acustica's dynamic processor, which is itself based on sampled gear.
- Four de-essing modes: four selectable operating modes for different jobs, from spoken word and sung vocals to instruments and creative shaping.
- Hyper technology: Acustica's processing core, which the developer says keeps digital artifacts low while giving an analog feel.
- Low CPU: the developer stresses low CPU consumption.
- Fire The Dees LP: a linear-phase variant with a fully linear EQ phase response, at the cost of slightly higher latency.
- Beyond vocals: suggested uses include podcasts, wind instruments, cymbals and other percussion, creative tone shaping and gentle frequency control on the master bus.
The product page does not list a version or trial.
Source: Acustica Audio product page
When to use it
Fire The Dees is the pick when you want de-essing with some analog EQ colour rather than a clinical cut. Compared with Pro-DS and Oxford SuprEsser it gives up the detailed visual feedback and fine band control for a sampled mastering-EQ sound. It is closer in spirit to Weiss Deess, which also comes from mastering hardware, but it adds a linear-phase variant and four modes aimed at different sources. Against Re-Esser it is less of a set-and-forget tool and more of a tone shaper that also controls sibilance.
- Best for: smooth sibilance control on vocals and podcasts, and taming bright cymbals or wind instruments with a bit of character.
- Genres: any; it is a general vocal and mastering tool.
- Look elsewhere if: you need transparent, precise de-essing with a detailed display; Pro-DS or Oxford SuprEsser are better suited.
Where to buy
- Acustica Audio: see store
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