Poltergate
by denise · Gate · Gate / transient designer / de-bleeder
vst3s Score 8.5/10 · rated #7 of 10 gates & expanders
A gate combined with a transient designer, a de-bleeder and a clipper/limiter. A sidechain EQ and a Spike control help it find the hits, and the de-bleeder reduces spill between them.
It's used to clean up live drum mics, tighten drum samples and create rhythmic gating with tempo-synced release.
Best for: Drums, Drum Bus, Sound Design. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Electronic & EDM, Rock & Indie, Pop.
Keywords: drums, rhythmic, punchy, sidechain input, samples & loops, tempo-synced, tight, creative, bus processing, downward expansion, drum bus, enhancement, external sidechain, fat, look-ahead, mixing, single-band, snare, sound design, subscription.
What it does
Poltergate is denise's gate that also shapes transients, removes bleed and clips, so one plugin can do the job of several on a drum channel.
- Gate with sidechain EQ: a 5-band parametric EQ in the detection path, plus Spike control to make transients easier to detect, with lookahead, attack, hold and release.
- De-Bleeder: a three-knob de-bleeding algorithm, triggered by the same threshold as the gate, that reduces spill while keeping punch and resonance.
- Dynamics tab: transient shaping (punch, fatness, duration, attack), plus clipping and limiting for colour and control.
- Monitoring: Audition mode to hear only the detected signal, and Flip to hear what the gate removes.
- Creative gating: external sidechain and tempo-synced release for rhythmic, looping effects.
It's also in the denise/Baby Audio subscription.
When to use it
Poltergate is the most 'all-in-one' drum gate in the rated list. Pro-G gives more precise gate controls and smart:gate more automation, while Poltergate adds transient shaping, de-bleeding and clipping, so you can gate and shape a drum without leaving the plugin.
- Best for: tightening live snares and toms, adding punch to drum samples and claps, and rhythmic gate effects.
- Genres: hip-hop, electronic, rock and pop.
- Look elsewhere if: you need a plain, transparent gate for vocals or dialogue, or kit-wide phase alignment (Oxford Drum Gate 2).
What producers say
Coverage is positive, with most writers stressing that it does more than a normal gate.
- Produce Like A Pro (2021) highlighted the three-knob de-bleeder and how it handled cymbal spill and low-end rumble on toms.
- Bobby Owsinski's blog (2022) called it "a gate on steroids" that should be able to clean up any track.
- Music Industry How To and eMastered both put it first in their gate plugin roundups.
- Plugin Boutique buyers rate it 4.8/5; one producer testimonial describes it as a gate, EQ, transient designer and clipper in one.
- Produce Like A Pro feature
- Bobby Owsinski's blog
- Music Industry How To: best noise gate plugins 2026
- eMastered: best noise gate plugins
Where to buy
- denise: $69
- Plugin Boutique: $69
Tutorials and reviews
- Poltergate | More Than Just a Standard Gate | New from denise audio
- denise Poltergate - REVIEWED
- How To Use Gate Plugins | Poltergate Tutorial
- Denis Audio Polter Gate - much more than a gate
- More than a noise gate - but good enough? Denise Audio Polter Gate
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