Leaky4
by Noisebud · Imaging · Inter-channel bleed tool
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Leaky4 is a Noisebud stereo tool that leaks filtered parts of one channel or of the mid or side into another, for controlled inter-channel bleed in mastering.
It has phase rotation, delay and anti-flutter controls for the leaked signal, and costs $30 or comes with a $6 Patreon membership.
Best for: Mastering, Mix Bus. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: mastering, flutter, wide, full mix, bus processing, glue, mix bus, perpetual licence, smooth.
What it does
Leaky4 is Noisebud's "stereo tool for controlled inter-channel bleed." It takes a filtered part of one stereo component and leaks it into another, to fix phase and image problems in a chosen frequency range or to widen or narrow a mix without weakening the centre.
- Leak From and Leak To: choose source and destination among Left, Right, Sum (mid) and Difference (side).
- Filter: sets the frequency range that passes into the leak.
- Phase rotation: new in Leaky4; controls how the leaked signal combines with the destination.
- Delay: time-shifts the leak to avoid phase problems.
- Anti-Flutter: strips transients from the leak so it blends more smoothly.
- Mastering focus: the developer designed it for frequency-specific phase fixes and width changes that keep the centre image intact.
- Lineage: the original Leaky leaked side information into the mid; Leaky4 replaces Leaky3.
Version 4.03 is a one-time purchase from Noisebud's Patreon shop, which includes all 4.x minor updates, or comes with the Patreon membership.
When to use it
Leaky4 is for detailed stereo repair rather than quick widening. Compared with Ozone Imager or S1 Stereo Imager, which change width with mid/side gain, it moves filtered signal between channels, so it can glue a hard-panned mix, fill a hole on one side or fix phase in one frequency range. It has no meter and takes more thought to set up than those imagers. Next to Noisebud's own 360, which rotates the whole signal's phase, Leaky4 applies its phase rotation only to the leaked part.
- Best for: fixing hard-panned or lopsided stereo images and band-limited phase problems in mastering.
- Genres: any.
- Look elsewhere if: you only need a width knob or a visual stereo meter; Ozone Imager is quicker.
Where to buy
- Noisebud: $30
Tutorials and reviews
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