Sourcerer
by Solid State Logic · Gate · Bleed-reducing expander
Not rated yet
An expander designed to reduce mic bleed and cross-talk without the chopping of a gate, first developed for SSL Live consoles.
It adds external side-chaining, side-chain filters, three release speeds and a ducking section for panels and live recordings.
Best for: Drums, Vocals, Acoustic Instruments. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: downward expansion, sidechain input, drums, vocals, dialogue, mixing, podcast, single-band, spacious, brass, visual feedback.
What it does
Sourcerer is a "highly optimised expander" that reduces mic bleed in live and studio recordings without the need for a gate. It came from SSL's Live console range.
- Core controls: Threshold, Time and Depth, with RMS and Peak detection modes.
- Filters: high-pass and low-pass side-chain filters plus a side-chain monitor.
- Release settings: Slow, Medium and Fast release to match the source's natural decay.
- Ducking: an advanced ducking section with adjustable ducking delay for panel discussions and noisy live settings.
- Visual feedback: dual graphs showing side-chain/filtered signals and threshold/gain reduction.
The current version is 1.2.1.
Source: Solid State Logic product page
When to use it
Sourcerer is an expander for cleaning up multi-mic recordings, aimed at the same kind of live-vocal bleed as Waves Primary Source Expander. Unlike Acon Digital DeBleed:Drums, which removes spill with spectral processing, or SSL's X-Gate, a full gate, it works by expansion. Choose Sourcerer when you want gentler, natural-sounding bleed reduction with simple controls.
- Best for: drum close mics, live multitrack recordings, horns, and podcasts or panels with cross-talk.
- Genres: general purpose, especially live and acoustic recordings.
- Look elsewhere if: you need hard gating effects or spectral de-bleeding.
- Standout: expansion that avoids gate chatter, with clear two-graph metering.
What producers say
MusicTech rated it well for natural results, with a note on the ducking section.
- MusicTech (2024): scored it 8/10 and noted "none of the 'chopping' of a more primitive noise gate."
- Gripe: the same review found the ducking section fiddly and underwhelming.
Where to buy
- AudioDeluxe: $29 (regular $49)
- Solid State Logic: $49
- Plugin Boutique: $49
Tutorials and reviews
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