Air
by Sound Particles · Imaging · One-knob distance simulator
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Air is a one-knob Sound Particles plugin that simulates distance by modeling how air damps high frequencies as sound travels.
It is used to push sounds back in a mix, match ADR to production audio, or add depth to effects, for $69. A free Air | Music Edition is also available.
Best for: Vocals, Acoustic Instruments, Sound Design. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: single knob, post-production, spacious, mixing, sound design, airy, metering, AAX, beginner-friendly, dialogue, enhancement, field recordings, freemium, minimal controls, built-in mix knob, vocals.
What it does
Air simulates distance by copying how air damps high frequencies as sound travels. Sound Particles calls it "the perfect tool to simulate distance through high-frequency attenuation", and the main work is done with a single Distance knob.
- Distance: the main control; set how far away the source should be and Air applies the matching frequency-dependent attenuation, in feet or meters.
- Air conditions: temperature and humidity settings, with a menu of presets for 40+ locations around the world across three seasons, from Antarctica to Death Valley.
- Distance Attenuation: sets how much the level drops per doubling of distance, for example -3 dB.
- Dry/Wet and Gain: blend the effect from 0 to 100% and trim the output.
- Metering: output VU per channel plus readouts for temperature, humidity, attenuation and mix.
- Uses: depth in sound design, presence control in mixes, matching ADR to the original recording, and separating instruments in music.
Version 1.1.9. The AAX version supports Avid S6 control surfaces. The manual describes a trial mode. Air | Music Edition (version 1.0.2) is a free edition aimed at music mixing.
Source: Sound Particles product page
When to use it
Air is the quicker and more consistent choice when you want a sound to seem further away without adding space. Compared with a low-pass filter or an EQ such as FabFilter Pro-Q, it models the curve for a given distance and climate with one knob, so you don't have to guess the slope. Unlike a reverb, it adds no reflections, so it pushes a sound back without washing it out. It is most useful in post-production and in orchestral or acoustic mixes where depth matters. If you only mix music, try the free Music Edition first.
- Best for: placing dialogue, effects and instruments at a believable distance, and matching ADR to location sound.
- Genres: any; especially film and TV post, cinematic and acoustic music.
- Look elsewhere if: you want reverb-based depth with early reflections and a sense of room; use a reverb such as Valhalla Room or Pro-R 2.
Where to buy
- Sound Particles: $69 (Price as listed on KVR Audio; soundparticles.com could not be read.)
- Plugin Boutique: $69
- PluginFox: $69
- AudioDeluxe: $69
Tutorials and reviews
- Air - Overview
- Air Plugin Quick Tutorial
- Sound Particles - Air plug-in - Audio demo
- Sound Particles Air Music Edition Features And Sound
- Air Plugin
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