Dimmer
by Venn Audio · Utility · Sidechain monitor dimmer
Not rated yet
Dimmer smoothly turns down your monitoring when a sidechain signal, such as a talkback mic, is active.
It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux and costs €14 (about $15.90), with a free trial limited by daily use.
Best for: Vocals, Mix Bus. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: sidechain input, dialogue, podcast, smooth, utility, vocals, bus processing, full mix, Linux, mix bus, mixing.
What it does
Dimmer is a small Venn Audio utility that lowers your monitor level smoothly whenever a sidechain signal crosses a threshold. It is aimed at engineers who talk into a mic that sits near their speakers.
- Sidechain dimming: feed the talkback mic (or any source) to the DAW's sidechain input; when it goes over the threshold, the monitor feed dips smoothly and comes back when the signal stops.
- Talkback without feedback: stops your voice looping out of the speakers and back into the talkback mic while you speak.
- Voiceover ducking: can also duck music under a voiceover track.
- Remote sessions: useful when you collaborate online with speakers and a mic open at the same time.
- Setup guide: Venn Audio publishes a setup guide that walks through the sidechain routing.
Version 1.0.2 (20 September 2024) works in any DAW with sidechain input. A free trial works with limited time per day. The developer's page does not list individual control ranges.
Source: Venn Audio product page
When to use it
Dimmer is the pick when your interface or monitor controller has no talkback dim and you want a cheap fix inside the DAW. It does a different job from the rated utilities: unlike Metric AB or REFERENCE 3 it does no referencing, level matching or A/B comparison. It just dips the monitor feed while a mic is live, and it costs far less than either. For music ducking it works, but a sidechain compressor or a dedicated ducker gives more control over the shape of the dip.
- Best for: home and project studios with a talkback mic and speakers, voiceover and podcast sessions, remote collaboration.
- Genres: any; it is a studio workflow tool.
- Look elsewhere if: you already have a monitor controller with talkback dim, or you want detailed ducking for a mix; a sidechain compressor does more.
Where to buy
- Venn Audio: $15 (€14 converted to USD (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026))
Tutorials and reviews
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