Noise Reduction in Audio Post (Part 2) - Some Tools Available

In the long-awaited (and perhaps long-overdue!?) follow-up to my

Noise Reduction in Audio Post (Part 1), I’m opening up my audio toolbox to share some of the plugins I regularly use to bring clarity to location, dialogue, and VO recordings.

As I often say in the preface to my blog posts, these are just a few options — a good starting point for those who are new(ish) to the world of post audio.

There are tons of plugins out there these days (having Googled “noise reduction plugins”, it turns out there are even more than I realised!), and they all help in slightly different ways. The ones below are those I’ve generally found easiest to use and that offer the best bang for your buck.

It’s also worth remembering: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to noise reduction. A combination of various processes will usually achieve the most natural-sounding results.

iZotope RX

Although facing more competition than it used to, iZotope RX is still the go-to starting point for most mixers when it comes to dialogue cleanup. RX is a suite of plugins (or modules) designed to tackle a variety of common issues. I find it particularly excellent for dealing with pops, bumps, and clicks.

Modules I use daily include Mouth De-Click, De-Clip, De-Crackle, and Spectral Repair. The latter is accessed via the RX Connect standalone application, which provides a deep, visual representation of the waveform — allowing for surgical editing and some truly remarkable results.

There are several bundles available, but it’s worth starting with the Elements package, which often goes on sale (though it doesn’t include the Connect application). There’s also the Standard version (great for most users) and the Post Production Suite, which offers more advanced tools such as Dialogue Match.

Supertone Clear

I just love this plugin! For broadband noise reduction (sustained background noise such as traffic, air conditioning, etc.), this is a fantastic starting point. It’s also surprisingly effective at reducing unwanted dialogue reverb from location recordings - and exceptially good value for money.

It’s incredibly easy to use and delivers brilliant results. You only have three big knobs — Ambience, Voice, and Reverb— and you simply adjust to taste.

Hush Pro

At first glance, Hush Pro looks very similar to Clear — it offers three sliders for Reverb, Noise, and Voice — so I was sceptical about whether I needed it as well.

However, after demoing it on a particularly noisy project (with very rough dialogue tracks!), I found it produced better, more natural-sounding dialogue.

It’s pricier than Clear, though, so it might not be for everyone.

Accentize dxRevive

This is another simple plugin with fewer tweakable options than Clear but slightly different results. Its goal is to create a voiceover-style recording from location sound — or simply add polish and roundness to an existing VO track.

The standout feature is that it can enhance poor-quality location sound. Not only does it reduce background ambience, but it can also improve the overall intelligibility of speech. For example, if a recording sounds too distant, dxRevive can help bring words forward and add clarity. Pretty cool stuff!

Just be careful not to overdo it — pushing it too far can result in overly dry or lifeless audio.

Acon Digital Acoustica

This suite is somewhat akin to RX but with a different interface and slightly different sonic character. I regularly use De-Rustle and De-Wind (I believe these are only in the Premium version), and the full bundle offers great value for money.

Acon Digital also makes an excellent DeReverb plugin, though that one needs to be purchased separately.

Honourable Mentions

A few other tools often come up in the conversation but I haven’t personally tested them yet:

• Waves Clarity

• SpectraLayers

• Cedar DNS

Final Thoughts

With that, I bid you happy noise-reducing!Remember: always aim for a natural sound — and be mindful of those syllables.