HoRNet Sybilla 1.1 overview

Sybilla is an intelligent de-esser plugin designed with a singular goal in mind: to effectively reduce those sibilant sounds in your recordings with almost no effort. Whether you’re working with vocals, dialogue, or other sources that tend to produce harsh high-frequency sounds, Sybilla makes the process of de-essing both fast and intuitive.

What sets Sybilla apart is its innovative approach to frequency management. It works by dividing the input signal into 8 different bands, each carefully tuned to specifically target the frequencies most associated with sibilant sounds, such as the sharp “s” or “sh” sounds. This precision allows for more accurate processing and ensures that only the unwanted sibilance is attenuated, without affecting the natural tonal balance of the rest of the audio.

Once the signal is divided into these 8 bands, the output of each band is then fed into a VCA (Voltage-Controlled Amplifier) modeled compressor. This compression stage is designed to have a smooth and pleasant response, which ensures that the reduction of sibilance remains musical and transparent, with no harsh artifacts. The result is a natural-sounding de-essing effect that’s both effective and unobtrusive, making it ideal for sensitive applications like speech, vocals, and other types of recorded content where sibilance is an issue.

Sybilla’s effectiveness is further enhanced by its use of envelope followers. These provide an intuitive way of responding to the dynamics of the incoming signal, making it “perfect for speech” and ensuring that the de-essing is responsive to changes in vocal performance. Whether you’re dealing with an intimate whisper or a loud, sibilant scream, Sybilla adapts and provides the right amount of reduction.

In summary, Sybilla offers a musical, effective, and intelligent solution to reducing sibilance, making it an essential tool for anyone looking to clean up their mixes or recordings with minimal effort and maximum results.