Waves Renaissance DeEsser plug-in: features and spec-based rating

Waves’ Renaissance DeEsser is a Waves de-esser that reduces the harsh “S” sounds. It has a mode that lowers the whole band, a split mode that lowers only the sibilance band, and sidechain (a function that moves the effect in time with another track) listening.

A de-esser reduces only the harsh sounds that stand out on “S” and similar sounds in singing (sibilance).

In this article we compare Renaissance DeEsser with 12 de-esser plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, SoundBounty may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and sale information are as of the date we checked them and can change.

Summary

Among the 12 de-esser plug-ins, Renaissance DeEsser is rank B. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and B is third from the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 3.3.

Strengths

• Natural reduction (4 points): it reduces only the harsh sounds naturally, without changing the voice quality.

Things to keep in mind

• Speed (2 points): you have to set the details yourself.

Who it suits: people who want to set sibilance reduction in detail with classic controls.

Main features of Renaissance DeEsser

Two modes: Wideband and Split

Renaissance DeEsser has Wideband, which lowers the whole voice the instant sibilance occurs, and Split, which lowers only the sibilance band. You can also choose between a strong or a gentle action. Split divides the bands with a phase-aligned crossover and is built to keep coloration of the sound low.

Listen to the sidechain to choose the band

You can listen to just the band that triggers it (the sidechain), so it is easier to find at what pitch the harsh consonants sit. Once the band is decided, you adjust how much it acts with the threshold. The controls follow the classic de-esser design, and there are no automatic settings.

A classic Waves series

Renaissance is one of Waves’ classic series. The content of this article was confirmed on the product page of the retailer, Plugin Boutique. In the streaming software OBS it can be used through Waves’ official StudioRack.

Where it is useful

• Reducing only the high band of the “S” sounds in a vocal with Split mode
• Listening to the sidechain to find the pitch of the harsh consonants
• Lightly tidying the consonants of narration with Wideband

Rating by criterion

Natural reduction: 4 / 5

We check whether it has a mechanism that reduces only the harsh “S” sounds that hurt the ears, without changing the voice quality.

It has a split mode that works only on the sibilance band, and a phase-aligned crossover keeps coloration low.

Speed: 2 / 5

We check whether it has features that get you to a good setting quickly (automatic settings, a single knob and so on).

The controls are standard. There are no automatic settings.

If “speed” matters most to you, smart:deess and Vocal De-Esser (5 points) are a better fit.

Breadth of uses: 3 / 5

We check whether it also handles problems other than sibilance (plosives, harsh ringing) and can be used while recording.

You can decide the band to reduce while listening to the sidechain.

How we score (De-esser plug-ins)

Criterion	Basis	5 pt	4 pt	3 pt	2 pt	1 pt
Natural reduction	A mechanism that reduces only the sibilance (harsh "S" sounds) without changing the voice quality	AI identifies each consonant one by one and shapes it by spectrum, not only by volume	A mechanism that acts only on the problem band (split band, dynamic EQ, resonance suppression, AI learning and so on)	A general method that sets a band and lowers the overall volume	—	—
Speed	How quickly you can reach a good setting	AI sets everything automatically just by loading it	It follows changes in the voice's level automatically, or almost everything takes a few operations	A vocal mode makes it easy to set	Standard controls	—
Breadth of uses	Plosives, harsh resonances, stereo and use while recording	Works on harsh resonances in general, and supports M/S processing and operation with no delay	Two or more of M/S, sidechain listening, low latency and use on other material	One use besides sibilance, such as plosives	Sibilance only	—

Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: naturally reducing the sibilance of a vocal. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Natural reduction" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.

Renaissance DeEsser screens and images

Renaissance DeEsser system requirements and getting started

Operating system	Windows / Mac
Plug-in formats	Windows: VST, AAX / Mac: VST, AU, AAX (as listed by the retailer)
OBS (streaming)	Works with conditions (via Waves’ official StudioRack)

Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026.

Compared with other de-esser plug-ins

Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.

Read next

• Sibilance: features and rating (rank B)
• Pro-DS: features and rating (rank A)
• smart:deess: features and rating (rank S)
• pure:deess: features and rating (rank A)