oeksound’s Soothe3 is a plug-in that finds harsh resonances (muddiness and a tinny ring) on the spot and reduces them automatically. It also works on sibilance, and with no delay (zero latency) it can be used while recording.
A de-esser reduces only the harsh sounds that stand out on “S” and similar sounds in singing (sibilance).
In this article we compare Soothe3 with 12 de-esser plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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Score 4.3 / 5 (average of the 12 products compared: 3.8)
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Natural reduction
- Auto resonance suppression
- Speed
- Soft mode
- Breadth of uses
- Resonances, no delay
- Price (store, date)
- $249 [Official, checked Oct 26]
Image: from the oeksound official website (product image)
Summary
Among the 12 de-esser plug-ins, Soothe3 is rank S. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and S is the top. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 4.3.
Strengths
- Natural reduction (4 points): it reduces only the harsh sounds naturally, without changing the voice quality.
- Speed (4 points): automatic settings or few knobs let you start right away.
- Breadth of uses (5 points): it does more than reduce sibilance, so its uses are wide.
Who it suits: people who want to naturally reduce not only sibilance but the whole tinny ring of a voice or microphone.
Main features of Soothe3
Finds and reduces harsh ringing automatically
Soothe3 finds harsh ringing (resonances) on the spot and automatically lowers only that part by a suitable amount. It can be used not only on the sibilance of a voice but also on tinny sounds from a microphone or a room and on harsh ringing from guitars and cymbals. Its distinguishing point is that it saves you from cutting them one by one with an EQ.
Soft and Hard modes, and the Detail knob
The manufacturer describes Soft mode as an easy-to-use starting point for any material that reduces most problems unobtrusively. Hard mode reacts strongly to changes in volume and acts like a compressor grabbing the sound. Detail, added in version 3, changes how fine the reduction is.
M/S, sidechain and low latency
In stereo you can split the processing between left and right, or between the center (Mid) and the spread (Side). It also has a sidechain, so it can reduce in response to another track, and a use such as lowering the bass band in time with the kick is introduced. A low-latency mode can be used even while recording, to monitor a singer.
Video: “soothe3 – overview” (official oeksound YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube
Where it is useful
- Reducing the sibilance of a vocal and the tinny ring from the microphone together
- Making the monitor voice easier to hear while recording, using the low-latency mode
- Lowering the backing a little only in the band where the vocal sounds, with the sidechain
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 finds harsh resonances on the spot and automatically reduces only that part.
Speed: 4 / 5
We check whether it has features that get you to a good setting quickly (automatic settings, a single knob and so on).
The manufacturer says Soft mode reduces most problems with few operations.
Breadth of uses: 5 / 5
We check whether it also handles problems other than sibilance (plosives, harsh ringing) and can be used while recording.
It works on harsh ringing of voices and microphones in general, with Mid/Side (a method that separates the center and the sides) processing and a low-latency mode that can be used while recording.
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.
Soothe3 screens and images
Image: from the oeksound official website (product image)
Trade-magazine review (for reference, not part of the score)
We summarized the main points from a review in an overseas music-production magazine.
Sound On Sound (review of the previous version, Soothe2) (February 2020)
This is a review of the previous version, Soothe2.
- Praised it as far more versatile than the original while still intuitive to use
- Praised Soft mode as doing wonderful work with almost no effort
Source: Sound On Sound review
Soothe3 system requirements and getting started
| Operating system | Windows 10 and 11 (ARM is not supported) / Mac (macOS 10.14 or later) |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | Windows: VST3, AAX / Mac: VST3, AU, AAX |
| Other | An iLok account is required (no USB key needed). Up to 3 computers per license |
| Trial | 20-day trial available (all features) |
| OBS (streaming) | Does not work as it is (VST3 only). It can be loaded through a bridge plug-in |
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.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Natural reduction | Speed | Breadth of uses | OBS (streaming) | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FabFilterPro-DS | A 3.8 | Split band | Vocal mode | M/S, other material | ○ | $199 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| soniblesmart:deess | S 4.5 | Per consonant + spectral | AI auto-setting | Plosives too | ○ | $129 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| soniblepure:deess | A 3.8 | AI learns the voice | Auto + one knob | Sibilance only | ○ | $39 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| oeksoundSoothe3 | S 4.3 | Auto resonance suppression | Soft mode | Resonances, no delay | × (VST3 only) | $249 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| SonnoxOxford SuprEsser | A 4.0 | Dynamic EQ | Auto-follow | SC listen, low latency | × (VST3 only) | $244 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| AntaresVocal De-Esser | A 4.0 | AI identifies | Button processing | Live, speech too | × (VST3 only) | $50 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| WavesRenaissance DeEsser | B 3.3 | Split band | Standard | Sidechain listening | △ (via Waves StudioRack) | $34.99 (sale; regular $99) [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| DMG AudioEssence | A 4.0 | Split EQ + 2 releases | 3 knobs + auto detection | M/S, zero latency, whole mix | ○ | Not listed |
| Plugin Alliance（SPL）SPL De-Esser Collection | A 3.8 | Cancels only the sibilance band | Auto-Threshold + auto detection | M/S mode | Not confirmed | $75 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| WavesSibilance | B 3.3 | Per-component resynthesis | Standard | Zero-latency version | △ (via Waves StudioRack) | Not listed |
| Slate Digitale2deesser | A 3.8 | Auto-detects sibilance frequency | 2 knobs + auto detection | Percussion too | ○ | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Harrison ConsolesHarrison De-Esser | A 3.5 | Sibilance band only | Standard | Zero latency + band solo | ○ | $49 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
Read next
- smart:deess: features and rating (rank S)
- Pro-DS: features and rating (rank A)
- pure:deess: features and rating (rank A)
- Oxford SuprEsser: features and rating (rank A)
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