- Developer: Steinberg
- Version: 13.0.30
- File Size: 4.5 GB
- System Requirements: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
SpectraLayers 13 builds on the application’s core strengths with powerful new post-production options and workflow enhancements that span the entire application. Working in the spectrum is now more flexible than ever, while new tools for creative unmixing, speech refinement, audio reconstruction, and noise control make this edition ideal for contemporary workflows.
New and Improved Modules
Unmix Sound Effects
This new process separates short sounds from continuous environmental and ambient background sounds, such as wind, crowd, traffic, and nature. Ideal for audio post, it enables fast, precise isolation of a very wide range of sounds, extracting them to their own dedicated layer while retaining the background texture. This can then be shaped and smoothed using other new processes in this version.
Ambience Heal
Automatically fill empty spaces in the audio spectrum left by unmixing and cut-to operations. For example, empty spaces previously occupied by voices on a source layer can be filled with the surrounding background texture (environment, room tone, etc) already present in the layer. The process references user-designated foreground layers containing content extracted from the source layer.
Reconstruct
This new module resynthesizes selected spectral data. It analyzes and reconstructs tones (by tracking before and after selections), transients (by tracking above and below selections), and noise. Reconstruction amounts are configurable for all three components.
Attenuate
Attenuate relatively high-amplitude content within selections, based on the maximum spectral power of the surrounding content. This facilitates easy, natural-sounding blending with selection-adjacent content.
Voice DeClick
Remove unwanted mouth noises, such as lip smacks and tongue clicks. Threshold, pixel width, and reduction ratio controls are provided for fine-tuning the process.
Unmix Two Voices
Automatically separate two voices without having to register voice profiles. This is one of the workflow speed and efficiency improvements which are a hallmark of the new edition.
Voice DeCrosstalk
Separate non-target voices (background or foreground) from the primary voice, even when they are overlapping. Speech unmixing has never been easier!
Level Check
Quickly calculate and display a variety of loudness data, including True Peak and a host of LU measurements. Calculations update automatically and can be made on spectral selections, as well as any combination of layers. In addition, clicking on various fields in the module interface makes the playhead snap to the exact project locations where instantaneous data was gathered.
Fade
Apply fades to selections within single layers, or crossfade between two selected layers in a project. Choose fade in, fade out, or let the module automatically determine the fade type, based on the selection location in the timeline. Four fade types are provided.
Improved DeNoise
Noiseprint-based noise reduction is alive and well! This classic SpectraLayers process is now improved with the addition of controls which add increased precision and variable spectral smoothness.
Improved Unmix Components
It’s a sound designer’s delight! This process is now improved to provide more accurate detection and separation of discrete tones, transients, and noise.
Workflow and User Interface Improvements
Paste Into Selection
Make and copy a source selection, then create a new selection which acts as a window for receiving a corresponding portion of the buffered selection. It’s ideal for repeating or replacing events in the timeline.
Paste Insert
Easily add a selection-length period of time to the active layer. Time is automatically added, starting at the paste location.
Resize Selection Corners
With the addition of a corner-based handle, selection time and frequency coordinates can now be adjusted simultaneously, complimenting the new copy/paste options in this edition. Selecting and positioning content in the spectrum is now faster, cleaner, and more flexible than ever.
Dynamic Fade-Shaping Controls
The Time Fade and Frequency Fade sliders can now be used on active selections. This workflow enhancement applies to a wide range of selection tools, and complements other selection tool upgrades, such as Paste Insert and Paste Into Selection.
Disable Selection Fades
Selection fades can now be switched on and off via menu or shortcut commands, letting you switch between sharp selection edges and programmed fades on the fly.
Interface Layout Presets
Save and recall interface states, including module and toolbar settings, for frequently used scenarios. Interface states can include anything that can be shown, hidden, docked, moved, or resized.
Disable Selection Events from History
Selection events can now be excluded from being logged in the History panel, allowing the preservation of existing selections while undoing or redoing other events.
Search Modules by Name and Keyword
Quickly locate modules directly by name, or use keywords describing associated categories, functions, or concepts — such as speech, noise, heal, and ambience.
New Metering Options
The VU meter can now display peaks, RMS, or loudness. Other new metering features include a dedicated module which can dynamically provide comprehensive loudness data for entire projects, any combination of layers, and even selections in the spectrograph.
Module Information Help
When Tooltips are active, hovering over a module in the Modules panel or a module help icon displays descriptions of its functionality, keyboard shortcuts, and whether the module is affected by the currently selected FFT size.
New Shortcuts
Easily assign keyboard shortcuts for interface layouts, tool presets, module presets, and module preset apply commands. Keyboard shortcut assignments are now available for more than 100 functions.
Other Improvements
Batch Process Open Projects
The full range of sophisticated batch processing options in SpectraLayers can now be applied across multiple open projects at once. Activate target projects in turn and choose specific layers for processing, then select the projects in the Batch Process Project Tabs dialog, define your modules chain, and apply. This new functionality is directly accessible in the main SpectraLayers interface, as well as via dropdown menu and keyboard shortcut.
Improved Pro Tools AudioSuite Bridge Plug-in
This Pro Tools plug-in now includes support for round trip editing and processing of multiple audio clips at once, in conjunction with the new Batch Process Project Tabs functionality in SpectraLayers Pro. The update supports both Dolby Atmos (up to 9.1.6) and Ambisonics formats.
More Than 128 Device Channels
SpectraLayers can now integrate audio devices with channels mapped beyond the 128th device channel, supporting larger and more complex routing configurations for immersive audio, post-production, and high-channel-count studio environments.
Transcript Export Options
The Unmix Transcription module can now export to more frame rates, such as 23.976 fps. Generate highly accurate and easily editable transcripts.