Best Stereo Width Plugins
Introduction
Are you trying to loosen your mix’s stereo image, or maybe simply make it extra thrilling? There are various tools to try this. However, the most effective stereo imaging plugins on the market give you absolute inventive control over your stereo image.
Since stereophonic sound started to overhaul mono within the late 1960s, engineers have worked at benefiting from these two channels. One area of focus has been in creatively determining methods to create as a lot of perceivable space in stereo productions as possible. The quantity of depth and width one can create when mixing is shocking for those who use the precise strategies and tools.
Stereo Imaging is, primarily, the manipulation of a signal inside a 180-degree stereo field with the intention of making a perception of locality inside that field, and it’s used throughout tracking, mixing, and mastering with the intention of making a sense of space for the listener.
We just want to let you know that we’ll list these stereo width plugin reviews in no particular order. They’ll be randomized as we don’t wish to sort them from best to worst.
Listed below are our Top 10 Best Plugins for Stereo Width for 2023:
1. S1 Imager by Waves
The Waves S1 Stereo Imager is a singular and highly effective set of tools that makes use of psycho-acoustic spatial imaging methods to boost and alter stereo separation. The Waves S1 Stereo Imager is appropriate with Mac OS and Windows OS and is available in AAX, AU, and VST codecs.
Waves Audio’s S1 Stereo Imager can do just about the whole lot that you’d anticipate from a primary stereo imaging plugin. Nonetheless, S1 Stereo Imager’s focus appears to be on widening and narrowing fairly than coping with phase issues. Nonetheless, it’s a reliable plugin for many stereo imaging functions.
Waves Audio S1 Stereo Imager is a stable and highly effective stereo imaging plugin. It has Shuffler, Imager, and M-S (mid-side) Matrix parts, well-equipped for enhancing or correcting a stereo image.
If you happen to require a totally functional stereo width plugin, we extremely recommend giving the Waves S1 a shot, particularly when it goes on sale!
2. Ozone Imager V2 by iZotope
The Ozone Imager V2 introduces up-to-date visuals, a freely resizable interface, and a brand new Stereoize mode. It’s a refined however all-around helpful improvement to the original plugin.
The resizable interface is especially helpful if Ozone Imager V2 is used as a stereo analysis instrument on a second monitor. Additionally, the plugin can now change mono audio sources to a stereo without reverb or doubling.
The brand new Stereoize II mode is appropriate for refined stereo enhancements, in contrast to the previous Stereoize I mode which delivers an extra colorful phasing impact.
Ozone Imager V2 is worth trying out for those who’re searching for an easy stereo widening plugin. The brand new Stereoize II mode presents a singular option to make audio tracks sound wider without introducing phasing issues.
Additionally, the brand new metering options will assist you to establish if the mix is just too wide, too narrow, or out of phase. The plugin is steady, well-designed, and easy on the CPU.
3. Stereo Savage by CredlandAudio
The CredlandAudio Stereo Savage is a flexible plugin able to turn mono sources into stereo signals, complicated panning, and control different stereo image parameters. The CredlandAudio Stereo Savage is suitable with Mac OS and Windows OS and is available in AAX, AU, and VST formats.
CredlandAudio’s Stereo Savage is a robust but simply navigated plugin. As mentioned, it does an outstanding job turning mono sources into stereo signals. It is also a somewhat superior panning plugin, providing extra changes unavailable in typical channel strips.
When it comes to stereo widening, the Stereo Savage provides an easy Width knob along with its Pan, Rotation, and Level controls. Dial-in the right amount of stereo width in seconds and make the most of the bass bypass function to maintain very good mono compatibility.
To make the plugin even better, CredlandAudio contains modulation and non-obligatory Vox, Delay, and Expand effects modeled after fashionable and basic tools. Use these refined tools to permit the stereo subject of your track(s) to shine truly.
4. MicroShift by Soundtoys
Microshift is an emulation of the Eventide H3000 (hardware pitch shifter), and what we actually love about this plugin is the way it totally captures the main points of the hardware together with saturation and even the completely different de-glitching algorithms utilized by these models.
It offers you three completely different flavors of a traditional stereo widening trick at the push of a button. It’s designed to make use of a particular pitch shifting and delay that varies over time to create wealthy stereo width. It’s extremely easy to use and ideal for spicing up sound and or instruments, or for mixing background vocals subtly into a mix.
In contrast to the mini model, it provides extra management similar to exact control over delay time, variable detune amount, and distinctive multiband focus management. So, in case you want something easy, we’ll suggest you go for the first one, and if you would like advanced management, you’ll be able to opt-in for this one.
5. Space Strip by AudioThing
Space Strip is a multi-effect plugin that includes 6 modules: Contour, Vibe, Slapback, Ambience, Ensemble, and Stereo. The modules might be organized in any combination by easy drag-n-drop. Space Strip will add depth and space to your sounds, particularly synth and keyboards.
Moreover, there’s a Master panel for tweaking the Gain and the dry-wet Mix. The modules have the flexibility to be organized in any combination through drag-n-drop. Moreover, every module has on/off controls. Space Strip provides dimension and depth to your sounds. We discovered it to work really well with signals that require a little bit more stere space.
The interface is specified by a sequence of panels that comprise the modules with their respective management knobs. The knobs are color-coded for straightforward identification and it provides a little bit of eye candy.
Stereo associated module with Side Level and Mono Bass controls for adjusting the side gain for added stereo width and for maintaining the low frequencies under the mono value. This is good to create the stereo width you’re after!
6. Stereo Tool v3 by FLUX
StereoTool gives ultra-precise management of input gain and individual pan for left and right channels, accurate visible suggestions reflecting the signal content with; a vector scope, PPM meters for inputs/outputs, phase correlation meter completely monitoring the signal, and individual left and right polarity reversal – 100% free of charge!
The Vector Scope immediately reveals the phase integrity of your mix, when out of phase the data on the meter is mendacity horizontal. With StereoTool this may be fixed with an easy click on on the left or right section polarity switch to flip and reverse one of many channels you’re back in phase once more!
The inbuilt preset manager and the preset morphing slider give instantaneous and intuitive management of all parameters and controls. In a second, with an easy one-click operation, all the pieces are copied from one of the two preset slots to the opposite, even throughout playback.
The 2 Preset/Parameter slots, A and B, could be loaded with two full sets of parameters at the same time, and besides for only A/B comparing two units of parameters, the morphing slider will enable to mix them and record the morph with the host automation.
7. Stereoizer by NUGEN Audio
Stereoizer 3 is a plugin devoted to the introduction of stereo spread into mono and stereo signals, using subtle algorithms that can neutralize the danger of artifacts. That is achieved without additional and synthetic reverberation, however with algorithms that act in line with the way the human ear works.
There are two algorithms: Inter-aural Time Difference (ITD) and Inter-aural Intensity Difference (IID). These benefit from acoustic rules whereby sounds may be localized by time or intensity variations. The procedures are additionally mono-compatible, which means that we may be much less fearful about eventual issues that may happen with stereo imaging.
The interface of the plug-in is kind of easy, and we might be able to use it virtually instantly because the main controls are intuitive and the manual is properly written and clear.
Precision and reliability within the algorithms, but with a few gems like the volume match and the dynamics, make Stereoizer a pure pleasure to use.
8. bx_panEQ by Brainworx
bx_panEQ is actually a three-band fully parametric EQ where every band is full range (40Hz to 20kHz) and might have a close to surgical Q right by to a broad bell. The trick is that you would be able to infinitely pan every band throughout the stereo and independently modify their stereo width from a mono level to full stereo width.
Visually, Brainworx has gone the additional mile right here: They’ve supplied a spectral analyzer so that you could actually see where issues are sitting both in frequency and in stereo placement, and work from there. There’s even the ability to adapt the GUI to bigger displays with the inclusion of a re-size possibility. No squinting or hunching over your display screen is required!
Brainworx bx_panEQ is an extremely progressive, authentic, and great tool, with many functions in both problems solving and inventive effects. Whether or not you merely wish to improve your stereo spread, control a chosen group of frequencies in a particular party of your stereo image, or create a way of movement inside an arrangement, panEQ proved efficient and simple to use.
9. Doubler by Waves
When professional engineers want superior double-tracking effects, they use Doubler. Utilizing delay and pitch modulation, the Doubler double-tracking/chorus plugin delivers extraordinary richness and texture on vocals and polyphonic devices in addition to full mixes. Add shimmer and presence, create the ‘80s harmonizer and pitch detune effects, double vocal elements mechanically, and add flam-like effects to drums.
The Doubler is sort of old-fashioned and that’s a part of its attraction for us. Above all, it sounds nice. It’s a kind of plugin that simply work and provide you with good outcomes every time. It is very easy and simple to use. Doubler additionally has incredible presets from many top mix engineers to discover.
Use the modulation function to add small quantities of movement. This will brighten up a vocal in a really good method. It is perhaps tempting to go all out and use all four voices. However many times utilizing only 2 can do the trick in a cleaner way by cluttering the mix much less.
10. WidthShaper 2 by Cableguys
Cableguys’ Shaper effects line has been around for just a few years now and has proved well-liked with digital producers from many genres. That is thanks largely to its potential to add advanced, customized modulation to any sound source in your DAW, and all through its easy-to-understand interface.
Initially released back in 2016, ShaperBox is the logical evolution of the vary, putting all of those sibling processors right into a single, semi-modular multi-effect plugin. There are 5 processors included right here – obtainable to buy both as a bundle or individually – all of which have been up to date for the launch of ShaperBox 2.
Widthshaper 2 modulates the stereo width of the audio signal primarily based on the LFO waveform and/or the motion of its Envelope Follower. The kind of effects it may possibly produce is creating large, stereo-filling risers, spreading out the high frequencies without affecting the midrange and low end, making the bass mono without affecting midrange and high frequencies and widening or narrowing sounds as they get louder or quieter, modulating the width of 1 track primarily based on the quantity level of one other.
Conclusion
Well, in this article we tried to compile all the stereo imaging plugins we thought are good for the purpose and that will help you achieve what you are after. Some of them might have some testing period, but you will need to check that on the developers’ website.
In case you are having any questions in terms of this topic, please let us know in the comment section below and we will be more than happy to answer you.
