AI audio plugin ‘helpers’ in the mix continue to divide opinion among the pro audio community. Claiming to distil years of human experience into simple tools, we decided to see if pressing one button on a trio of audio plugins really can deliver…

Engineers Versus The Machine

Up until very recently, the accepted wisdom was that some jobs could only be done by a human. Nowhere was this truer than in our own industry where the audio professional treads a line between technical knowhow and creative judgement. While machines have been able to carry out many quantitative tasks for decades, the question of subjective decision-making has been a tougher problem to solve. Throw in the concept of taste as well, and things start to get really interesting.

Who’s In The Chair Now?

Most reading this will know their way around an arsenal of tools past and present. With this knowledge it’s easy to forget that quite a few artists find themselves alone in their mixing space trying to figure out all of this stuff for themselves. The shifting studio landscape has meant that many artists who were used to sitting back and relying on trusted people to make all the moves now find themselves in the engineer’s chair.

Machines For Artists

The self-engineering artist can benefit from using simple AI assisted tools to do the heavy lifting. On the understanding that the results are the only thing that matter, these tools are better than a conventional tool misused.

In the video we use tools from Sonible’s pure:bundle to see if its AI really can take care of compression, reverb, and limiting. In lieu of an AI equaliser in this test, we dial in some simple curves first and leave the rest to the machines… How do they do? Listen and decide.

Sonible on pure:bundle

All three plug-ins are driven by the technologies used in the smart plug-in range, and are designed with creators in mind. pure:comp, pure:verb and offer the pro-level sound enhancement of our digital processing with a simplified control set. pure:limit effortlessly tames peaks, balances dynamics and finds the right level for your mix – all at the touch of one button.

Pure:bundle Key Features

• Includes pure:limit, pure:comp and pure:verb.

• Automatic parametrization for high-quality results.

• AI-powered processing and characteristic profiles.

• Powerful sound-shaping options.

• User-friendly, intuitive interface design.

Regular bundle price: 99 (incl. VAT). Introduction price (until April 24, 2023): 69 (incl. VAT).

Individual pricing - pure:comp and pure:verb:

Regular price: 49 (incl. VAT). Introduction price (until April 24, 2023): 35 (incl. VAT).

Individual pricing - pure:limit:

Regular price: 49 (incl. VAT). Complementary Deal (until April 24, 2023): 35 (incl. VAT).