Ben/Schulz has released Spectrum, a virtual spectrum analyzer and spectrum visualizer in VST/AU/AAX plugin formats for PC and Mac. The plugin is available in (€0, four channels) and Full (€24, sixteen channels) versions.
Spectrum is a great looking combination of a spectrogram and a spectral analyzer. This freeware audio plugin created by BEN/SCHULZ Audio provides real-time analysis views in both traditional graphic frequency measurements and the more visual “Spectral Analyzer” mode that can be helpful in audio restoration and complex audio analysis. There are plenty of other plugins that do a good job with this, but Spectrum provides some helpful UI features that make its measurements more insightful.
Spectrum’s main controls include Block Size, Refresh, Average, Min/Max Decibel, and toggles for M/S mode and a few other view adjustments. The “Block Size” parameter controls the detail of the Spectrograph. “Refresh” and “Average” allow the user to slow down and smooth out the analysis to see the overall picture of their track. And although the frequency and amplitude ranges of the Spectrograph default to a nicely zoomed out perspective, the Min/Max Decibel control will help you frame the window to your specifications.
Another unique feature of the Spectrum is the ability to route multiple instrument channels to its analyzer input. This is helpful when Spectrum is used on the master bus and you want to see how individual instruments effect the overall read-out. I could also imagine using this to understand the relationship between the bass and kick frequencies. The free version can support two stereo pairs of audio input, but the full version can display analysis of 16 channels. Using the trial, I was unable to make this feature function correctly, but that may be user error. However, my main issue with this plugin is that it appears to add 6 dB of unwanted gain to whatever track it is placed on.
Coming from the creators of Oszillos Mega Scope, one of the best oscilloscope plugins on the market, Spectrum is a very promising release. Those of you wanting to give Spectrum a try can download it from the product page linked below after submitting a valid email address. You will need to log in to your user account when running the plugin for the first time (online activation). If you want to continue using the free (4-channel) version of the plugin after the 30-day trial period, you’ll need to complete the checkout process in order to receive your license. Mac users should make sure to download Spectrum 1.0.47 to ensure the most functionality.
Spectrum is available for free download via Ben/Schulz (5 MB download size, EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU/AAX plug-in formats for Windows & Mac OS).
Last Updated on May 24, 2017 by Tomislav Zlatic.
