zplane has launched PEEL STEMS 2, a major update to its real-time stem separation plugin for macOS and Windows.
Stem separation is a busy area right now, but PEEL STEMS offers an interesting angle: it works directly inside your DAW.
Instead of uploading audio to an online service or bouncing files back and forth between apps, you can insert the plugin and separate vocals, drums, bass, and other musical elements within the session.
PEEL STEMS 2 focuses on making that workflow faster and cleaner than before. zplane says the new version uses its latest real-time stem separation technology, reducing latency from 483 ms to 245 ms at 44.1 kHz on supported systems. Intel Macs are still supported, with processing latency listed at 385 ms.
The company also says version 2 improves separation quality and clarity, with fewer artifacts than the first release. That’s a pretty big deal for workflow because real-time stem separation is most useful when it feels like a normal production tool, not a separate cleanup process that interrupts the session.
The Isolation slider now has a wider and more effective control range, so you can fine-tune how strongly PEEL STEMS separates the selected material.
The plugin also includes built-in spectral processing for focusing on specific frequencies and stereo ranges, which can help when you want to isolate only part of a sound rather than pull out an entire stem.
The Focus EQ Focus Frame now shows the upper and lower cutoff frequencies, and the updated interface uses clearer visual feedback and new stem colors. These are small workflow details, but they make sense for a plugin where you are constantly listening and adjusting rather than setting one static value.
One of the practical advantages is that all processing happens locally. You don’t need to upload audio to a cloud service, which is useful if you are working with unreleased music, client material, or anything you simply prefer to keep on your own machine.
PEEL STEMS 2 is priced at €59, and owners of the original PEEL STEMS can upgrade for €19. zplane also offers a free demo.
The software is available as AU, VST3, and AAX plugins for compatible DAWs on macOS and Windows.
Download: PEEL STEMS 2 (€59)
