Steinberg has announced the immediate availability of an update to its SpectraLayers industry-leading spectral audio processor with ultra-precise real-time processing.

Updated with a new look that makes it easier to identify all features and functions, significant enhancements and workflow improvements make spectral audio editing faster and more precise than ever before.

SpectraLayers offers remarkably flexible, powerful and intuitive spectral editing, thanks to its artificial intelligence-driven processing. Sounds are displayed as visual objects and layers, enabling ultra-precise editing for any application, including music and post-production, sound design, audio restoration and much more.

A key advance in SpectraLayers 9 is that the auditioning process is now in real time. Before, changing parameters and auditioning the result would take two steps. Now the effects of spectral editing can be heard as changes are made, radically increasing the speed and efficiency of the workflow.

Steinberg SpectraLayers 9 Non Modal Process Dialogs

Another way SpectraLayers 9 makes editing faster is that dialog boxes are now non-modal, allowing users to work freely anywhere in the interface, even while a process dialog is open. For example, the playhead can be moved, selections changed, layers switched and adjustments made, with all changes monitored in real time. Dialog boxes also now stay open after applying processes, letting users easily perform multiple changes without having to reopen the process dialog for each one.

Speed of workflow is also at the heart of the new Process and Tool presets. A default or custom Process preset can be used as a starting point, the user monitoring process changes in real time, saving further presets and using them as reference points. In addition, fully configurable Tool presets with a range of default options are now available, helping users to create the right tool settings more quickly.

There are several more essential new features in SpectraLayers 9. These include the Unmix Level process, a much-requested feature which lets users divide one layer into two, based on a user-selected amplitude split point. Each layer can be independently previewed before executing the process. It joins the AI-driven Unmix Stems and Unmix Components processes as another way of preparing audio for deep editing with the manual editing tools.

Steinberg SpectraLayers 9 Unmix Level Process

Another is an expanded, AI-assisted De-Bleed process. Debuted in SpectraLayers 8, the de-bleed process works across multiple layers, making it easy to reduce the amount of spill from other tracks. Now, multiple bleed source layers can be applied to the target layer each time, for faster, higher quality de-bleeding.

With crosshair lines that span the entire spectral graph, the new Cursor Crosshair view option provides a more precise visual reference. Together with the option to display time and frequency coordinates next to the cursor, users can now keep their eyes more firmly on the target audio as they work.

Mac users will welcome seamless compatibility with Apple silicon, whether in standalone mode or running in parallel with their favorite DAW in ARA mode. This means faster AI- assisted operations, smoother performance for real-time previews, better processing with compatible plug-ins and more on Mac computers with Apple silicon processors.

Other important enhancements in SpectraLayers 9 include 20x faster ARA transfer times, improved Generate Silence/Tone/Noise processes and a playback output gain control, allowing an independent output level to be set specifically for spectral editing operations.

“With SpectraLayers 9 we wanted to focus on the speed of workflow, as time is of the utmost importance when editing hundreds or thousands of files,” says Marketing Manager Luis Dongo. “With real-time dynamic spectral processing, increased data transfer speed in ARA mode and the addition of presets for all tools and processes, we are sure that our users will appreciate how much time they will save when working with SpectraLayers 9.”

Full-license retail versions of SpectraLayers Pro 9 and SpectraLayers Elements 9 are available for suggested retail prices of 299 EUR/$299.99 USD and 79.99 EUR/USD, respectively.

Both editions are on sale at an introductory 20% discount until July 21st, 2022. Various downloadable updates, upgrades and crossgrades are available through the Steinberg Online Shop. Customers who have activated SpectraLayers Pro 8 and SpectraLayers Elements 8 since June 1st, 2022, are eligible for a free, downloadable grace period update to the latest respective version.

More information: Steinberg