Primary Source Expander

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PSE lets you reduce stage bleed and sensitivity to feedback when a mic is idle by automatically lowering mic levels between musical phrases. Perfect for live sound and for mixing live recordings.

At the heart of the Primary Source Expander (PSE) plugin is a precision expander, tailored especially for melodic sources such as vocals, guitars, strings, brass, woodwinds and more. PSE works like a fader that smoothly attenuates the channel’s level when the source goes below the threshold you’ve set. You determine both the threshold and the amount of attenuation.

Reducing stage noise leakage when your microphones are idle will help you get an overall mix that is more coherent, more focused, and has better phase relations.

PSE also provides advanced sidechain and ducking controls for greater consistency and precision when treating complex live scenarios. Whether you are mixing FOH or monitors in a live venue or working on a live recording in the studio, PSE will ensure that your mics are as loud and clean as they can be, while preserving your source’s original tone and the natural ambience of your location.

Reduces stage bleed and sensitivity to feedback when mics are idle
Smoothly attenuates levels when source drops below the threshold you’ve defined
User-friendly GUI for quick operation – set and forget
Internal and external sidechain with HP/LP filters
Ducking mode for added precision in complex live scenarios
Release time presets

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Dec 07, 2016

4 Ways to Reduce Stage Noise with the PSE Plugin

The Primary Source Expander (PSE) plugin operates in four modes. This article explains how and when to use each mode in order to achieve the best results.

Dec 07, 2016

2 Ways to Fight Feedback: X-FDBK vs. Primary Source Expander

These two plugins will get you the loudest, cleanest FOH and monitor mixes – but each has its own advantages. Learn when to use each and for which purposes.

Dec 25, 2017

Top 10 House of Worship Audio Problems SOLVED

Do you have a sound system in a House of Worship that you can't get to run smoothly? Learn how you can correct even the most complex audio issues with ease: from harsh ringing feedback to unintelligible vocals and more.

Dave McMullin Monitor Engineer

OneRepublic, Needtobreathe, Dustin Lynch

“Even with a quiet stage, there will always be a certain amount of bleed. PSE helps me keep in-ear mixes nice and clean, especially when used on backing vocals who aren’t singing all the time.”

Jon Schumann FOH Engineer, Producer

MØ, Kent, The Raveonettes, Mew

“My new best friend is the Waves PSE. Karen (MØ) is always running all over the place, and she spends a fair share of the shows in front of the PA. The PSE saves me a lot of headaches, as it cleans up her vocal mic without too much difficulty or dialing.”

Stephen Bailey FOH Engineer

Matt Redman, Rend Collective, Passion, Martin Smith

“Primary Source Expander instantly cleans up mic bleed in musical inputs and removes room noise in dialog inputs. This plugin delivers significant results in seconds. I like to use it together with the X-FDBK plugin – thanks to this brilliant combination, having vocals 50 feet in front of a PA at full volume is no longer an issue.”

Yamil Martínez FOH, Studio Engineer, Producer

Alex Campos, Ana Gabriel, Ricky Martin, Tommy Torres

“Primary Source Expander is my new addiction. PSE makes anything and everything tight by curing bleed.”

Sean "Sully" Sullivan FOH Engineer

Beck, Rihanna, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers

“I always insert Primary Source Expander on live vocals to control the bleed from the PA and other instruments. I’ve been using it on Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis and with every single vocalist I’m working with. PSE also works as a great vocal expander and keeps the mics clean without the hard opening and closing of gates.”

Titus Woodham FOH Engineer, Audio Systems Engineer

Future, Snoop Dogg, Nas

“PSE magically and transparently cleans up my mixes, simultaneously pushing ‘the source’ musically to the top with appropriate emphasis.”

Kelvin Ballard FOH Engineer

Katchafire

“PSE is my new best friend. I put it across every vocal, brass and percussion channel and engage as required. On small or noisy stages it subtly removes all the problems of unwanted ‘bleed’ into the front mics. It brings back that level playing field across all instrument inputs so they’re not competing with each other.”

Adrian Odle FOH/Monitor Engineer, Production/Tour Manager

Beres Hammond, Third World, Maxi Priest, The Nicholas Brancker Band

“Waves’ Primary Source Expander is my go-to for minimizing excessive stage bleed in vocal mics and other instruments; the way it cleans up is super smooth.”