531A User Guide

XQP 531A Optical De-esser
$498

The XQP 531A Optical De-esser.

The XQP 531A Optical De-esser is our second generation 500-series optical de-esser. Selectable VACTROL or Silonex opto-isolators (Soft and Clean modes) provide sibilance reduction in either the classic style or the more subtle, cleaner style.

The side chain includes a fourth, lower frequency (W) to the improved high pass filters for isolating sibilant content. This HPF design allows the user to select the bottom of the frequency range of potential sibilance resulting in any sibilant above that point being affected.

User Comments (531A)

"Best de-esser ever!...These work so well; musical and elegant - since we're talking de-essers, that says a lot!"
Pete Elia

User Comments (Original 531)

"I've been using the XQP 531 for about two months now and I just want to say...It's Awesome!!! It's useful for more than just de-essing a vocal, but when you need a de-esser...it really, really works!!!!!!"
Tony Shepperd

"It's fantastic. Far and away the best de-esser I've ever used and I've tried a bunch, both hardware and software. I was able to set it up very easily and quickly to remove just the right amount of sibilance without overdoing it or still fearing distortion down the line."
David Boothe

"De-essers are subtle things (until all of a sudden they're painfully obvious) but the XQP 531 is a wonderfully effective & useful tool...simple to operate and surprisingly intelligent in its filtering. Bottom line - it works."
Neil Pike

"Wow, it is really fantastic. Very elegant sounding. Very natural...Reminds me of how much I hate in the box de-essing. And I didn't want to be reminded."
Rob Schnapf

User Comments (Very original #31)

"...All I can say - after a YEAR of trying to suppress/compress/problem-solve a frequency in my voice (hardware plus software, plus surgical specific edits), how INSTANTANEOUS the solution was with your wonderful de-esser! It just had the best freaking sound."
Ethan Persoff

"This Dane Optical De-esser is Fabulous! It's da Bomb! It's the box we've been looking for! It's 'da Man' of De-essers!
In just the two days the Dane #31 has been tested in Control Room 1 of the New York Bureau it has impressed everyone. It sounds so very smooth, can be activated while an interview is in progress - it is that silent! Very Versatile! Good on all voices tested thus far.
In short - we (Caryl and I) both recommend it and want it. We need two for Control Room One.
The Dane Optical De-esser is the best working and sounding de-esser I've ever heard.
Where do we sign?
Manoli Wetherell and Caryl Owen, NPR, Oct. 1998