Fine tuning

Use Pro mode for one exact fix.

Pro mode exposes the processing chain behind the Simple presets. Load a preset, change one thing at a time, and use Test Mic or the waveform panel to check whether the change actually helped.

Back to Simple mode
Zondel Pro mode workspace: processing chain on the left, node graph in the center, IN and OUT meters on the right, and waveform plus Quality, Latency, and CPU at the bottom.
The Pro mode workspace.

How to work in Pro mode

The left palette controls stages and presets. The center canvas shows the enabled nodes. The bottom panel shows live waveform plus Quality, Latency, and CPU.

Processing chain palette listing Pre-Amplifier, High-Pass Filter, Noise Supp, Echo Cancel, Noise Gate, Compressor, De-esser, Dereverb, Voice, Equalizer, Limiter, and AGC, with green dots marking enabled stages.
Processing chain palette.
Preset selector with the Custom preset, plus Save and Load buttons.
Preset selector with Save and Load.
  1. 1

    Start from a preset

    Load Voice Call, Streaming, Podcast, Noisy Room, Music, Broadcast, or Custom to begin from a known chain.

  2. 2

    Enable only what you need

    Turn stages on or off from the palette. Disabled stages pass audio through without changing it.

  3. 3

    Tune one knob at a time

    Expand a node, make a small adjustment, then listen before changing another control.

  4. 4

    Save the result

    Use Save when the chain sounds good. Simple mode can then show the tuned chain as Custom.

Nodes and when to use them

These are the practical use cases for each stage. When in doubt, leave a stage off until you can hear the problem it solves.

Gain

Pre-Amplifier

Raises or lowers the raw mic level before cleanup. Use it if the IN meter barely moves or clips near the top.

Gain dBwatch clipping
Pre-Amplifier node with a Gain dB slider.
Cleanup

High-Pass Filter

Cuts low rumble from desk bumps, traffic, HVAC, and plosives. It is usually safe for speech.

rumblevoice-safe
High-Pass Filter node with an Enabled toggle set to On.
Cleanup

Noise Suppression

Reduces fans, keyboards, hiss, and room noise. Increase strength only as much as needed; too much can make speech sound processed.

WebRTCRNNoise
Noise Suppression node with Mode set to Standard and a Level slider on High.
Speakers

Echo Cancel

Helps when speaker audio leaks back into the microphone. Use it with speakers; skip it on headphones unless you hear echo.

AECspeaker source
Echo Cancel node with a Speaker Source picker and a Delay slider at 40 ms.
Silence

Noise Gate

Mutes the mic when you are not speaking. Useful for steady low noise, but set the threshold gently so word endings are not cut off.

thresholdattackrelease
Noise Gate node with threshold, attack, and release sliders.
Leveling

Compressor

Makes quiet and loud phrases sit closer together. Useful for streams and recordings where consistent volume matters.

ratiomakeupstreaming
Compressor node with ratio, threshold, and makeup gain controls.
Harshness

De-esser

Tames sharp "s", "sh", and "tch" sounds. Use it when the mic or voice is bright and piercing.

sibilancerangesplit band
De-esser node with frequency range and threshold sliders.
Room

Dereverb

Reduces the roomy tail from hard walls, glass, and untreated spaces. It costs more CPU than simple filters, so use Light first.

DeepFilterNetCPU
Dereverb node with strength setting and VAD Gating and LSNR Blending toggles.
Character

Voice Persona

Changes pitch, formant, ring, and mix for character voices or comfort. It can add latency, so keep it off for normal calls.

pitchformantlatency
Voice Persona node with persona picker and pitch, formant, ring, and mix sliders.
Tone

Equalizer

Shapes the voice tone. Cut boom before boosting brightness; small moves usually sound more natural.

WarmBrightBroadcast
Equalizer node with tone-shape preset picker.
Safety

Limiter

Caps peaks before they hit the output. Keep it near the end of the chain so sudden loud moments do not clip downstream.

ceilinganti-clip
Limiter node with ceiling control.
Leveling

AGC

Automatic gain control follows your average level over time. Use it if your distance from the mic changes during calls.

adaptivefixed gain
AGC node with target level and adaptive controls.
Listen back

Monitor

Sends the cleaned voice to headphones so you can hear yourself. Lower buffer means less delay; higher buffer means more stability.

headphonesbuffer
Output

OUT

The final destination for the processed signal. For voice apps, this is normally CABLE Input.

final stageVB-Cable

A safe tuning order

If the sound is bad and you are not sure why, use this order instead of touching random controls.

  • Fix input level first. A clipped mic cannot be made clean later.
  • Remove noise before dynamics. Noise suppression and dereverb usually belong before compression.
  • Use dynamics gently. Gate and compressor settings that look impressive can sound choppy fast.
  • Shape tone last. EQ is easier after the noise and level are already under control.
  • Watch CPU and latency. Dereverb and Voice Persona are the stages most likely to raise them.