ZTame
A zero-latency automatic resonance suppressor: it finds narrow, persistent spectral peaks and pulls them down with per-band dynamic reduction — leaving the tonal mass around them intact.
Public beta — on sale now. Try ZTame 1.2.0 free for 14 days; buy once and keep it forever. Found an issue? Report it here.
Download ZTame 1.2.0
Grab the installer for the full standalone app, or the VST3 for your DAW. This is a public beta build of ZTame 1.2.0. All builds are Windows 10 22H2+ (64-bit). Every file is served from the verified 1.2.0 release and its SHA-256 is checked at publish time.
Standalone Installer
Windows installer (.exe) — includes the app and VST3 plugin.
VST3 Plugin
VST3 bundle (.zip) for FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reaper, and more.
Standalone App
Portable standalone build (.zip) — no installer required.
Activate ZTame
ZTame runs fully functional for 14 days. After that, paste your license key into the plugin's activation screen. Your key is shown on the checkout page right after payment — save it somewhere safe. Lost your key? Email support and we'll re-issue it. See the refund policy for the 14-day money-back window.
What ZTame Does
ZTame detects narrow, persistent spectral peaks in your audio and pulls them down with per-band dynamic reduction — but only while they are present. The engine is causal end-to-end: nothing is delayed, nothing is pre-computed from future samples, and material that is not being reduced passes through sample-exactly.
Insert ZTame on vocals to tame harsh sibilance without over-compressing. Place it on a drum bus to knock down ringing cymbal frequencies. Use it on a master bus to clean up room resonances before they reach your limiter. The per-peak detection engine works continuously, adapting to the material as it plays.
ZTame vs. dynamic resonance suppressors like Soothe 3: ZTame competes in the same category of spectral dynamics processors that have become essential tools in modern mixing. It distinguishes itself with zero latency (no PDC shift — safe on any bus), a draggable focus band, Delta audition of exactly what is removed, bit-transparent idle processing, and built-in Mid/Side modes — all without requiring a separate subscription or iLok dongle.
Key Features
- ✓ Zero-latency engine — no delay, no PDC shift, safe on any bus
- ✓ Bit-transparent when idle: untouched material passes through sample-exactly
- ✓ Selectivity gating for precise control over peak definition
- ✓ Draggable focus band — restrict suppression to exactly the region you choose
- ✓ Stereo and Mid/Side processing modes
- ✓ 32 or 48 correction bands (Standard / Precise)
- ✓ Delta (Listen) audition — hear exactly what is being removed
- ✓ Dry/Wet, Bypass, Stereo Link, and an optional sidechain detection bus
- ✓ Real-time spectrum display and gain reduction metering
- ✓ Seven factory programs: Init, Vocal Soothe, Room Tamer, Drum Ring, Master Polish, De-Harsh, Extreme Ring
Controls
Sensitivity — Threshold for spectral peak detection. Raise until the gain reduction meter moves on harsh resonances.
Range — Maximum dynamic reduction applied to detected peaks (in dB).
Selectivity — How narrowly a spectral peak must be defined before reduction engages. Higher values require sharper, more isolated peaks.
Focus Low / High — Restrict suppression to a frequency region with soft skirts. Drag the band directly in the spectrum display.
Attack / Release — How quickly reduction engages and recovers after a peak subsides.
Delta (Listen) — Outputs only the removed material (+6 dB monitor) for precise auditioning.
Mix — Parallel blend of dry and processed signals. Both paths are sample-aligned, so the mix cannot comb.
Bands — Standard (32 bands, lowest CPU) or Precise (48 bands, finer centres). Both run at zero latency.
Mode — Stereo, M/S Blend, Mid Only, or Side Only. Mid/Side modes encode L/R into Mid/Side, process, then decode back to L/R; isolation modes process only the Mid or only the Side channel.
System Requirements
- Windows 10 22H2 or later (64-bit)
- VST3-compatible 64-bit host (FL Studio, Ableton Live, Cubase, Reaper, Studio One, Bitwig)
- 4 GB RAM minimum
- 44.1 kHz – 192 kHz audio interface or session
- Format: VST3 only (AU and AAX not available in v1.2.0)
- Channels: mono or stereo main path (Mid/Side modes require stereo)
- Latency: 0 samples — the engine is causal end-to-end, so there is no PDC offset and no comb filtering on parallel buses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ZTame support AU or AAX formats?
No. ZTame version 1.2.0 is Windows VST3 only. AU (macOS) and AAX (Pro Tools) support may be considered for future releases based on customer demand.
How does ZTame compare to Soothe 3?
ZTame is a dynamic resonance suppressor in the same category as Soothe 3, DSEQ3, and similar spectral dynamics processors. ZTame offers zero latency (no PDC shift), a draggable focus band, Delta audition, bit-transparent idle processing, and Mid/Side modes at a competitive $49 price point with no subscription required. The right choice depends on your workflow — we recommend trying both to see which detection behavior fits your material.
Can I use ZTame on mono tracks?
The main path is mono or stereo; Mid/Side modes require a stereo bus. ZTame version 1.2.0 handles mono main input directly, and stereo material can be processed as Stereo, M/S Blend, Mid Only, or Side Only.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. ZTame includes a 14-day fully functional trial. After that, a one-time purchase of $49 buys a perpetual license — yours forever, no subscription.
What if ZTame uses too much CPU?
The engine is deliberately cheap when it has nothing to do: silence and "no resonance detected" blocks skip the correction path entirely, and bypass parks it. Try Standard (32 bands) instead of Precise (48), and increase your audio buffer size if your host runs very small buffers.
Changelog
1.2.0 — Zero-Latency Engine
- 0-sample latency on every path — no PDC offset, host bypass is a plain passthrough
- Bit-exact passthrough when idle (depth 0 / nothing detected)
- New correction engine: per-band dynamic bells replacing the STFT resynthesis path
- Up to ~40% lower CPU on active material, ~3x lower when idle, ~18x lower on silence
- Seven factory programs, sidechain detection bus, Delta audition, Mid/Side modes
1.1.0 — Engine Rewrite
- Fixed STFT reconstruction (window/normalisation/bin-index defects)
- Declared latency, sidechain bus, draggable focus band, live removed-energy display
- 35-suite automated test battery
1.0.0 — Initial Release
- Dynamic spectral resonance suppression with FFT-based peak detection
- Stereo and Mid/Side processing modes (Stereo, M/S Blend, Mid Only, Side Only)
- Listen mode and real-time spectrum display with gain reduction metering