EZmix 3 8.3 Visit 
StemDesk
stemdesk.ai
What it is
StemDesk is desktop audio software for separating audio into stems, shaping a mix with VST3 processing, and exporting editable DAW sessions. Its auto-mix workflow measures stems and applies per-stem processing, gain staging, panning, sidechain ducking, vocal rides, and mastering. A local AI panel offers mix critique, spectral masking analysis, a session-aware coach, and vocal transcription; optional music generation requires a separate ACE-Step installation. Mixing, separation, and plugins work offline, though downloads and the optional one-time AI model fetch require internet access. The maker says audio, projects, personal data, and telemetry are not transmitted at runtime. The suite includes 17 plugins, with plugin formats differing by operating system, and lists support for several DAWs, including Pro Tools, REAPER, Cubase, and Ableton Live. Free includes stem separation and three plugins. Pro is $99.15, paid once; Studio is $179.25, paid once and adds one-click Auto-Mix, session building and exports, and batch album processing. Downloads are listed for Windows, macOS on Apple Silicon (beta), and Linux (beta).
Spec sheet
- What it does
- StemDesk is a desktop mixing, mastering and music-generation studio that separates tracks into stems, analyzes them and produces mixes locally.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Purpose
- StemDesk separates audio into stems, builds a mix with VST3 processing, and can deliver an editable DAW session.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- AI critique
- The local AI panel grades mixes from A to F, ranks issues and offers undoable fixes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- AI features
- Its local AI panel includes mix critique, spectral masking analysis, a session-aware coach, vocal transcription, and optional music generation through a separate ACE-Step installation.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Auto-Mix
- Studio includes one-click per-stem mixing and mastering with gain, panning, sidechain, vocal rides and processing chains.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Company legal identity
- Fulks, Inc. is identified as a California corporation mailing from Wildomar, California.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Company ownership
- Fulks, Inc. says it was founded by Asaf Fulks and Yakira Shimoni Fulks and operates four ventures.Read 15 Oct 2026 · fulksinc.com
- Company size
- Fulks, Inc. describes itself as a holding company with four active ventures rather than publishing an employee count.Read 15 Oct 2026 · fulksinc.com
- DAW compatibility
- The plugins are intended for hosts including Pro Tools, REAPER, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Logic and GarageBand.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Delivery targets
- The application provides eleven loudness and delivery targets including streaming, CD, club and broadcast workflows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Developer connectivity
- Plugins communicate with the desktop application over local loopback address 127.0.0.1 on port 9800.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Documentation
- The user manual covers installation, tiers, workflows, exports, AI tools, settings, shortcuts, platform requirements, troubleshooting and support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- FabFilter integration
- StemDesk can render with installed FabFilter Pro plugins and generate FabFilter presets.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Founder announcement
- Asaf Fulks' LinkedIn announcement presented StemDesk as a fully local standalone application and plugin suite for Pro Tools and REAPER.Read 15 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
- Generation limitation
- Local music generation requires an NVIDIA CUDA GPU or a separately configured remote ACE-Step server.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Independent AI detail
- The launch article says ACE-Step 1.5 is MIT-licensed, runs locally and has no per-generation API fees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ocrecording.com
- Independent description
- The launch article describes deep spectral analysis, conflict heatmaps, platform mastering targets and direct Pro Tools and REAPER workflows.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ocrecording.com
- Independent integration detail
- The launch article says Pro Tools can receive real-time fader and pan control and that REAPER exports complete projects with plugins and presets.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ocrecording.com
- Installation limitation
- The macOS first run installs about 1.7 GB of Python dependencies and Linux is distributed as an AppImage rather than a native package.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Launch news
- The OC Recording Company announced StemDesk on February 25, 2026 as a local AI mixing, mastering and music-generation product.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ocrecording.com
- License activation
- Paid licenses are activated offline with a key, and the maker says no account is required.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- License model
- The EULA grants a non-exclusive, non-transferable license and identifies StemDesk as Fulks-owned software with third-party components listed separately.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- License validation
- License keys are verified offline using Ed25519 signatures and no account is required.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Local operation
- StemDesk's mixing, mastering, separation and AI functions run locally by default and audio is not uploaded.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Local processing
- The desktop mixing pipeline runs on the user's machine, and the maker says audio is never uploaded.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Lyric writing
- The AI panel drafts verses and hooks from a short idea and keeps lyric history.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Maker background
- The company site identifies Asaf Fulks as StemDesk's creator and describes him as a computer scientist, attorney and recording engineer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · fulksinc.com
- Mix Coach
- The Mix Coach accepts natural-language requests and proposes concrete gain, EQ or compression changes.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Music generation
- Music generation uses a separately installed local ACE-Step engine and can create stem-separated tracks matched to key and BPM.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Offline use
- Mixing, separation, and plugins work offline; internet is needed for downloads and the optional one-time AI model fetch.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Platform availability
- The download page lists Windows 10/11, macOS 13+ on Apple Silicon (beta), and Linux x86_64 (beta).Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Plugin formats
- Windows and macOS provide VST3 and AAX, macOS also provides Audio Units, and Linux provides VST3.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Plugin suite
- StemDesk supplies 17 plugins including Channel Strip, EQ, compressor, limiter, reverb, delay, tuner, de-noise and vocal cleanup.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Plugins
- The suite has 17 plugins, with VST3 and AAX for Windows, VST3 and Audio Units for macOS, and VST3 for Linux; Compressor, Gate, and Limiter are free.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Privacy and network activity
- The EULA says the software does not transmit audio, projects, personal data, or telemetry at runtime; downloads and update checks are user-initiated.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Privacy design
- The software does not phone home, send telemetry, check updates automatically or transmit crash reports during runtime.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Product technical stack
- Fulks states that StemDesk is built in C++ with JUCE 8, uses PACE/Eden signing for AAX and Microsoft Trusted Signing for VST3.Read 15 Oct 2026 · fulksinc.com
- Public API
- The documentation describes configurable OpenAI-compatible endpoints and Ollama models for AI features but does not present a general public StemDesk SDK.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Reference matching
- Reference matching uses a 64-point curve that can be applied as parametric EQ or linear-phase FIR processing.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Release issue history
- The October 7, 2026 release notes document earlier failures involving Auto-Mix compression and saturation, split-track processing, plugin installation and reconnection.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Resource requirement
- The application needs about 2 GB plus AI models ranging from 2.8 GB to 30.4 GB depending on available GPU memory.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Security safeguards
- Fulks states that communications with its backend use TLS and that AWS access controls protect stored purchase data.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Self-hosting
- StemDesk is a locally installed desktop application, but the published materials do not describe a server self-hosting edition.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Session exports
- Studio can export sessions to REAPER, Ableton Live and DAWproject and build a live Pro Tools session.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Spectral analysis
- A spectral heatmap identifies masking conflicts between stems and suggests cuts.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Stem separation
- The app can split a stereo track into four or six stems on the user's computer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Support and refunds
- The maker provides an email support contact and states that customers may request a full refund within 14 days of purchase.Read 2 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- Support model
- The manual includes troubleshooting guidance and directs users to email support rather than describing a staffed ticket portal.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
- System requirements
- Windows requires 10 version 1809 or newer, macOS requires version 13 or newer on Apple Silicon, and Linux uses an x86-64 AppImage.Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
Plans and prices
Free Free one-time Compressor, Gate and Limiter plugins · stem separation · analysis and mix targets · 154 genre profiles · local AI suite · WAV/MP3/FLAC/AAC export Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
Pro $99, paid once one-time All 17 plugins · Channel Strip Analyze Track · AI button in all plugins · free v1.x updates Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
Studio $179, paid once one-time Everything in Pro · one-click Auto-Mix · live Pro Tools session building · REAPER/Ableton/DAWproject export · batch album processing Read 15 Oct 2026 · stemdesk.ai
Strong points and limits
Strong points
- Mixing, separation, and plugins work offline.
- Free includes stem separation and analysis.
- Studio exports sessions to multiple DAWs.
- Paid licenses activate offline with a key.
Limits
- No free trial is listed.
- macOS and Linux downloads are beta.
- Music generation needs a separate ACE-Step installation.
Who it suits
StemDesk suits audio makers who want stem separation, mixing tools, and offline processing on a desktop. Studio may suit users seeking one-click Auto-Mix or editable session exports.
StemDesk in depth
Read the full write-up
Overview
StemDesk is desktop software for separating audio into stems, shaping a mix with plugins, and exporting editable DAW sessions on its Studio plan. It suits producers who want a local, offline-capable workflow that combines those jobs in one suite. Its strongest case is broad audio work without runtime data transmission; its main caveat is that Studio-only automation and exports sit behind the more expensive license.
Key features
Separation and mix building
StemDesk separates audio into stems, then supports processing them with VST3 tools. Studio’s Auto-Mix measures the stems and applies per-stem processing, gain staging, panning, sidechain ducking, vocal rides, and mastering. That is a substantial assisted-mix workflow for users who want a starting mix across multiple elements; it is not part of Pro. Automatic EQ and dynamics are also listed, with stereo spatial processing.
AI and plugins
The local AI panel offers mix critique, spectral masking analysis, a session-aware coach, and vocal transcription. Music generation is optional and requires a separate ACE-Step installation, so it is an add-on workflow rather than a built-in starting point. The suite has 17 plugins, but only Compressor, Gate, and Limiter are free. Pro adds the full set, a Channel Strip with Analyze Track, and an AI button in every plugin.
Sessions, privacy, and offline work
Studio can build live Pro Tools sessions and export to REAPER, Ableton Live, and DAWproject. Mixing, separation, and plugins work offline; internet access is needed for downloads and the optional one-time AI model fetch. The EULA says StemDesk sends no audio, projects, personal data, or telemetry at runtime. Downloads and update checks are user-initiated, and paid licenses activate offline with a key; no account is required. This is a strong fit for users who prefer local processing, though optional AI generation adds a separate installation step.
Pricing
The Free plan costs nothing and includes Compressor, Gate, and Limiter, stem separation, analysis and mix targets, the local AI suite, and WAV, MP3, FLAC, and AAC export. It gives users a broad way to explore the workflow, but not the full 17-plugin suite or Studio’s Auto-Mix and session-export tools.
Pro costs $99.15, paid once, billed One-time. It adds all 17 plugins, the Channel Strip with Analyze Track, an AI button in every plugin, and free updates through v1.x. It suits users who want the expanded plugin set without Studio’s automation and session delivery.
Studio costs $179.25, paid once, billed One-time. It includes everything in Pro, one-click Auto-Mix, live Pro Tools session building, REAPER, Ableton, and DAWproject export, plus batch album processing. Choose it if those production and handoff tools matter; otherwise Pro costs less. The pricing note says paid plans start at $149, which conflicts with the specific Pro price, so confirm the current offer before buying. There is no free trial. Customers may request a full refund within 14 days of purchase, and support is by email.
Platforms
The download page lists Windows 10/11, macOS 13 or later on Apple Silicon (beta), and Linux x86_64 (beta). Plugin formats vary by system: VST3 and AAX on Windows, VST3 and Audio Units on macOS, and VST3 on Linux. The maker lists tested or validated DAW support for Pro Tools, REAPER, Cubase, Ableton Live, Studio One, Bitwig Studio, FL Studio, GarageBand, and Logic Pro. Check the beta status if choosing macOS or Linux for a production setup.
Who it's for
StemDesk is best for producers who want stem separation, local processing, plugins, and—on Studio—automated mixing and editable session delivery in one desktop suite. The free plan suits exploration; Pro fits users focused on plugin tools; Studio is for those who need its Auto-Mix, album batching, or session exports. It is less compelling for someone who needs a simple standalone EQ or does not need stem workflows.
Pros and cons
Pro: Separation, mixing, and plugins work offline, and runtime transmission of audio, projects, personal data, and telemetry is disclaimed in the EULA.
Pro: Free includes stem separation and the local AI suite, plus three plugins and four export formats.
Pro: Studio combines Auto-Mix with session building and exports across several DAW formats.
Con: Auto-Mix, live Pro Tools session building, batch album processing, and session exports require Studio.
Con: macOS on Apple Silicon and Linux x86_64 downloads are beta, which may be a poor fit where platform maturity is essential.
Con: Optional music generation depends on a separate ACE-Step installation.
Con: The paid-starting-price note and Pro price do not align, so the stated offer warrants confirmation.
Alternatives
Browse AI Audio Mixing Software for more options in this category.
Box is worth comparing if you want free session scanning, basic mix analysis, and a stereo field view on macOS rather than StemDesk’s broader desktop separation and production workflow.
EZmix 3 is an alternative if you want a paid mixing tool with a trial and qualify for its 69.00 EUR one-time upgrade, which requires owning a previous version.
FUSER is a paid alternative with a trial for Mac and Windows users who want a host-compatible plugin rather than StemDesk’s stem-separation suite.
Waves Curves AQ is a trial-available paid option if you prefer Curves AQ within a larger plugin subscription; its Waves Ultimate plan is $24.99 a month.
sonible pure:EQ is a narrower option if you need a single EQ plugin: it costs $19, paid once and has a trial.
StemMaster is another stem-focused option for Windows and macOS, with a free plan and a monthly subscription at $9.99 a month that can be cancelled any time.
TonalBrain offers a different credit-based route for analysis: its Starter plan costs $9 as a one-time purchase for 50 credits, with one credit per analysis run and up to 24 tracks per run.
iZotope RX is the alternative to consider when audio repair and restoration, rather than stem-based mixing, is the priority.
Verdict
Choose StemDesk if you want a local, offline-capable stem workflow and value its free separation and AI tools, with Studio available for automatic mixing and DAW session delivery. Look elsewhere if you need mature non-beta macOS or Linux support, or if you only need a focused plugin rather than a complete stem-to-session suite.
Verdict
StemDesk combines stem separation, mixing, and local AI tools, with an offline workflow for core audio work. Check the listed operating-system formats and beta availability, and note that Studio costs $179.25, paid once.
Where Specifiction places it
- AI Audio Mixing Software#1 of 418.7
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