PD Cleaner vs Zynaptiq UNVEIL
PD Cleaner
visemannen.github.ioZynaptiq UNVEIL
zynaptiq.comSide by side
| Figure | PD Cleaner | Zynaptiq UNVEIL |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · AI Audio Restoration Software | 8.0 (#7) | 7.5 (#14) |
| Intended users | The maker presents PD Cleaner as a free replacement for restoring old 78s and as a tool for collectors of historical recordings. | The maker lists audio engineers, film mixers, dialog editors, music producers, Foley artists, and mix and mastering engineers as users. |
| Purpose | PD Cleaner removes clicks, crackle, hiss, and hum from old recordings, especially public-domain recordings made before 1926. | UNVEIL is a real-time de-mixing plug-in for attenuating or boosting reverb and other less perceptually important signal components in mixed audio. |
Plans
In their own words
PD Cleaner
PD Cleaner is a free Windows app for reducing clicks, crackle, hiss, and hum in old recordings, particularly public-domain recordings made before 1926. Drop in a file and it analyzes its era, noise, and clicks; a Clean dial lets you adjust the cleaning. Its voicings cover cylinders, acoustic 78s, and early electric recordings, alongside an uncoloured transfer option. A live before-and-after spectrum analyzer can show a curve, waterfall, or both, and users can solo noise being removed. The app works as a VST3 insert in a DAW or as a standalone program. Folder-based batch processing with one preset is limited to the standalone version. Built-in formats are WAV, FLAC, AIFF, Ogg, MP3, and Opus; a free optional add-on provides AAC and more. It supports 24-bit archival exports and says it does not overwrite the original file. The maker describes it as offline software. The Windows release is open source under AGPLv3, and its build may show an unknown publisher warning when first run.
Zynaptiq UNVEIL
Zynaptiq UNVEIL is a real-time de-mixing plug-in for adjusting reverb and other less perceptually important components in mixed audio. It can reduce or increase reverb, change its characteristics, and turn down components described as mud to bring recording details forward; those components can also be added back. The plug-in works with mono sources and channel counts up to the surround formats supported by the user's DAW. Zynaptiq says its processing uses proprietary, artificial-intelligence-based MAP technology. The 64-bit plug-in runs on macOS 10.15 or newer and Windows 10 or newer, with a two-core CPU minimum. A compatible 64-bit AU, VST, or AAX host processing audio as 32-bit float is also required. Formats differ by platform: macOS supports AU, AAX Native, VST 2.4, and VST 3; Windows supports AAX Native, VST 2.4, and VST 3. The license costs 269.00 USD once, and the latest version has a fully functional 30-day trial. Activation requires an iLok account and internet-connected computer, or a supported optional USB device.