ENZYME

When you'd reach for it

The problem ENZYME is built for is the one where you can hear exactly which frequency is wrong, but notching it costs you everything else that lives there.

Every control on one panel

The reduction curve under the spectrum is the direct readout of what ENZYME is deciding right now. When you're learning a control, watch that — not the spectrum.

The second stage: harmonic / percussive / residual

Optional, and the part no ordinary dynamic EQ gives you. ENZYME separates the signal into three components and lets you attenuate each one on its own.

This is the same median-filter HPSS that backs Intrect's separation work, running causally inside a real-time plug-in. Combined with per-bin suppression it means you can take the ring off a snare without touching the stick, or pull a resonance out of a sustained note while the transients around it stay intact.

Built to sit on a busy session

How it works

Causal — no lookahead beyond the analysis window — so live monitoring works. The dry path is delayed to match, which is what keeps Bypass and Delta honest.

input ──┬─ dry delay (2047 samples) ─────────────────────┐
      │                                                  │
      └─ STFT (2048-pt, 87.5% overlap)                     │
           → baseline estimate (box mean, power domain)     │
           → excess over baseline → gain per bin           │
           → decision-directed smoothing                    │
           → 1-pole attack / release                        │
           → HPSS H/P/R de-mix (optional)                  │
           → apply gain → IFFT → overlap-add ──────────────┴→ output

The baseline is a running power-domain mean of the bins around each bin, so "peak" means above its own neighbourhood rather than above a fixed threshold. The decision-directed step feeds the previous frame's estimate back in (Ephraim & Malah, 1984), which is what stops the musical-noise fluttering that naive spectral subtraction produces. Structural latency is N_FFT − 1 = 2047 samples — about 46 ms at 44.1 kHz, 43 ms at 48 kHz.

Measured cost

Apple Silicon release build, 44.1 kHz, median over 800 frames. "Budget" is the wall clock available per 256-sample hop — what's left is yours.

Kernel 31 is the widest separation available, so the last row is the worst case. Measured 2026-07-27 on the 0.2.x DSP.

System requirements

FAQ

How is this different from a static EQ notch?

A notch is always on. ENZYME decides per frequency bin and per frame, so it only pulls a peak down while that peak is actually there. Everything else living at the same frequency passes untouched.

Does it work in Logic Pro?

Yes. ENZYME ships a native AUv2 component alongside VST3 and CLAP, so Logic, GarageBand and any other Audio Unit host load it directly. If it doesn't appear after installing, restart Logic — it caches its plug-in list — and rescan from the Plug-In Manager if needed.

Nothing appears to happen.

Check Depth — at 0% the plug-in is intentionally transparent. Also check that the detector has something to find: material without narrow peaks produces little reduction, which is correct behaviour. Watch the reduction curve rather than the spectrum.

The sound is thin or lifeless.

Too much Depth, or Selectivity too low so broad musical content is being treated as a peak. Raise Selectivity, lower Depth, and verify in Delta — Delta plays only what is being removed.

Fluttering or warbling on sustained notes.

Release is too short, or Smoothing too low. Lengthen Release first.

I hear a short silence every minute.

The plug-in is unlicensed or the trial has expired — it mutes for 500 ms once every 60 seconds until you activate. Check the LICENSE button in the header before hunting for a routing problem.

Timing feels off against other tracks.

ENZYME reports 2047 samples of latency for the host to compensate. If your host's delay compensation is disabled, re-enable it. The dry path used by Bypass and Delta is delayed by the same amount, so those stay phase-aligned.

Output is one isolated component.

A Mon H / Mon P / Mon R button is still latched. Those are monitoring solos for the HPSS stage, not processing modes.

Try it free for 14 days, buy when you're sold

The trial is the full plug-in — every control, every preset, no gaps. It starts the first time you open the interface and click LICENSE. After 14 days the plug-in mutes for 500 ms once every 60 seconds until you activate.