I caught up with Alex Tsilfidis, founder and CEO of Accusonus, at the AES show in New York City recently. The company has a background in technology for hearing aids (as well as beat making and drum mixing) and that expertise has allowed Accusonus to develop a series of audio restoration plug-ins the can solve a number of problems video editors often encounter.
Photo (L-R): Post's Marc Loftus and Accusonus' Alex Tsilfidis
The company currently offers six plug-ins, each featuring one simple control - a virtual knob - that allows users to effectively remove problems that commonly occur in soundtracks. Targets include noise, reverb, S'es/hissing, plosives, balancing and declipping. The tools are geared toward video editors who may not have deep expertise in soundtrack repair, but need an inexpensive, effective and simple-to-use solution.
Each plug-in costs $59, though a collection of all six is available for $149 under the product name ERA4 Bundle Standard. They are compatible with Apple's Final Cut Pro, Adobe's Premiere and Audition, Avid's ProTools and Media Composer, and Blackmagic Design's DaVinci Resolve.
While the current releases make use of the single control that users can dial up or down to reach the level of restoration they require, Tsilfidis says Accusonus also has "pro" versions that will allow deeper levels of adjustment for those who prefer more flexibility. Priced at $499, the product goes by the name ERA4 Bundle Pro.
Accusonus is based in Athens, Greece, but has offices in Massachusetts. Check them out online at accusonus.com.