Waves - Dugan Speech

The Waves Dugan Speech has been developed to simplify the management of multi-microphone configurations in live environments where several speakers are speaking simultaneously. Conferences, debates, broadcasts, places of worship, corporate events or video recordings often require several microphones to be kept open at all times, with the usual risks that this entails: feedback, background noise, comb filtering or level variations that are difficult to control manually.

Designed with inventor Dan Dugan, this self-mixing plugin acts in real time to automatically balance the gain between the different active microphones. When a single participant speaks, the system reduces the level of the other microphones to limit noise pollution and improve overall intelligibility. As soon as several people are speaking simultaneously, the gain is intelligently redistributed between the channels concerned to maintain a natural, coherent sound.

Unlike conventional noise gates, which cut the signal abruptly, Dugan Speech applies smooth, gradual transitions. This approach avoids artificial openings and closings while preserving listening comfort, which is particularly important during long conferences or events broadcast live.

The plugin works with Waves eMotion LV1 systems as well as SuperRack SoundGrid and SuperRack Performer, enabling it to be integrated into a wide range of professional live configurations. It can manage up to 64 microphones simultaneously, making it particularly well-suited to complex installations requiring fast, reliable speech management.

Each channel can be individually adjusted using sensitivity settings, while the Override function allows you to prioritise certain microphones, such as that of a presenter or keynote speaker. Recall Safe mode also allows certain parameters to be excluded from snapshots, so that critical settings remain unchanged during a show or conference.

The integrated graphical meter makes it easy to visualise the system's behaviour, allowing precise monitoring of input levels and automatic gain distribution between microphones.