The industry-standard dynamic resonance suppressor versus the faster, cheaper resonance tamer that does the job in a couple of moves.
Written and reviewed by Kasper Nods. Updated June 2026. How PlugPick reviews
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effectoeksound
The industry-standard dynamic resonance suppressor: it tames harsh, ringing frequencies only when and where they occur, surgical de-harshing for vocals, busses and masters without dulling the source.
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effectBaby Audio
Resonance suppression, dynamic EQ and spectral shaping in one fast, intuitive plugin. Its FFT engine analyses audio thousands of times a second to lift harshness from vocals, busses and full mixes.
At a glance
Genres
Soothe 2 (oeksound) is the reference dynamic resonance suppressor. It tracks the signal and ducks harsh or resonant frequencies only when they spike, with fine control over targeting, depth and frequency range. It is the tool engineers reach for on vocals, guitars, cymbals and full mixes when surgical, transparent de-harshing matters, at a higher price and CPU cost.
Smooth Operator (Baby Audio) tackles the same job, taming resonances and balancing tone, but with a far simpler, faster interface built around a handful of macro controls. It is much cheaper, lighter on CPU, and gets a track sitting right in a few moves, trading Soothe 2's surgical precision and per-band control for speed and simplicity.
Both fix the same core problem, harsh and resonant frequencies, but at different points on the precision-versus-speed curve. Soothe 2 gives you deep, surgical control and the most transparent results, which is why it is the studio standard for critical work. Smooth Operator gets you most of the way there in a fraction of the clicks and at a fraction of the price.
If you do detailed mix and mastering work and want the most control and transparency, Soothe 2 earns its price. If you want a fast, affordable resonance and tone tamer for everyday tracks, Smooth Operator is remarkable value and often all a track needs.
Pick Soothe 2 if you need surgical, transparent dynamic resonance control for critical mix and mastering work.
Pick Smooth Operator Pro if you want fast, affordable resonance and tone balancing without deep tweaking.
For many tasks, yes. Smooth Operator handles the same resonance-taming job for much less money and CPU, with a simpler interface. Soothe 2 remains more surgical and transparent for critical work, but plenty of producers find Smooth Operator covers their everyday needs.
Soothe 2 offers far more precise, per-frequency dynamic control: detailed targeting of which resonances to suppress, how hard, and over what range, with very transparent results. Smooth Operator trades that depth for a few macro controls that get a usable result quickly.
For professional mixing and mastering where transparency and control matter, many engineers consider it essential. For hobbyists or fast workflows, a cheaper tool like Smooth Operator often delivers enough of the benefit to make Soothe 2 a luxury rather than a necessity.