Forward Audio has launched faSmartAlign, an automatic multi-mic processor plugin for Windows and macOS. The plugin is designed to manage time alignment, phase correction, and gating across multi-microphone recordings within a single coordinated system.
faSmartAlign operates by loading one instance on each microphone track in a session. Once inserted, the user presses Align, and the plugin analyzes all instances collectively. According to Forward Audio, each instance communicates across the session, allowing the plugin to evaluate cross-microphone bleed, determine an alignment reference automatically, and apply corrective processing in real time.
The plugin combines several processes within a single analysis pass:
- Time alignment across all loaded microphone tracks
- Frequency-dependent phase correction using phase EQ
- Automatic gate threshold derivation based on measured hit energy and decay
Forward Audio states that the plugin identifies instrument roles during analysis and aligns signals accordingly, rather than relying on a manually selected reference track. In drum recordings, it offers four dedicated alignment modes and can automatically invert snare bottom polarity when required.
In addition to delay-based alignment, faSmartAlign applies phase equalization to address frequency-domain differences that may not be resolved through time correction alone. The gating component derives open thresholds from the actual bleed measured across all microphones in the session, aiming to reflect the recorded material’s dynamics and decay characteristics.
The plugin is designed for use on any multi-microphone recording. All corrections are applied in real time within the plugin’s audio path, and no changes are made to the original audio files. The plugin reports its processing latency to the host DAW, allowing the DAW’s delay compensation system to maintain synchronization across tracks. The alignment process can be re-run at any time.
faSmartAlign supports ARA-compatible DAWs, where it can read existing audio regions directly. It can also be used in non-ARA environments through a standard recording workflow.
The plugin is available in VST3, VST2, AU, and AAX formats and supports all major DAWs. System requirements are as follows:
- Windows 8 or later (64-bit only)
- macOS 11.0 (Big Sur) or later
- Native support for Apple Silicon
faSmartAlign is currently available with a 22% introductory discount. The launch offer is valid until June 19th.
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