Can Plugins Fix My Room Echo?

Can plugins fix my untreated room echo?

One of my most popular requests is to resolve someone's room echo in their voice-over recordings. This challenge is prevalent, especially for beginning voice-over artists recording from home.

Can plugins be used to fix an untreated room echo? Here is the answer. Plugins can improve your room echo problem, not fix it. These same types of echo-canceling plugins (sometimes called RX) often decrease the overall quality and fidelity of your recording (Yes, even state-of-the-art AI-powered processers). The more processing is applied, the more voice recording quality is lost.

It's important to understand that RX (restoration) plugins only mask the problem, not resolve it. No plugin or boutique equipment will improve the sound of your voice-over recording more than proper acoustic treatment. Your voice-over sound begins in the room, and a great room sound is critical to delivering an excellent voice-over recording. 

RX, or restoration plugins, can be valuable. They can be a quick fix and improve your voice-over recording sound. However, the danger is following a ghost by thinking, "The next plugin will fix the problem", "A more expensive microphone will finally get me the sound I've always wanted", or "When I get this hardware channel strip, I'll finally get the professional sound". The truth is that the right type, amount, and placement of proper acoustic treatment will improve the sound of your voice-over recording more than anything else. Your unprocessed recordings will sound better, your processed sound will improve, and you may not need to rely on RX plugins.

Learn more about creating a great-sounding recording space in my quick and affordable video training course, Learn Acoustic Treatment For Voice-Over.