Audio Fabric Studio logo Audio FabricStudio
Knowledge base Cleanup

Cleaning noisy recordings without making them sound artificial

A practical order of operations for hiss, hum, rumble, room tone, mouth noise, reverb, and uneven speech.

Practical guide Creator focused Preview-first workflow
Try this on your audio Back to knowledge base
Study goals

What you will understand

This guide is written for creators who want practical audio decisions, not abstract engineering theory.

01

Identify common noise problems by sound and by measurement.

02

Choose cleanup strength without creating watery artifacts.

03

Know when to use Noise Reduction, Studio Clean, Voice Clarity, or a custom profile.

Cleanup map

Quick reference

Use this table as the first pass before choosing a profile or export path.

ProblemWhat it sounds likeTypical first move
RumbleLow thumps, HVAC, desk vibrationHigh-pass / low-cut filter
HumSteady electrical toneTargeted noise reduction or notch control
HissConstant high noise floorGentle broadband noise reduction
Room toneBoxy or hollow ambienceLight cleanup plus presence control
SibilanceSharp s and sh soundsDe-essing
Uneven voicesOne speaker too loud, another too quietLeveling and compression
Field notes

Lessons

Short, practical guidance you can apply while comparing previews and preparing a master.

01

Use the least processing that solves the problem

Aggressive cleanup can remove the character of the performance. The best result is often a controlled reduction that makes distractions fade without calling attention to the processing.

  • Start with low-cut filtering for rumble before stronger cleanup.
  • Use de-essing for sharp speech instead of dulling the whole track.
  • Use before/after previews to catch artifacts early.
02

A simple cleanup chain

For many voice files, the chain is low-cut, noise reduction, de-essing, leveling, compression, then loudness target. Music restoration should usually be more conservative.

  • Speech can tolerate more leveling than music.
  • Music can lose life when compression or noise reduction is too strong.
  • If the source is valuable or fragile, create multiple previews before choosing a full master.
Before export

Practical checklist

Use these checks while comparing previews and preparing a full master.

  • Listen for noise during quiet sections and during speech.
  • Check whether cleanup creates pumping, metallic tone, or underwater artifacts.
  • Use Studio Clean for natural cleanup and Noise Reduction for obvious steady noise.
Related profiles

Good starting points

🧼
Cleanup

Studio Clean

Cleans background noise while keeping tone natural.

Best for: Noisy rooms that still need natural warmth.

  • Reduces room noise without sounding processed.
  • Keeps voices natural and present.
  • Useful for creator recordings made outside a studio.
noise reductionlow-cutlevel control
Try Studio Clean
🔇
Cleanup

Noise Reduction

Fast cleanup for hiss, hum, and room noise.

Best for: Noisy rooms, HVAC hum, background hiss, and rough recordings.

  • Reduces steady hiss and hum quickly.
  • Use when room noise is distracting.
  • Pairs well with preview comparison before committing.
noise reductionlow-cutartifact restraint
Try Noise Reduction
✨
Voice

Voice Clarity

Clear, intelligible narration without harshness.

Best for: Voiceover, narration, and clear spoken-word delivery.

  • Improves articulation and presence.
  • Controls sibilance and uneven dynamics.
  • Works well for explainer videos and voice tracks.
low-cutde-esserpresence controlcompression
Try Voice Clarity