Dugan Speech

Dugan Speech is a software implementation of Dan Dugan's legendary automatic microphone mixing algorithm, now available as a plugin for Waves' eMotion LV1 mixer and compatible consoles via SuperRack. The plugin solves a persistent problem in multi-microphone environments: intelligently managing gain across numerous channels without the artifacts introduced by conventional noise gates or manual fading.

The core algorithm operates in real time, automatically attenuating non-active microphones when a single speaker dominates while distributing gain reduction across multiple channels during overlapping speech. This approach minimizes the abrupt level jumps that characterize gating, instead producing smooth transitions that maintain natural acoustic characteristics. The plugin can handle up to 64 simultaneous channels, making it practical for large panel discussions, houses of worship, broadcast events, and corporate presentations where feedback and comb filtering typically plague engineers.

Dugan Speech offers two operational modes: Automix On, which engages the automatic algorithm, and Off, which returns inputs to unity gain for manual control. Individual channel sensitivities are adjustable, allowing engineers to weight microphone importance based on proximity or speaker role. A channel override function can prioritize specific feeds, such as a host microphone that requires consistent presence regardless of ambient activity. The Recall Safe feature prevents snapshots from overwriting custom settings during live mixing scenarios.

Among automatic mixing solutions, Dugan's algorithm remains the industry standard, preferred across broadcast, live sound, and installed audio for its transparent operation and lack of pumping artifacts. The plugin brings this proven approach to the digital domain without compromise, making sophisticated multi-mic management accessible to smaller venues and studios previously unable to justify dedicated hardware solutions.