Voxengo Stereo Touch: Complete Guide to Settings and Sound

Voxengo Stereo Touch — Review, Pros, Cons, and Tips

Voxengo Stereo Touch is a free stereo enhancement plugin that uses mid/side processing and phase-aware algorithms to widen or narrow stereo image while retaining mono compatibility. It’s lightweight, CPU-friendly, and useful for creating perceived width on instruments, buses, or mixes without obvious artifacts when used judiciously.

Key features

• Mid/Side processing — separate control over mono (mid) and stereo (side) components.
• Stereo width control — widen or narrow stereo field with a single, intuitive control.
• Phase-aware algorithm — minimizes destructive phase issues and keeps mono compatibility.
• Low CPU usage — efficient implementation for tracking and mixing.
• Simple interface — minimal controls, quick to adjust.

Pros

• Free — excellent value with no cost.
• Easy to use — single control makes it fast for broad adjustments.
• Transparent at moderate settings — preserves character without harsh artifacts.
• Mono-safe — generally maintains clarity when summed to mono.
• Great on buses and instruments — works well on guitars, synth pads, backing vocals, and stereo buses.

Cons

• Limited controls — lacks advanced shaping (no frequency-specific widening or multiband options).
• Can cause phasey sounds if overused — excessive widening may introduce comb-filtering or unstable imaging.
• Not a substitute for true stereo sources — can’t create realistic stereo from a single mono take.
• No built-in EQ or dynamics — you’ll need other tools for surgical corrections.

Practical tips

1. Use in context: Adjust Stereo Touch while listening to the full mix, not soloed tracks.
2. Subtlety first: Start with small width increases (+10–25%) and increase only if it improves the mix.
3. Automate for interest: Automate width on sections (e.g., widen choruses, tighten verses).
4. Combine with EQ: High-pass the sides (with another plugin) if widening adds muddiness to low frequencies.
5. Check mono compatibility: Regularly sum the mix to mono to ensure no critical elements vanish.
6. Parallel processing: For more control, apply Stereo Touch on a send/return (parallel) bus and blend to taste.
7. Use on stereo sources: Best results come from already stereo material (treated stereo tracks, buses, or layered instruments).
8. Watch phase meters: If your DAW or metering plugin shows phase correlation, keep an eye on it to avoid excessive negative correlation.

Best use cases

• Widening synth pads, ambient textures, and stereo effects.
• Enhancing backing vocals and doubles.
• Adding perceived width to stereo guitar or piano tracks.
• Subtle bus-wide enhancement on stereo mixes.

Overall, Voxengo Stereo Touch is a handy, free tool for quick stereo adjustments. It’s not a one-stop solution for complex stereo imaging tasks but is excellent for transparent, low-cost widening when used carefully.