De-Essing for YouTube: Settings, Mic Technique, and Fast Fixes (UK Guide)

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Written by Alan Spicer

YouTube Certified Expert (Audience Growth, Channel Management, Content Strategy)
YouTube & Digital Media Consultant (including work with Coin Bureau brands)
Built repeatable growth systems across multiple channels (including 0→20k in 2 months and 15k→100k in 8 months)
Recipient of 6× YouTube Silver Play Buttons

My bias: sibilance is rarely a “bad mic” problem. It’s usually angle + distance + over-bright settings. Fix capture first, then use a de-esser lightly.

Stop Sibilance (Harsh “S” Sounds) on YouTube Audio (UK): De-Esser + Mic Technique

If your “S” sounds are sharp, hissy, or painful (especially on headphones), that’s sibilance.

It’s common on YouTube because we record close to microphones, we push clarity, and we often compress voice to keep it consistent. The goal isn’t to dull your voice — it’s to keep it clear and comfortable.

Jump to:

Quick answer / TL;DR ·
Watch the quick demo ·
Related searches ·
60-second decision tree ·
What sibilance actually is ·
Fix it at capture (best results) ·
De-esser settings (safe starter values) ·
OBS filter order (so you don’t make it worse) ·
Fix sibilance in editing (Premiere/Resolve/Audacity logic) ·
Fix sibilance by mic type ·
Comparison table ·
Common mistakes ·
What not to do ·
Who this is not for ·
Gear links ·
Related reading ·
FAQs

Quick answer / TL;DR

To stop harsh “S” sounds (sibilance): point the mic slightly off-axis (not directly in the airflow from your mouth), keep a sensible distance (often 15–25cm), and undo any “bright” EQ boosts. If you still hear harsh S sounds, add a de-esser lightly and only reduce the sibilant band until the harshness disappears — stop before your voice sounds lispy or dull.

Watch the quick demo (from my channel)

Video pick: I chose these because they reinforce the two most common causes of sibilance I see in the wild: creators aiming the mic straight into airflow, and creators building a setup that looks great but ignores mic placement basics.

Watch on YouTube

The 60-second decision tree

S sounds harsh on every sentence → go off-axis + undo treble boosts.
Only harsh when you get close → back off slightly or angle more.
Only harsh after processing → your chain is adding brightness; simplify and retest.
Harsh + popping P sounds → fix airflow and angle first, then light de-essing.
Still harsh → add a gentle de-esser and only reduce the sibilant band.

Rule of thumb: fix placement first. De-essing is polish, not a rescue mission.

What sibilance actually is (plain English)

Sibilance is the sharp “hiss” energy in speech — mainly the “S”, “SH”, “CH”, and sometimes “T” sounds. It becomes obvious when the microphone captures those consonants too strongly compared to the rest of your voice.

Most of the time, sibilance is caused by:

Mic direction: you’re aiming the mic directly into the air path from your mouth
Distance: you’re very close to a sensitive capsule
Brightness: EQ/processing pushes the upper range too hard
Compression: brings up the “bite” and breath detail (including harsh S energy)

Fix it at capture (best results)

These are the fixes I recommend first because they improve your audio everywhere — OBS, camera, editing, shorts, livestreams — all of it.

1) Go off-axis (the #1 fix)

Don’t aim the mic directly at your mouth. Aim it slightly to the side, or angle it so airflow passes past the capsule instead of into it.

Desk mic: rotate it 20–45° away from the centre of your mouth
Boom mic: aim it at the corner of your mouth/cheek area rather than dead-centre
Shotgun: slightly above mouth line often helps (still off-axis)

2) Use a sane distance (often 15–25cm)

Too close exaggerates sibilance and plosives. Too far increases room echo and makes you raise gain. Start around 15–25cm and adjust.

3) Fix the chain that makes sibilance worse

If you’ve boosted treble/presence to sound “clear”, that’s often what created the problem. Undo that first and retest.

These posts pair perfectly with this one:

De-esser settings (safe starter values)

A de-esser is a smart compressor that turns down only the harsh sibilant band when it appears.

Simple setup (works in most editors and plugins):

Play a sentence with lots of S sounds (your own intro is perfect)
Find the “painful” band by sweeping the de-esser frequency (it varies by voice/mic)
Lower the threshold until harsh S reduces
Stop the moment your voice starts sounding lispy, dull, or like you’ve got a mouthguard in

Starter rules that keep it natural:

Use the minimum reduction that makes S sounds comfortable
If you can clearly hear the de-esser “working”, it’s too aggressive
If you’re reducing sibilance constantly, your mic angle probably still needs work

OBS filter order (so you don’t make it worse)

Sibilance often gets worse when creators stack noise suppression + heavy compression + make-up gain. A safer order is:

Noise suppression (only if needed, keep it light)
Compressor (gentle)
De-esser (light polish)
Limiter (final safety net)

Note: if your suppression is heavy, it can create weird “watery” artefacts that sound like harshness. Back it off and fix capture first.

Fix sibilance in editing (Premiere/Resolve/Audacity logic)

If your audio is already recorded and you need to rescue it:

Step 1: Apply a de-esser and find the harsh band
Step 2: Reduce only enough to stop the pain
Step 3: If needed, use a tiny EQ cut in the harsh area (small moves only)
Step 4: Re-check after compression (compression can re-emphasise sibilance)

If you’re also fighting clipping, fix that first:

Stop mic clipping & distortion (YouTube, UK)

Fix sibilance by mic type

USB desk microphones

Off-axis placement is usually the biggest win
Back off slightly if you’re right on top of the capsule
Undo any “bright” EQ presets before adding de-essing

Condenser mics

Often more detailed up top, so angle and distance matter more
Avoid stacking treble boosts + heavy compression
Use a de-esser as polish (not a hammer)

Dynamic mics

Usually more forgiving, but you can still get sibilance if you’re straight-on
Angle still matters, especially close-mic

Lavalier mics

If placed too high, they can emphasise mouth noise and S energy
Lower it slightly and keep it stable (movement creates weird high-frequency spikes)

Related mic decision guides:

Fixes compared (what works most)

Fix	Cost	Impact	Best for
Off-axis mic angle	£0	High	Most creators, most mics
Slightly more distance	£0	Medium–High	Very close mic setups
Undo treble/presence boosts	£0	Medium	“Crispy” processing chains
Light de-esser	£0–££	Medium	Polish and rescue in editing
Heavy de-essing	£0–££	Low	Rarely worth it (lisp risk)

Common mistakes (what I see a lot)

Fixing sibilance with “more EQ”. You often boost the problem band by accident.
Compressing hard, then adding make-up gain. That can bring harsh highs forward.
Using a de-esser like a mute button. It makes you sound lispy or dull.
Moving the mic far away as the main fix. You then need more gain and pick up more room.

What not to do

Don’t chase “crispy clarity”. Comfortable audio keeps people watching longer than sharp audio.
Don’t slam noise suppression to solve sibilance. That creates artefacts and won’t target the right problem.
Don’t ignore placement. Mic angle solves more than most plugins ever will.

Who this is not for

Music vocal production and mastering workflows (different tools and targets)
High-end broadcast chains with dedicated audio engineering
Creators who want a one-click preset without changing mic angle/distance

Gear links

Core audio pillar:

Sound better on YouTube without a treated studio (UK)

Most relevant supporting posts:

Creator Gear hub:

Creator Gear hub

Amazon UK searches (tagged so the session is credited):

FAQs (People Also Ask style)

What is sibilance in microphone audio?

Sibilance is the harsh, hissy “S”/“SH” energy in speech. It’s often exaggerated by mic angle, close distance, and bright processing.

How do I stop harsh “S” sounds when recording YouTube videos?

Angle the mic slightly off-axis, keep a sensible distance (often 15–25cm), undo treble boosts, and use a de-esser lightly if needed.

Does a pop filter remove sibilance?

Pop filters mainly reduce plosives (P/B bursts). They can help a bit with airflow, but sibilance is usually better fixed with mic angle and de-essing.

What de-esser settings should I use for voice?

Find the harsh band, then reduce only enough to make S sounds comfortable. Stop before you sound lispy or dull.

Why did sibilance get worse after compression?

Compression can bring up high-frequency detail (including S sounds), especially if you add make-up gain. Use gentler compression and add light de-essing after.

Is sibilance worse on condenser microphones?

It can be more noticeable because condensers often capture more high-frequency detail. Technique and light de-essing can fix it on any mic.

Can I remove sibilance in editing?

Yes, with a de-esser and sometimes a small EQ cut. But it’s better to reduce it at capture first so it stays natural.

What mic placement reduces sibilance?

Slightly off-axis placement (not directly in front of your mouth) usually reduces sibilance significantly.

Why does my mic sound hissy?

Often it’s sibilance plus too much brightness in EQ/compression. Start with off-axis placement and undo any treble boosts before adding more processing.

What’s the quickest fix for sibilance?

Angle the mic off-axis and apply a light de-esser. If it still hurts, reduce any treble/presence boosts and retest.

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