Its original specification was born out of our customers’ requests for a dialogue noise suppressor that could receive two channels of audio and output the processed and original ‘iso’ sound of each. It was then just a short hop to make it a genuine 4-channel unit capable of receiving four audio channels and processing all four simultaneously. We also retained the DNS 2’s dual, ultra-low noise mic preamps, (which help to make the DNS 4 an ‘all in one’ box to sit between your microphones and your mixer/recorder or broadcast equipment), and designed a new front panel to provide the clearest and simplest readouts and controls that we could devise.

At just 185 x 130 x 45mm and weighing in at a very manageable 750g, the DNS 4 will drop into a kit bag just as easily as its predecessor. In addition, some units are already finding homes with broadcasters and smaller studios that benefit from the flexibility of a hardware unit that can be used in-house as well as in the field.

Operating it couldn’t be simpler because the DNS 4 incorporates CEDAR’s unique ‘Learn’ function. This machine learning algorithm determines the noise content of the audio in each channel from moment to moment, so there’s no need to capture fingerprints or set thresholds… or anything else. In most cases, all you need to do is adjust the amount of attenuation required to obtain optimal results.

As for the processing itself, the DNS 4 takes advantage of the latest developments in CEDAR’s Academy Award® and Emmy® winning DNS technology. This allows users to remove more noise than ever before without introducing the artefacts associated with traditional dehissers and denoisers. Consequently, voices retain their quality while the noise is pushed back to a degree that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. And all of this happens in a box that you drop into your pocket and power from a battery.