Spirit LevelVocal leveler plugin · rides your vocal against the music, line by line, with no compression sound
The only vocal leveler plugin you'll ever need to keep every line in front of the music.
Put it on your lead vocal, send it the music, and every line sits the same distance in front of the track: quiet words come up, loud belts come down, measured the way a loudness meter hears them. No compression sound, zero latency by default, and every move ready to print as automation.
- Use it on 5 computers per copy
- Lifetime updates
- 90-day money-back guarantee
- Download link in minutes
- VST3, AU and AAX, Windows and macOS
Formats and DAWs
Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit): VST3 and AAX
macOS 11 or later: VST3, AU and AAX
Works in any 64-bit DAW that loads VST3, AU or AAX plug-ins.
Licence
Use it on up to five of your own computers per copy you buy. Yours for good, no subscription. Unlock it with your email and a six-digit code, no dongle and no password. It checks in now and then and works offline in between.
Delivery
Download links by email within about five minutes, and always in your account under Downloads.
Hear the difference
The same vocal and music, without and with Spirit Level.
Raw take, even lines
An unedited R&B lead over its own beat · Init
Quiet words up
A second unedited R&B take · Lead / Before Compressor
A dry lead on a pop beat
A dry future-pop lead over its kit · Lead / Upfront
Rising with the chorus
A K-pop lead into its chorus · Lead / Chorus Lift
Every clip is level-matched, so the difference you hear is tone, not volume.
Spirit Level in action
Why Spirit Level
In front of the music, every line
The music comes in on the sidechain and Spirit Level compares your vocal with it while the vocal sings, the way a listener does. Quiet words come up and loud belts come down until each line sits where you set it.
The balance producers use, built in
LIFT 0 is not a guess: it is the median balance of 46 produced song mixes, the lead 2.7 LU under the instrumental while it sings. Turn it up for an upfront vocal, down to tuck it in.
Rides, never squashes
No ratio, no EQ, no pumping: just a gain moved line by line, before your compressor, so the compressor sees a steadier vocal and works less.
Lift. Range.
Two big knobs do the work: where the vocal sits against the music, and how far the plug-in may ride it up or down to keep it there.
- VST3 · AU · AAX
- Windows and macOS
- 0 ms latency by default
- 13 presets
The vocal leveler plugin
- The balance producers use. LIFT 0 is the median of 46 produced song mixes: the lead 2.7 LU under the instrumental while it sings.
- Quiet up, loud down. Whispers lifted and belts turned down, line by line, up to 12 dB either way.
- No music? No problem. With nothing on the sidechain it levels any vocal to -18 LUFS on its own.
- See it, print it. A vial whose bubble rides with every move, and every move ready to write as automation.
- LIFT (-12 to +12 dB), RANGE (0 to 12 dB), SPEED (phrase to word) and FOLLOW (how far the vocal rises with the chorus), with a music sidechain.
- The vial, RIDE, VS TYPICAL BALANCE, VOCAL OUT and the music's state.
- AUTOMATION (OFF, WRITE, READ), LOOK AHEAD (300 ms, off by default), MIX, IN and OUT with meters, and ENGAGE.
- 13 factory presets and your own preset files; A/B, undo and redo, MIDI Learn on every control; a window from 75 to 200 %; the full manual.
THE VIAL
Watch it level.
The bubble rides with every move: right as a quiet line is lifted, left as a loud one is turned down, level when the vocal needs nothing.
What Spirit Level does
Every control has one job: a vocal that sits where you want it against the music, faster.
LIFT
Where your vocal sits
-12 to +12 dB against the typical balance: 0 puts the lead where producers put it in 46 song mixes, + further forward, - further back. Once it has heard the song, the vocal lands there with a median error under a tenth of an LU.
RANGE
How far it may ride
The most the vocal is moved up or down from its own average, 0 to 12 dB either way; 6 dB by default catches belts and whispers while typical moves stay around a dB. At 0 it only places the vocal and never rides.
SPEED
A phrase, a line or a word
How fast the level is ridden, PHRASE to LINE to WORD: from a slow ride that reads a whole phrase to one that brings every word to the line.
FOLLOW
Up with the chorus
How far the vocal rises and falls with the music's sections, 0 to 100 %: at 0 it sits against the song as a whole, at 100 % it lifts with every chorus as far as the music does.
The music sidechain
It listens to the track
Send the music, everything but the lead vocal, to the sidechain input. The strip says LISTENING and shows the music's level; the music is read only while the vocal sings.
No music connected
A loudness target on its own
With no music on the sidechain it levels the vocal to -18 LUFS, whatever level it comes in at; LIFT moves the target and reads it in LUFS. Use it on any vocal, sung or spoken.
The vial
See every move
A glass vial floats level across the window and its bubble rides with the gain the plug-in applies: right for a lift, left for a cut, at the ends at 12 dB. RIDE under it prints the move in decibels.
The strip
Know where it sits
MUSIC SIDECHAIN and its state, VS TYPICAL BALANCE (the vocal against the music on LIFT's scale, live) and VOCAL OUT in LUFS. With no music, the LUFS TARGET instead.
AUTOMATION
Print the ride, then edit it
WRITE prints every move into the plug-in's RIDE parameter while your DAW plays; READ plays the edited moves back. Take complete control of every line.
LOOK AHEAD
Every line set from its first word
One pill delays the vocal by 300 ms so each line's level is in place before it starts. Off by default, for zero latency; the latency is reported to your DAW when it is on.
MIX, IN and OUT
Gain staging at a glance
MIX blends the levelled vocal with the dry, 100 % by default. IN and OUT set the level, -24 to +24 dB, with meters on both, and a safety stage keeps peaks under -1 dBFS.
13 sourced presets
Start from settings that work
Lead vocals gentle or word by word, before a compressor, rap, live, upfront or tucked in, a chorus lift or one steady level, belts and whispers, and two for ad-libs, doubles and group vocals.
Inside the plugin
The Spirit Level window: two big knobs, the vial, the readouts and the automation switch.
Every feature
Everything in Spirit Level, down to the smallest switch.
38 features
The leveler
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LIFT
-12 to +12 dB against the balance producers use; with no music, the LUFS target
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RANGE
0 to 12 dB of ride either way of the vocal's own average
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SPEED
PHRASE, LINE or WORD: how fast every line is brought into place
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FOLLOW
The vocal rises with the chorus as far as you want, 0 to 100 %
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Music sidechain
Compares the vocal with the music, read only while the vocal sings
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No music needed
Levels any vocal to -18 LUFS on its own, sung or spoken
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LOOK AHEAD
Each line set before it starts: 300 ms, off by default
Readouts and automation
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The vial
Its bubble rides with every move the plug-in makes
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RIDE
The gain applied now, in decibels
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VS TYPICAL BALANCE
Where the vocal sits against the music, live
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VOCAL OUT
The vocal's loudness out, in LUFS
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MUSIC SIDECHAIN
LISTENING, NO MUSIC SIGNAL or NO MUSIC INPUT, with the music's level
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AUTOMATION
WRITE the ride as host automation, edit it, READ it back
Workflow and control
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A/B compare and A>B
Two complete settings, switch in one click
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Undo and redo
Step back and forward, or press Ctrl+Z
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MIDI Learn
Take complete control of your workflow: right-click any control, move a knob
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Host automation
Automate every control from your DAW
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ENGAGE
Click-free bypass, to hear the before and after
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IN and OUT meters
See the level going in and coming out at a glance
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Tooltips
Every control explains itself as you point at it
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Resizable window
75 to 200 %, and the size you pick is remembered
Presets
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13 factory presets
Starting points built from real settings producers use
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Previous and next arrows
Audition presets one click at a time
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Save your own
Keep your settings as .vocallevelerpreset preset files
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Open presets folder
Back up or share your presets in one click
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Reset to default
Back to a clean start in one step
Performance
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Zero latency by default
Record and perform through it live
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Light on CPU
About 2-3 % of one core with music
-
Mono or stereo
On the vocal and on the music sidechain
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A safety stage
Peaks held under -1 dBFS however far a line is lifted
Licence and compatibility
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VST3 and AAX, Windows 7 SP1 or later
Loads in any 64-bit Windows DAW with VST3 or AAX
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VST3, AU and AAX, macOS 10.13 or later
Loads in any Mac DAW with VST3, AU or AAX, Intel or ARM
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5 computers per copy
Studio, laptop and more on one licence
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Email and code unlock
No dongle, no password, no extra app
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Works offline
No internet needed between check-ins
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Check for updates
From the plugin's menu; nothing installs without asking
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Lifetime updates
Every future update included
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Platinum priority support
Questions answered by the people who build it
How Spirit Level compares
A vocal leveler that listens to the music, with the controls most leave out.
| Spirit Level | Typical vocal leveling plugins | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the vocal sits | The balance producers use, measured on 46 song mixes | Often a target you guess |
| The music | Compared only while the vocal sings | Often the vocal alone |
| No sidechain | Levels to -18 LUFS on its own | Often needs one |
| Readout | The vocal against the music, live, and VOCAL OUT in LUFS | Often a gain meter only |
| Automation | WRITE and READ the ride in your DAW | Often missing |
| Latency | 0 ms by default; 300 ms look-ahead when you want it | Often a fixed look-ahead |
| Try-and-compare | A/B, A>B, undo and redo | Often missing |
| Hardware control | MIDI Learn on every control | Often host automation only |
| Licence | 5 computers per copy, no dongle, works offline | Often fewer activations, or a dongle |
| Updates | Lifetime updates included | Often paid upgrades |
"Typical" describes what we commonly see in this category; it does not describe any particular product. Spirit Level facts are from the plugin and its manual, October 2026.
What you get
Vox Samples
90-day money back · Thank you
Specs and system requirements
- Formats
- VST3 and AAX on Windows; VST3, AU and AAX on macOS
- Operating system
- Windows 7 SP1 or later, 64-bit; macOS 10.13 or later, universal (Intel and ARM)
- Host
- Any 64-bit DAW that loads VST3, AU or AAX plug-ins
- Channels
- Mono or stereo vocal; an optional mono or stereo music sidechain
- Sample rates
- Whatever your session runs at
- Latency
- 0 samples by default; with LOOK AHEAD on, 300 ms (14,400 samples at 48 kHz), reported to your DAW
- Lift
- -12 to +12 dB against the typical balance (the vocal 2.7 LU under the music while it sings); with no music, -30 to -6 LUFS, -18 at 0
- Range
- 0 to 12 dB either way of the vocal's own average (default 6 dB)
- Speed
- Phrase to word: a 400 to 100 ms reading window and a 200 to 20 ms glide
- Follow
- 0 to 100 % of the music's section changes (default 50 %)
- Gain
- Up to 24 dB either way in all; peaks held under -1 dBFS
- Presets
- 13 factory presets; your own as .vocallevelerpreset files
- Tail
- None: the output stops with the input
- Window
- 960 x 600 at 100 %, resizable from 75 to 200 %
- MIDI
- MIDI Learn from any controller routed to the track
- Licence
- 5 computers per copy you buy. Unlock with your email and a code we email you. Checks in now and then and works offline in between.
- Internet
- Needed once to unlock, then for the occasional check-in
90Day money-back guarantee
Our guarantee
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90-day money-back guarantee
Not for you? Email contact@voxsamples.com within 90 days for a full refund.
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5 computers per copy
Use it on up to five of your own computers per copy you buy, and move it yourself from the plugin's Licence menu.
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Lifetime updates
Every future update and upgrade of Spirit Level, included.
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Platinum priority support
A real person at contact@voxsamples.com, first in line.
Questions
What does a vocal leveler do?
It rides the vocal's level for you, line by line, as an engineer rides a fader: quiet words come up, loud belts come down, so the vocal stays the same distance in front of the music. It does it with a gain alone, so there is no compression sound, and it belongs before your compressor.
What goes into the sidechain?
The music without the lead vocal: the beat, the instrumental bus, everything but the lead. A sidechain that carries the vocal too would raise its own target. The manual gives the routing steps for the common DAWs.
Does it work without a sidechain?
Yes. With no music connected it levels the vocal to -18 LUFS whatever level it comes in at, and LIFT moves that target. The strip says NO MUSIC INPUT or NO MUSIC SIGNAL so you always know which mode it is in.
Does it add latency?
Not by default: zero latency, so you can record through it. Switch LOOK AHEAD on and the vocal is delayed 300 ms so each line's level is set before it starts; your DAW is told and compensates.
Can I see and edit its moves?
Yes. Put AUTOMATION on WRITE and your DAW's automation in write mode, play the song, and every move lands in the plug-in's RIDE parameter. Switch to READ and edit the moves like any automation.
Why is the very first play-through a little off?
It places the vocal against the song it has heard. A fresh instance can land a little off for the first minute of a song, more over a sparse intro; from the second play-through it lands where LIFT says, and an export after that does too.
Does it work in my DAW?
Any 64-bit DAW that loads VST3, AU or AAX plug-ins, on Windows 7 SP1 or later or macOS 10.13 or later. There is no standalone app.
How many computers can I use it on?
Up to five of your own for each copy you buy. To move it, deactivate it in the plugin on the old computer and unlock it on the new one.
Does it need the internet?
Once, to unlock it with the code we email you. After that it checks in now and then and works offline in between.
Is there a manual?
Yes. The full manual explains every control, every preset and the menus, with tips. It opens from the help key (?) in the plugin's top bar, and lives at https://voxsamples.com/spirit-level-vocal-leveler-manual.
What if it's not for me?
Request a refund from your account within 90 days.
Founder's Story
"When COVID hit, I finally had time to dive into music production—only to discover I was missing the right tools. The plugins I tried were clunky, overloaded with unnecessary features, and killed my vibe with endless tweaking. I knew there had to be a better way.
So, with my engineering background, I started making free and simple audio plugins for my producer friends. They loved them! That’s when I set out on a mission to create plugins that save you time, streamline your workflow, and keep your creativity flowing."
- Ryan Svensson (Founder & CEO)
Every line in front. One insert.
A vocal that sits where you put it against the music, line by line, with a vial that shows every move and the moves ready to print, at zero latency.
$42.65 AUDRegular price $142.19 AUD70% off
- 90-day money back
- Five computers
- Lifetime updates
Pairs with
Spirit Level Vocal Leveler
$42.65 AUDRegular price $142.19 AUD70% off