Speakers by AudioThing

Microphone and Speaker Simulations

Speakers is a creative audio effect designed to convincingly emulate a wide range of loudspeakers and microphones using convolution technology. Instead of simply coloring the signal with EQ curves, Speakers recreates the complex frequency response, resonance, and character of real-world playback devices and recording chains, making it possible to radically transform how a sound is perceived.

At its core, Speakers allows you to shape audio as if it were played through everyday devices such as telephones, radios, televisions, toys, or classic speaker cabinets. At the same time, it can place the sound in the context of being captured by different microphones, ranging from modern dynamics to vintage ribbon designs or lo-fi consumer-grade recorders. This dual approach makes it equally useful for subtle realism and extreme sound manipulation.

Flexible Signal Routing and Sound Shaping

One of the defining features of Speakers is its freely configurable signal flow. Each processing module can be reordered, enabled, or bypassed, allowing you to design custom chains that suit a specific creative or technical goal. This modular approach makes it easy to experiment with unconventional routing, such as processing background noise before it is blended with the main signal, or applying distortion only after speaker and microphone coloration.

In addition to convolution-based speaker and microphone models, Speakers includes a set of essential sound-shaping tools. Compression, distortion, and filtering can be combined to further enhance character, add grit, or control dynamics. These tools are not limited to corrective processing; they are designed to encourage creative degradation, saturation, and tonal sculpting.

Distortion, Degradation, and Environmental Context

Speakers goes beyond simple emulation by incorporating a variety of distortion and degradation processes inspired by real-world audio flaws. These processes can introduce artifacts such as drive, clipping, digital degradation, interference, or instability, which are often desirable in sound design and post-production contexts.

To further ground sounds in a believable environment, Speakers also includes looping background noises. These textures can simulate the ambience of devices, rooms, or external sources, helping sounds feel embedded in a physical or narrative space rather than existing in isolation.

Designed for Post-Production and Creative Workflows

Speakers is particularly well suited for post-production, dialogue processing, and sound design, where realism, consistency, and responsiveness are critical. Its zero-latency design ensures immediate feedback during playback and editing, making it practical for real-time workflows as well as creative experimentation.

At the same time, the plugin is equally at home in music production. Producers can use it to add lo-fi character, transform synths and drums, or create transitions and effects that evoke specific eras, devices, or listening contexts.

Practical and Creative Tool

By combining detailed convolution models with flexible routing and creative degradation tools, Speakers functions as both a technical simulation plugin and an expressive sound design instrument. It can be used subtly to place audio in a believable playback or recording context, or pushed to extremes for bold, stylized effects.

Whether the goal is realism, nostalgia, or experimental sound manipulation, Speakers provides a comprehensive toolkit for reshaping audio through the lens of microphones, speakers, and imperfect signal chains.