Hi everyone! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.
The weather has turned sharply cold since yesterday—it truly feels like winter is here.
Today, I’m introducing a plugin that enhances stereo imaging: Leapwing Audio StageOne 2.
About the Plugin
I received this plugin as an NFR (Not for Resale) from Plugin Boutique. If you make a purchase through the links in this post, I’ll receive a small commission—which greatly supports my work. 😊
StageOne 2 features five main parameters: Width, Depth, Phase Recovery, Mono Spread, and Center Gravity. Let’s explore each one.
Width
The Width parameter adjusts the stereo width of your mix. While the phantom center remains intact, sounds outside the center are pushed towards the speakers or even beyond their physical position.
On the analyzer, the original sound appears as a dark blue, while the modified sound is shown in light blue.
Depth
The Depth parameter adds reflections to specific frequency ranges, making the sound feel wetter. Think of it as a Studio Reverb that can be applied selectively to certain bands.
Phase Recovery
Phase Recovery identifies anti-phase elements between the left and right channels and prevents them from disappearing when summed to mono.
I tested it by duplicating a track, phase-inverting one copy, and panning them hard left and right.
Without the plugin, the sound is entirely anti-phase, perceived as coming from outside the speakers. But with StageOne 2 and the Phase Recovery turned on, the sound becomes phase-correct and plays seamlessly.
This feature is perfect for pulling overly phasey sounds back into the stereo field.
Mono Spread
Mono Spread scatters the frequency response and phase of a mono source, creating a pseudo-stereo effect.
Center Gravity
This parameter pans specific frequency ranges left or right, giving precise control over the stereo field.
Why StageOne 2?
There are many stereo imaging plugins out there:
- Sonnox Claro from the Sonnox Vocal Production Bundle
- Waves S1, iZotope Ozone Imager, Polyverse Wider, Alex Hilton A1StereoControl, etc.
However, few stereo enhancers offer as many advanced algorithms and features as Leapwing Audio’s StageOne 2. Moreover, it tackles phase issues, a rare capability among similar plugins.
The only other plugin I’m aware of with comparable functionality is Acoustic Audio’s Space Control , but StageOne 2’s intuitive parameters and analyzer make it more versatile, even at the composition stage.
If you’re considering a single stereo enhancer, this one might be all you need.
Final Thoughts
While the regular price is steep, the Black Friday discount makes this a great opportunity. If you’ve been looking to refine your stereo imaging, give it a try!
See you in the next post! 😊
Jooyoung's Music Blog 