BorisFX made a big announcement at NAB 2023, despite not having a dedicated booth. They acquired CrumplePop, a plug-in developer, and their impressive audio restoration tools. While BorisFX has dabbled in audio before, this move adds a full suite of AI-based audio tools aimed at video editors. CrumplePop has been developing video plug-ins and Motion templates for over a decade, and now their developers will focus on the AI-based audio tools. Legacy plug-ins will still work, but will no longer be sold, developed, or supported with updates.
The current CrumplePop bundle includes six restoration filters, two finishing filters, and a standalone audio application. You can start with the free Starter plan, which includes SoundApp, PopRemover, and RustleRemover. The other filters are fully functional but have an audible watermark every few seconds. If you want the complete set, then purchase the Pro bundle as a subscription or perpetual license.
The individual plug-ins use a “one knob” interface design, making them easy to use. When you first apply a plug-in, helpful information overlays appear for all of the controls. The plug-in windows do not scale, unfortunately, but the controls are still easy to use.
BorisFX uses AI models to generate clean versions of audio signals. The original noisy samples of audio tracks are fed into the model, and the clean version of the same audio is generated. This explains why there are several specific filters to cover sounds like wind or traffic, rather than one all-encompassing noise reduction tool.
Overall, the CrumplePop suite is a toolkit designed for video editors, and most of the effects appear to be modeled around voice. While there are no filters for certain common corrections, BorisFX is working on a roadmap for future filters. Even if you already own or subscribe to other audio repair/restoration plug-ins, the BorisFX CrumplePop bundle is worth checking out. Test your clips in the trial mode and you just might be hooked.
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