Metric Halo SuperGate — Free Download

Purpose

SuperGate is designed to let wanted audio events pass through completely unaffected while attenuating only the unwanted signal. Its core workflow has two roles: isolating the target sound from its surroundings and deciding exactly when the gate should trigger. Unlike traditional gates that rely on dynamic expander parameters, SuperGate builds a programmed set of sample-by-sample instructions that define the gain structure and duration of the attack, hold, and release envelope.

This approach means the gate curve is essentially copied and pasted onto the audio stream at the trigger point, with perfect repeatability. Every subtle variation of the audio event—the feel and personality—remains untouched, so drums and other percussive sources keep their natural attack and decay. The result is a gate that avoids the modulation, smearing, and aliasing artifacts commonly associated with gain transitions.

Key capabilities

The processor uses a state-machine-based attack and release mechanism that provides distortion-free gating, with adjustable curves for both the open and close phases. A delay-compensated look-ahead mode allows the gate to anticipate incoming signal, improving response accuracy. It supports both gating and ducking, giving you flexibility in how the processor shapes the audio.

Integrated detector EQ with a SpectraFoo analyzer helps you visually identify the frequency content of the trigger signal, making it easier to isolate specific elements like a kick or snare. Flexible internal monitoring allows you to audition the detector signal separately. Threshold and hysteresis controls, together with hold time and maximum attenuation, give you precise command over when and how much the gate responds.

Workflow

The WYSIWYG detector display shows a detailed metering of the detector and gain reduction history, letting you build and refine the gate curves while listening in real time. This visual feedback simplifies the process of matching the curve to the sound’s natural envelope, especially for complex sources like drum toms with heavy snare or cymbal bleed.

You can start from a set of included presets and then fine-tune the threshold, hold time, and curves to suit the material. The user interface is resizable and includes disclosable graphs for a clean, adaptable workspace. The MH Preset Manager allows you to save and recall cross-platform presets, ensuring consistent settings across sessions and systems.

Practical applications

SuperGate excels in music production for cleaning up drum tracks, particularly toms that suffer from bleed from other kit pieces. The precise, repeatable envelope ensures that even soft or feathered drum hits are not cut off prematurely, preserving the nuance of the performance. It is also useful for removing noise or hum from recordings without coloring the wanted signal.

In mixing and mastering, the look-ahead mode and ducking capability allow creative sidechain-style effects or automatic level control. The detector EQ lets you target specific frequencies, so you can gate based on a particular tonal element. Whether you are working on rock, jazz, or electronic music, the gate’s transparent operation makes it a practical tool for any source that needs clean, envelope-based processing.

Key features

• State-machine-based attack and release for distortion-free gating
• Adjustable attack and release curves
• Delay-compensated look-ahead mode
• Supports gating and ducking
• Integrated detector EQ with SpectraFoo analyzer
• Threshold, hysteresis, hold time, and maximum attenuation controls
• Detailed detector and gain reduction history metering

Best for

Best for engineers and producers who need transparent, precise gating on drums, especially toms and snares with bleed, as well as any source where preserving the natural attack and feel is critical. Its visual curve editing and look-ahead mode also suit creative ducking and noise cleanup in mixing environments.