Wave Arts MR Click 6 — Free Download

Purpose and Core Approach

MR Click is a restoration tool designed to remove clicks and crackles from phonograph recordings or any audio with impulsive contamination. It distinguishes between two types of noise: clicks, which are large disturbances like scratches or splices, and crackles, which are high-frequency scratchiness from dust or groove wear. Because these artifacts differ in nature, the plugin uses separate processors for each, allowing targeted cleanup without affecting the rest of the signal.

Each processor automatically detects its corresponding artifact type and reconstructs or smooths the audio in the affected neighborhoods. The click processor rebuilds the signal around large disturbances, while the crackle processor reduces scratchiness by smoothing. This separation ensures that the treatment matches the specific character of the noise, preserving the original audio as much as possible.

Key Processing and Detection Features

The detection algorithms are sophisticated, focusing only on contaminating events rather than applying broadband processing. A notable feature is the onset detector within the crackle processor, which prevents de-crackling at the very beginning of percussive sounds like snare hits or cymbal crashes. This keeps the attack transients bright and intact, avoiding the dulling that can occur with aggressive noise reduction.

This onset protection is crucial for maintaining the musicality of recordings with drums or other sharp attacks. The separate click and crackle paths allow users to adjust each independently. The plugin also offers a comprehensive stereo display that shows signal level, detected clicks, crackle events, and onset activity, making it easy to see what the processors are doing in real time.

Workflow and User Interface

MR Click features a scrolling time display that visually presents every click and crackle event detected. This allows users to quickly identify problematic areas and adjust the detection thresholds to capture all artifacts without over-processing clean passages. The display is a central tool for fine-tuning the restoration process, giving immediate visual feedback on the effectiveness of the settings.

A dedicated monitor feature lets you audition only the removed clicks and crackles, isolated from the cleaned audio. This is invaluable for verifying that the plugin is catching the right noises and not removing wanted audio content. By listening to the extracted artifacts, you can decide whether to increase or decrease sensitivity, ensuring that nothing desirable is being discarded.

Practical Applications and Technical Notes

MR Click is ideal for cleaning up vinyl rips, old tape transfers, or any audio with impulsive noise. The workflow involves first setting detection thresholds using the scrolling display and monitor, then adjusting the click and crackle processors individually based on the material. Because it processes mono or stereo audio, it works for both single-channel and stereo sources.

The plugin supports high sample rates up to 192 kHz, making it suitable for high-resolution audio restoration. It also offers latency compensation when used in compatible hosts, which is important for maintaining timing alignment in larger projects. For best results, use MR Click in a restoration chain that may also include other tools like hum removal or EQ, but it excels as a dedicated solution for click and crackle artifacts.

Key features

• Separate algorithms for click and crackle processing
• Sophisticated detection focuses on contaminating events
• Onset detection preserves attacks for crackle processing
• Monitoring feature to hear removed clicks and crackles
• Comprehensive stereo display of signal, clicks, crackle, and onset events
• Latency compensation via compatible hosts
• Supports up to 192 kHz sampling rate, mono or stereo

Best for

Best for restoring phonograph recordings and other audio with impulsive clicks or crackles, especially when you need targeted cleanup without dulling percussive attacks. Its onset detection and monitoring make it a reliable choice for vinyl transfers, tape digitization, and archival restoration.