WHAT DO THE SIDEMINDER PLUGINS ACTUALLY DO?
In
the
same
way
that
compressors
and
limiters
enhance
and
control
the
AMPLITUDE
of
audio
signals
the
SideMinder
plugins
enhance
and
control
the
WIDTH
of
stereo
signals.
For
example,
pushing
up
the
Width
control
on
the
SideMinder
plugins
is
like
pushing
up
the
drive
control
into
a
limiter.
And
in
the
same
way
that
a
peak
limiter
prevents
amplitude
"overs" the SideMinder plugins prevent WIDTH "overs" where mono compatibility becomes reduced.
This
is
not
the
same
thing
as
mid/side
compression
which
works
on
the
absolute
AMPLITUDES
of
the
mid/side
signals.
SideMinder
works
on
the
relative
RATIOs
of
the
mid/side
signals while leaving the amplitude of the stereo signal relatively untouched.
WHY IS MONO COMPATIBILITY IMPORTANT?
#1
-
Many
large
venues
use
mono
sound
systems
so
that
every
seat
in
the
house
hears
the
same
mix.
If
an
“over
wide”
stereo
track
is
played
on
one
of
these
sound
systems
elements
in
the
mix
that
are
out
of
phase
between
left
and
right
channels
will
be
reduced
in
level
due
to
phase
cancelation
-
thereby
changing
the
balance
of
the
mix.
Worst
case,
any elements in the mix that are completely out of phase on left/right channels may disappear completely when mixed to mono.
#2
-
Many
consumer
audio
products
-
such
as
“boom
boxes”,
stereo
TVs,
stereo
radios,
etc.,
use
crossfed
polarity
inversion
techniques
to
generate
a
wider
stereo
image
than
the
actual
physical
width
of
their
speakers.
An
“over
wide”
stereo
track
played
on
one
these
devices
can
actually
sound
narrower
due
to
the
phase
inversion,
again
ruining
the
intended
mix.
We have heard many examples of these problems in commerically released recordings. Maybe you have too! The SideMinder plugins can help prevent this.
Read what Larry Crane, Chief Editor of Tape Op Magazine, has to say about the SideMinder plugins:
https://tapeop.com/reviews/gear/136/sideminder-stereo-width-plug-in/
WHY SO MANY VERSIONS OF SIDEMINDER AND WHICH ONE DO I NEED?
• SideMinder 2 is an updated version of the very first mono-band SideMinder plugin we released in 2018. It is the simplest and lightest on CPU of the series and still a good choice when used on many tracks in mixing. • SideMinder ME2 was developed at the request of mixing and mastering engineers who wanted a multi-band version of the original SideMinder plugin with the ability to tweak every variable. This plugin uses traditional, analog style Linkwitz-Riley discrete crossovers for band separation. • SideMinder ZL2 was developed at the request of Ableton Live users who wanted a zero latency version of the SideMinder ME2 plugin for live use. The processing core of this plugin is real-time vs the "lookahead" core of ME2 and provides a somewhat more relaxed result. • SideMinder Max , our latest and most advanced version, is a spectral processor that takes the original SideMinder process to the max over thousands of frequency bands. It offers the greatest amount of width maximizing while being easy to use. In our opinion it is the best sounding multi-band SideMinder due to its linear phase filters. This plugin can be used in all applications (mixing, mastering and video post production) but with somewhat higher CPU load than the other versions.
SideMinder Series Dynamics Width Maximizer Plugins
(44.1k-192k Sample Rates)
VST2, VST3 and AAX - 64-bit Windows 8+ with OpenGL2 or higher graphics
VST2,VST3, AU and AAX - Mac OS 10.11+ on Intel & Apple Silicon
Please try the 14 day free demos before purchasing.
VST and VST3 are trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
Audio Unit is a trademark of Apple, Inc.
AAX, Avid, the Avid logo, and Pro Tools are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
Special thanks to the folks at Tracktion for their awesome Pluginval tool! Check out Tracktion’s latest DAW here: https://www.tracktion.com/
SideMinder ME2 - 2nd Generation Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer - Mastering Edition
SideMinder
ME2
provides
the
ultimate
in
MONO
COMPATIBLE
stereo
image
enhancement
and
control.
SideMinder
ME2
is
an
advanced
and
feature-packed
version
of
the
original
SideMinder
with
up
to
three
independent
bands
of
stereo
width
control
plus
extended
range
Bass
Narrow
control.
Additional
features
include
selectable
input/output
correlation
metering,
stereo/mono
and
normal/delta
outputs
for
quickly
auditioning
SideMinder
ME2’s
action.
Also
included
is
an
“Advanced”
control
section
for
those
who
want
to
fine
tune
SideMinder ME2’s Width Limiter section.
SideMinder
ME2
can
be
used
to
enhance
and
control
the
stereo
width
of
mixed
program
material
and
can
add
a
“3D”
quality
that
has
to
be
heard!
As
in
the
original
SideMinder,
SideMinder
ME2
is
not
a
compressor
and
does
not
affect
the
dynamics
of
your
mix,
only
the
stereo
width.
SideMinder
ME2
does
not
add
ambience
but,
instead,
brings
out
the
width in the original source material.
Fit It In The Mix
WIDTHWISE
!
SideMinder
ME2
now
features
an
external
sidechain
input
for
a
very
unique
way
of
“fitting
a
signal
in
the
mix”
-
WIDTHWISE
!
In
the
same
way
that
a
compressor
can
be
sidechained
to
duck
the
level
of
the
source
signal
in
response
to
increases
in
sidechain
level
SideMinder
ME2
can
reduce
the
stereo
width
of
the
source
signal
in
response
to
increasing
width
of
the sidechain signal. Cool!
(External sidechain must be supplied a stereo signal which is not supported in some DAWs.)
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER ME2 PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until license is
entered)
SideMinder 2 - 2nd Generation Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer
Big,
wide,
stereo
mixes
are
impressive
but
can
fall
apart
when
mixed
to
mono
and
played
back
on
a
single
speaker.
This
can
happen
when
the
left
and
right
channels
contain
out
of
phase
signals
that
partially
(or
maybe
even
completely)
cancel
when
mixed
to
mono.
Many
stereo
image
enhancers
can
cause
this
-
or
make
it
worse
-
by
pushing
the
left
and
right
channels
further
out
of
phase.
This
out
of
phase
condition
shows
up
as
negative
correlation
on
correlation
meters.
If
your
stereo
mix
shows
up
in
the
negative
range
on
a
correlation
meter
it
means that parts of the signal will cancel when mixed to mono. NOT GOOD!
SideMinder 2 can help control this stereo imaging problem!
SideMinder
2
is
the
2nd
generation
of
our
dynamic
stereo
width
enhancer
plugin
that
can
increase
the
width
of
a
stereo
track,
bus
and/or
master
mix
WITHOUT
risking
polarity
inversion.
SideMinder
2
"listens"
to
the
stereo
material
using
lookahead
FIR
correlation
detectors
and
dynamically
narrows
the
stereo
image
precisely
if/when
negative
correlation
begins
to
occur.
Since
the
stereo
width
is
only
narrowed
when
it
needs
to
be
an
overall
increase
in
stereo
width can be applied that remains MONO COMPATIBLE.
This
effect
cannot
be
obtained
using
typical
"mid/side"
compression
techniques
nor does SideMinder alter the overall dynamics of the signal (SideMinder 2 is a "differential limiter" not a dynamic range limiter).
Additionally,
by
seeing
and
hearing
what
SideMinder
is
doing
to
the
signal
one
can
make
better
choices
when
mixing
and
mastering
to
produce
the
best
sounding
result
when
played on any system.
SideMinder
2's
width
enhancer
section
includes
a
"Bass
Mono"
control
that
narrows
the
stereo
image
below
the
selected
cutoff
frequency.
This
control
helps
to
center
the
bass
and
provides a more solid feel to the sound. This is a very important feature when mastering for vinyl.
When SideMinder 2’s processing is bypassed the Output Correlation meter remains active for visual indication of the effect of the plugin before/after processing.
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER2 PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
Is it “Snake Oil”? Wytse says NO!
SideMinder ZL2 - Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer - Zero Latency - 2nd Generation
SideMinder
ZL2
is
a
reduced
feature
set,
zero
latency
version
of
the
3-band
SideMinder
ME2
that
has
been
optimized
for
live
sound
applications
such
as
club
audio/EDM
where
a
wide
but
solid
sound
is
desired.
SideMinder
ZL2
can
be
used
to
enhance
and
control
the
stereo
width
of
mixed
program
material
and
can
add
a
“3D”
quality
that
has
to
be
heard!
As with all versions of SideMinder, SideMinder ZL2 is not a compressor and does not affect the dynamics of your mix, only the stereo width in the original source material.
NOTE:
As
SideMinder
ZL2
works
in
real
time
(zero
latency)
it
cannot
anticipate
the
audio
the
same
way
the
SideMinder2
and
SideMinder
ME2
studio
versions
do.
However
it
still
works very well and may be the ideal solution if you need to record with processing. If you are unsure which version you need please try the free demos.
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER ZL2 PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
SideMinder Max
-
Spectral Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer
Widen your stereo image to the max while staying MONO compatible
SideMinder
Max
is
the
latest
and
greatest
version
of
our
famous
SideMinder
series
plugins.
SideMinder
Max
can
widen
a
stereo
signal
to
the
max
while
preventing "over widening" that can degrade mono compatibility.
SideMinder
Max
is
a
spectral-based
processor
that
divides
the
audio
into
THOUSANDS
of
frequency
bands
and
applies
the
SideMinder
width
maximization process to each band.
SideMinder
Max's
band
separation
filters
are
all
linear
phase
that
preserve
the
source audio transients for the cleanest and best-sounding processing.
SideMinder
Max
is
designed
to
be
fast
and
easy
to
set
up
while
providing
excellent
results.
Four
Width
Contour
controls
allow
shaping
the
stereo
width
across
the
audio
spectrum
while
a
single
Master
Width
control
adjusts
the
overall effect.
SideMinder Max can be used on:
•
Individual tracks/instruments
•
Stereo group buses
•
Stereo Master buses
SideMinder Max can be used for:
•
Mixing
•
Mastering
•
Video Audio Post Production
$49.95 USD MSRP
$39.95 USD (+ tax where applicable)
(license up to 2 computers)
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER MAX PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
©2025 RAISING JAKE STUDIOS
VST and VST3 are trademarks of Steinberg Media
Technologies GmbH.
Audio Unit is a trademark of Apple, Inc.
AAX, Avid, the Avid logo, and Pro Tools are trademarks or
registered trademarks of
Avid Technology, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
Special thanks to the folks at Tracktion for their awesome
Pluginval tool! Check out Tracktion’s latest DAW here:
https://www.tracktion.com/
©2025 RAISING JAKE STUDIOS
SideMinder ME2
Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer - Mastering
Edition
SideMinder
ME2
provides
the
ultimate
in
MONO
COMPATIBLE
stereo
image
enhancement
and
control.
SideMinder
ME2
is
an
advanced
and
feature-
packed
version
of
the
original
SideMinder
with
up
to
three
independent
bands
of
stereo
width
control
plus
extended
range
Bass
Narrow
control.
Additional
features
include
selectable
input/output
correlation
metering,
stereo/mono
and
normal/delta
outputs
for
quickly
auditioning
SideMinder
ME2’s
action.
Also
included
is
an
“Advanced”
control
section
for
those
who
want
to
fine
tune
SideMinder
ME2’s
Width
Limiter section.
SideMinder
ME2
can
be
used
to
enhance
and
control
the
stereo
width
of
mixed
program
material
and
can
add
a
“3D”
quality
that
has
to
be
heard!
As
in
the
original
SideMinder,
SideMinder
ME2
is
not
a
compressor
and
does
not
affect
the
dynamics
of
your
mix,
only
the
stereo
width.
SideMinder
ME2
does
not
add
ambience
but,
instead,
brings
out
the
width
in the original source material.
Fit It In The Mix
WIDTHWISE
!
SideMinder
ME2
now
features
an
external
sidechain
input
for
a
very
unique
way
of
“fitting
a
signal
in
the
mix”
-
WIDTHWISE
!
In
the
same
way
that
a
compressor
can
be
sidechained
to
duck
the
level
of
the
source
signal
in
response
to
increases
in
sidechain
level
SideMinder
ME2
can
reduce
the
stereo
width
of
the
source
signal
in
response
to
increasing
width
of
the sidechain signal. Cool!
(External
sidechain
must
be
supplied
a
stereo
signal
which is not supported in some DAWs.)
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER ME2 PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
SideMinder Series Plugins
(44.1k-192k Sample Rates)
VST2, VST3 and AAX - 64-bit Windows 8+ with OpenGL2
or higher graphics
VST2,VST3, AU and AAX - Mac OS 10.11+ Intel & Silicon
Please try the demos before purchasing.
WHAT
DO
THE
SIDEMINDER
PLUGINS
ACTUALLY DO?
In
the
same
way
that
compressors
and
limiters
enhance
and
control
the
AMPLITUDE
of
audio
signals
the
SideMinder
plugins
enhance
and
control
the
WIDTH
of
stereo
signals.
For
example,
pushing
up
the
Width
control
on
the
SideMinder
plugins
is
like
pushing
up
the
drive
control
into
a
limiter.
And
in
the
same
way
that
a
peak
limiter
prevents
amplitude
"overs"
the
SideMinder
plugins
prevent
WIDTH
"overs"
where
mono
compatibility
becomes
reduced.
This
is
not
the
same
thing
as
mid/side
compression
which
works
on
the
absolute
AMPLITUDES
of
the
mid/side
signals.
SideMinder
works
on
the
relative
RATIOs
of
the
mid/side
signals
while
leaving
the
amplitude of the stereo signal relatively untouched.
Pretty cool, huh?
Read
what
Larry
Crane,
Chief
Editor
of
Tape
Op
Magazine,
has
to
say
about
the
SideMinder
plugins:
h
t
t
p
s
:
/
/
t
a
p
e
o
p
.
c
o
m
/
r
e
v
i
e
w
s
/
g
e
a
r
/
1
3
6
/
s
i
d
e
m
i
n
d
e
r
-
stereo-width-plug-in/
SideMinder Max
Spectral Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer
Widen
your
stereo
image
to
the
max
while
staying
MONO compatible
SideMinder
Max
is
the
latest
and
greatest
version
of
our
famous
SideMinder
series
plugins.
SideMinder
Max
can
widen
a
stereo
signal
to
the
max
while
preventing
"over
widening"
that
can
degrade
mono
compatibility.
SideMinder
Max
is
a
spectral-based
processor
that
divides
the
audio
into
THOUSANDS
of
frequency
bands
and
applies
the
SideMinder
width
maximization process to each band.
SideMinder
Max's
band
separation
filters
are
all
linear
phase
that
preserve
the
source
audio
transients
for
the cleanest and best-sounding processing.
SideMinder
Max
is
designed
to
be
fast
and
easy
to
set
up
while
providing
excellent
results.
Four
Width
Contour
controls
allow
shaping
the
stereo
width
across
the
audio
spectrum
while
a
single
Master
Width control adjusts the overall effect.
SideMinder Max can be used on:
•
Individual tracks/instruments
•
Stereo group buses
•
Stereo Master buses
SideMinder Max can be used for:
•
Mixing
•
Mastering
•
Video Audio Post Production
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER MAX PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
$49.95 USD MSRP
$39.95 USD (+ tax where applicable)
(license up to 2 computers)
SideMinder 2
2nd Generation Dynamic Stereo Width
Maximizer
Big,
wide,
stereo
mixes
are
impressive
but
can
fall
apart
when
mixed
to
mono
and
played
back
on
a
single
speaker.
This
can
happen
when
the
left
and
right
channels
contain
out
of
phase
signals
that
partially
(or
maybe
even
completely)
cancel
when
mixed
to
mono.
Many
stereo
image
enhancers
can
cause
this
-
or
make
it
worse
-
by
pushing
the
left
and
right
channels
further
out
of
phase.
This
out
of
phase
condition
shows
up
as
negative
correlation
on
correlation
meters.
If
your
stereo
mix
shows
up
in
the
negative
range
on
a
correlation
meter
it
means
that
parts
of
the
signal
will
cancel
when
mixed
to
mono. NOT GOOD!
SideMinder
2
can
help
control
this
stereo
imaging
problem!
SideMinder
2
is
the
2nd
generation
of
our
dynamic
stereo
width
enhancer
plugin
that
can
increase
the
width
of
a
stereo
track,
bus
and/or
master
mix
WITHOUT
risking
polarity
inversion.
SideMinder
2
"listens"
to
the
stereo
material
using
lookahead
FIR
correlation
detectors
and
dynamically
narrows
the
stereo
image
precisely
if/when
negative
correlation
begins
to
occur.
Since
the
stereo
width
is
only
narrowed
when
it
needs
to
be
an
overall
increase
in
stereo
width
can
be
applied
that
remains
MONO
COMPATIBLE.
This
effect
cannot
be
obtained
using
typical
"mid/side"
compression
techniques
nor
does
SideMinder
alter
the
overall
dynamics
of
the
signal
(SideMinder
2
is
a
"differential
limiter"
not
a
dynamic
range limiter).
Additionally,
by
seeing
and
hearing
what
SideMinder
is
doing
to
the
signal
one
can
make
better
choices
when
mixing
and
mastering
to
produce
the
best
sounding result when played on any system.
SideMinder
2's
width
enhancer
section
includes
a
"Bass
Mono"
control
that
narrows
the
stereo
image
below
the
selected
cutoff
frequency.
This
control
helps
to
center
the
bass
and
provides
a
more
solid
feel
to
the
sound.
This
is
a
very
important
feature
when mastering for vinyl.
When
SideMinder
2’s
processing
is
bypassed
the
Output
Correlation
meter
remains
active
for
visual
indication
of
the
effect
of
the
plugin
before/after
processing.
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER2 PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
SideMinder ZL2
Dynamic Stereo Width Maximizer - Zero
Latency - 2nd Generation
SideMinder
ZL2
is
a
reduced
feature
set,
zero
latency
version
of
the
3-band
SideMinder
ME2
that
has
been
optimized
for
live
sound
applications
such
as
club
audio/EDM
where
a
wide
but
solid
sound
is
desired.
SideMinder
ZL2
can
be
used
to
enhance
and
control
the
stereo
width
of
mixed
program
material
and
can
add
a
“3D”
quality
that
has
to
be
heard!
As
with
all
versions
of
SideMinder,
SideMinder
ZL2
is
not
a
compressor
and
does
not
affect
the
dynamics
of
your
mix,
only
the
stereo
width in the original source material.
NOTE:
As
SideMinder
ZL2
works
in
real
time
(zero
latency)
it
cannot
anticipate
the
audio
the
same
way
the
SideMinder2
and
SideMinder
ME2
studio
versions
do.
However
it
still
works
very
well
and
may
be
the
ideal
solution
if
you
need
to
record
with
processing.
If
you
are
unsure
which
version
you
need please try the free demos!
DOWNLOAD THE SIDEMINDER ZL2 PLUGIN HERE
(demo operates as a fully functional 14 day trial until
license is entered)
