ACAS Tools / SPOTLIGHT / Compare
SPOTLIGHT vs Trackspacer
Both make room in a busy mix, in different ways. Trackspacer goes on the track that should make room and carves it with a 32-band inverse EQ that follows a sidechain signal, all the time. SPOTLIGHT goes on every track in a group: you draw one automation lane, the featured track steps forward and the rest of the group steps back, with no sidechain routing.
Pick Trackspacer for constant, signal-driven carving between two sources, or if you work in Pro Tools. Pick SPOTLIGHT for planned moments (a vocal line, a fill, a hook, a drop) that should move a whole group at once.
SPOTLIGHT: $29 launch price until Sunday, November 15, 2026 $39
One-time purchase · Free trial, no time limit · Zero latency
Side by side
SPOTLIGHT and Trackspacer at a glance
Trackspacer reacts to a signal. SPOTLIGHT reacts to a decision you write into the arrangement.
| SPOTLIGHT | Trackspacer (Wavesfactory) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A mix plug-in that features one track in a linked group while the others recede | A plug-in that “creates space in a mix by carving the frequencies that a track needs” |
| Where it goes | On every track in the group (vocal, guitars, keys, bass, drums, pads) | On the track that should make room |
| Routing | None. Instances link through Groups A to D, up to 32 in one DAW process | A sidechain input from the track you want to hear; needs a DAW with sidechain functionality |
| How it is triggered | One automation lane or the SPOTLIGHT button, a tempo-synced 16-step grid, or the track's own level crossing a threshold, shaped by Rise, Hold and Fall | Continuously, by analysing the sidechain signal and applying an inverse EQ curve |
| What moves | Featured track: level, presence, air, punch, drive and density. The rest: a dynamic EQ carve, level dip, darker top, narrower width and a short room tail | A 32-band EQ cut on the host track, with high-pass and low-pass filters to limit the range |
| Stereo and low end | Mid/side width keeps the mono sum intact; carve, width and drive work above 150 Hz only | Full stereo, left or right only, mid or side only, or anything in between |
| Formats | VST3 on Windows 10/11; VST3 and AU on macOS 11+ (Intel and Apple Silicon). No AAX | Windows and macOS, including AAX for Pro Tools |
| Price model | One-time purchase: $29 launch price until November 15, 2026, then $39. Up to 3 computers you own or control | Paid plug-in; see wavesfactory.com for the current price |
Trackspacer details are from wavesfactory.com, checked on 2026-10-20. Wavesfactory may have changed them since.
Which to choose
Different tools for different jobs
Choose SPOTLIGHT if
- You want a whole group to react when one part takes the lead, not just one pair of tracks
- You'd rather draw one automation lane than set up sidechain sends
- The moments are planned: features, fills, hooks and drops
- You want level, presence, width and depth to move together with the EQ carve
- You need zero latency and the low end left alone
Choose Trackspacer if
- You want one track to duck around another all the time, following the signal
- Your mix is a simple pair, such as vocal against a music bus
- You mix in Pro Tools and need AAX
- You want precise stereo targeting (left, right, mid or side only)
- Sidechain routing in your DAW is already second nature
Other approaches
soothe2 and dynamic EQ solve neighbouring problems
soothe2 / soothe3 (oeksound). oeksound describes soothe as a “dynamic resonance suppressor” that identifies problem resonances on the fly and reduces them automatically. That is about harshness inside one sound, not about one track making room for another. oeksound's soothe2 page now points to soothe3, its newer version. If a vocal or a cymbal bus sounds harsh, soothe is the right kind of tool; SPOTLIGHT won't do that job.
A dynamic EQ with an external sidechain. Many EQ plug-ins can cut one band of a track whenever another track plays. It's the most precise way to clear one frequency range, and you may already own one. It takes a band, a threshold and a sidechain send for each pair of tracks.
A sidechain compressor. For steady, rhythmic kick-against-bass pumping, a sidechain compressor is still the right tool. SPOTLIGHT is for momentary emphasis, not constant pumping.
FAQ
Common questions
Is SPOTLIGHT a Trackspacer alternative?
For some jobs. Both help one part cut through a dense mix. Trackspacer carves one track continuously from a sidechain signal. SPOTLIGHT links every track in a group and brings the featured one forward for the moments you choose, with no sidechain routing. For constant ducking between two tracks, Trackspacer is the closer fit.
Does SPOTLIGHT need sidechain routing?
No. Put SPOTLIGHT on each track in the group and link the instances with Groups A to D, up to 32 instances in one DAW process. Linking only works inside one DAW process, so hosts that sandbox each plug-in separately (such as Bitwig's per-plug-in mode) keep them apart.
Does SPOTLIGHT work in Pro Tools?
No. SPOTLIGHT is VST3 on Windows and VST3 or AU on Mac. There is no AAX version. Trackspacer offers AAX.
Is SPOTLIGHT like soothe2?
No. soothe is a dynamic resonance suppressor for harshness inside one sound. SPOTLIGHT changes the balance between tracks. They do different jobs.
How much does SPOTLIGHT cost?
$29 launch price until Sunday, November 15, 2026, then $39. It's a one-time purchase covering up to 3 computers you own or control, with updates included. The free trial has no time limit: one active instance with the forward moves only, and audio bypasses for 1.5 seconds every 45 seconds.
Free trial
One lane. One featured track.
Try the forward moves on one track with no time limit. A license unlocks linking and the whole group effect. One license covers up to 3 computers you own or control, with updates included.
Full SPOTLIGHT details · Questions: [email protected] · License terms · Trackspacer, soothe and other product names belong to their owners; ACAS Tools is not affiliated with Wavesfactory or oeksound. VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.