Spoken-Word Audio Restoration and Cleanup

Seeking someone experienced in audio restoration to clean up spoken-word recordings for an ongoing project. The work requires careful listening and manual repair using iZotope RX or comparable professional audio-restoration software. TYPICAL ISSUES 1. Mouth clicks and crackles 2. Uneven vocal levels requiring manual gain adjustments 3. Plosives and thumps 4. Harsh S, T, and R sounds 5. Distortion or overloaded peaks 6. Loud or distracting breaths that should be reduced naturally, not removed Leveling should be handled through careful manual gain adjustments. Please do not apply any compression; final compression and overall level adjustments will be handled during final editing. I need someone who recognizes when automated processing is insufficient and can repair individual problems without damaging the voice. REQUIREMENTS 1. Strong experience restoring spoken-word audio using iZotope RX *or comparable* professional audio-restoration software 2. Experience manually leveling dialogue without overprocessing it 3. Good judgment about what can be repaired safely 4. Ability to control harshness and transients without making speech dull, lispy, or unnatural ADDITIONAL PROCESSING TOOLS Current access to Oeksound Spiff and/or Soothe is a plus but not required. Please mention any additional audio-restoration plug-ins you currently own and can use for this work. Your goal is to complete the primary restoration and manual-leveling pass and address all reasonably repairable issues you identify. I will handle final polishing and any unusually difficult problems that remain. TO APPLY Please include: 1. Describe the types of dialogue-restoration problems you find most difficult and how you typically approach them without damaging the voice. 2. Relevant before-and-after samples 3. Your hourly rate and availability 4. Shortlisted candidates may be asked to complete a brief one-minute test using our sample audio before a final selection is made. Please do not apply if your workflow primarily consists of applying automatic presets or broad processing across entire files. The goal is transparent restoration that preserves a natural voice.