Denormalisation is a common issue encountered in some audio hosts where the plugin's audio processing task remains active even when playback is stopped or when a track is silent. This often happens with instruments when no key is pressed during sound decay. The problem arises because the CPU's floating point unit (FPU) detects extremely small numbers and attempts to process them with full precision, leading to a switch into a special 'denormal' mode that handles tiny floating point values differently.

Switching into denormal mode causes significant processing delays since the FPU requires extra time to convert between normal and denormal states. This can create unexpected CPU load spikes, especially in algorithms like delay lines and filters that rely on feedback loops. In these cases, signals gradually decrease but never quite reach zero, triggering the FPU to continue processing negligible values that do not contribute to the audio output but consume valuable CPU resources.

Normalizer is a compact plugin designed to eliminate these tiny floating point values, preventing the CPU from entering denormal mode. By effectively canceling out these inaudible signals, Normalizer ensures smooth and efficient audio sequencing without unnecessary processor strain. This makes it an essential tool for maintaining optimal performance during silent or decay phases in your music production.