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# Remove low-frequency rumble with highpass
- URL: https://ffmpeguru.com/remove-low-frequency-rumble-with-highpass/
- Published: 2026-09-04T09:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-13T17:59:42.000Z
- Author: FFmpeguru
- Tags: ffmpeg

![](https://picsum.photos/seed/ffback25/1200/630)

Most recordings have a low-frequency rumble below 80 Hz: HVAC noise, handling noise, mic stand vibrations, wind. The \`highpass\` filter removes everything below a cutoff frequency, leaving the speech or music intact. It is a one-line fix for the most common audio problem.

## The command

```
ffmpeg -i in.wav -af "highpass=f=80:poles=2" out.wav
```

## What it does

The filter passes everything above the cutoff frequency and attenuates everything below. \`f=80\` sets the cutoff to 80 Hz; \`poles=2\` is the slope of the filter, in this case 12 dB per octave. A 2-pole filter is gentle; a 4-pole filter (\`poles=4\`) is steeper. For voice, start at 80 Hz; for music, 30 Hz; for a bass-heavy podcast, 120 Hz.

## Requirements

Any audio input. The filter is in libavfilter. CPU-only, single-pass. The filter is mono by default; for stereo, pass \`highpass=f=80:channels=stereo\` or run two instances with \`-af\` chains.

## Things to avoid

- Setting the cutoff above the fundamental of the speaker's voice. Male voice fundamental is around 100 Hz; setting the cutoff to 200 Hz will thin the voice noticeably.
- Using a very high \`poles\` value. A 4-pole filter introduces phase shift that can dull the sound. Start with \`poles=2\` and increase only if the rumble is still audible.
- Combining highpass with a lowpass that overlaps. A 30 Hz highpass and a 15 kHz lowpass on a voice recording leaves a flat, lifeless signal.
- Forgetting that the filter is in Hz, not kHz. \`f=80\` means 80 Hz, not 80 kHz.