Distorters / Saturators

Can a pedal really replicate the classic studio sound of a tweed‑era Champ?

As the name implies, Tupe emulates both tape and tubes — but it goes a bit further than most other saturators.

These valve‑based pedals offer DSP speaker emulation, USB audio interfacing and comprehensive EQ.

Derived from the custom valve console in Brittany’s famous Kerwax studio, the Replica harks back to a bygone age.

This plug-in’s primary role is in beefing up drum and percussion sounds, though it can also work well on bass parts or to add a sheen of analogue warmth to other instruments.

If your sounds need a lift, perhaps you need Rift?

Love stompboxes but find pedal compressors frustratingly untweakable? This one’s designed with you in mind...

This powerful digital stompbox is far more than just a distortion pedal...

While the Vena Cava Filter is a distortion pedal at heart, the main functions of this unit are an auto-filter and ring modulator.

The Super Freq by Holy Island Audio is not for the subtle tone seeker, as it is wild and unruly — but in the most wonderful way!

Audio files to accompany SOS May 2021's Saturation Stratgeies workshop.

Saturation effects can be used in different ways to make mixing easier. Find out how...

There are many types of distortion that can be pressed into service in the name of musical creativity, ranging from soft...

We check out four pedals that emulate classic amplifier types.

The kings of dynamic convolution take on producer Mike Dean’s signal chain.

BDE, or Big Distortion Engine for long, is the second plug‑in from producer and engineer Jordan Swift.

Delving into multiband distortion territory, God Mode offers three types of overdrive that can be dialled in at the same time.

SubBass Doctor 808 is designed to add sub-bass to sounds that already reside in the sub-50Hz low-frequency register.

From subtle warmth to full-on modulated mayhem, this plug‑in covers a lot of ground.

Warmth is the name of the game for these three EQs, which boast modelled Marinair transformers and a range of different virtual vacuum tubes.

This studio DI box goes further than most, adding character to a range of sources.