Tape Saturation

[DavePiatek]

For those who use tape saturation plug-ins: Where do you put the saturation in your signal chain?

 

[Full_Tilt]

To get close to the original method , I would place last for tracking and then EQ the track further if needed .

 

[The-Zeronaut]

it depends

Master buss/track buses : always last
"normal" tracks: mostly first

 

[cool9]

Last. Busses, master.

 

[abt]

I don't think it really matters that much, what ever sounds best. I usually put it first because if you mixing from an actual tape the character of the tape would be on there before you hit any outboard gear, you couldn't just bypass that sound and put it last in the chain. Having said all that I often put it last.

 

[chrisjmp]

Last. Busses, master.

Same here mostly. Saturation on busses is almost always for some subtle glue for me and anything on an individual track is more as an effect. I've never put much thought into trying to emulate analog workflow, I just do what sounds good.

 

[Harley Barley]

saturation is a form of compression so usually putting it before a compressor won't make the compressor pump as hard. if really depends on what you are trying to do when you are saturating something and what you are doing with the other processors it will change for all of them.

 

[Heabow]

Usually first on the tracks and always last on the busses and master buss.

 

[nialldoran]

last, i use it in both plugin form and a little two track revox b77 machine, i like to put it last so i can eq into it, puss bass more in kicks etc to make it nasty (in a good way)

 

[C_F_H_13]

Source tracks it's always the first insert and master buss it's always the last.

The silly way I look at it is that the tracks would be coming off a tape machine into the mixer and then hitting a tape machine last out of the desk. It's all kind of irrelevant as it's not really in the real domain, but that's how I look at it.

 

[alex-sonic]

I always put first in my master chain, but maybe I have to try at the end of it!

 

[HOFX]

I always try to emulate the work flow of a real desk and tape machine (first on tracks, last on master buss before FG-X), simply because that's one less decision I have to mull on.

 

[Machinated]

generally as I'd use the real equivalents unless I'm going for a specific effect thats "part" of the sound.

 

[JasinElric]

my bad for mucking up the poll, for some reason i confused the console emulation for tape saturation. Tape is usually last on my chain

 

[Fox Mulder]

I find it flexible to use it first in the chain for whichever track needs it. That way I don't have to worry about running in too hot or cold into the tape saturator while mixing. I just like to put it there once and forget about it, you know?

 

[botus99]

Last on the master

Tracks... neither. I place preamp/console saturation first, THEN tape, then console saturation at the end of the chain.