Your Go-To Saturation

I set the Drive control where I think I want it but always try to keep the average of what I'm printing hitting 0 on the meter. If I need to increase the input a little to make that happen I use a trim plugin before VCC rather than the Input control if I can ... but that my starting point. Sometimes If I need an extra 3db to hit that sweet spot I'll use trim for 1.5db and then the Input control for the other 1.5 db ... you get it
 
I set the Drive control where I think I want it but always try to keep the average of what I'm printing hitting 0 on the meter. If I need to increase the input a little to make that happen I use a trim plugin before VCC rather than the Input control if I can ... but that my starting point. Sometimes If I need an extra 3db to hit that sweet spot I'll use trim for 1.5db and then the Input control for the other 1.5 db ... you get it

Gotcha. I was mainly referring to the quantity of saturation, though- in other words, if you're hitting 0 db on the VCC VU meter and the Drive is set to 12 o'clock- the default setting- the plugin should "engage" automatically and provide the default amount of saturation.

But the Drive knob also produces additional saturation without changing the input volume. So I guess what I'm asking is, all else equal and assuming you're at the input level you want, do you turn the Drive knob even more, or do you leave it at 12 o'clock and stick with the amount of saturation the plugin provides automatically? I ask because turning the Drive knob usually makes me go "ohhh NOW I hear it, that's cool," but it also can become overwhelming, like Ermz mentioned.
 
I'm not so experienced using saturators, but I really like TLs Saturator. Especially on vocals, bass and clean guitars for that somewhat over driven sound.
 
Gotcha. I was mainly referring to the quantity of saturation, though- in other words, if you're hitting 0 db on the VCC VU meter and the Drive is set to 12 o'clock- the default setting- the plugin should "engage" automatically and provide the default amount of saturation.

But the Drive knob also produces additional saturation without changing the input volume. So I guess what I'm asking is, all else equal and assuming you're at the input level you want, do you turn the Drive knob even more, or do you leave it at 12 o'clock and stick with the amount of saturation the plugin provides automatically? I ask because turning the Drive knob usually makes me go "ohhh NOW I hear it, that's cool," but it also can become overwhelming, like Ermz mentioned.

yeah like I mentioned, I set it where I think I want it :)

usually I'll just listen to something running through in solo and move the Drive knob to where I think I'm liking it. I've set it as high as 4 and other times I just keep it at 0

I never drop it lower than 0 though and usually I'm somewhere between 2-3
 
I am still using Massey Tapehead and the super overlooked and stellar sounding Reel Tape Saturation by Digidesign.
 
Satin, the saturation knob that comes built in in studio one, Sturgis gain reduction and waves 76 blue channel and compressor off.