Audio 101: The different Saturation types and how they sound

If you’re new to the term, saturation came from driving a signal into or through a piece of analog gear too hot. It would make the tube run hotter, it would make tape get a compressed sound, and it would create an almost breakup sound from transistors.
This time, we’ll take a drum loop and push these types of saturation a little hard to really emphasize the saturation types and, more importantly, allow us to listen to what the different sound of saturation are.
These are just a few examples, and they each have different uses and characteristics. We’ll also show what saturation is doing to the wave form!
Have a question about Presonus Studio One? Ask in the comments and I'll make your question into a video for everyone else to learn from!
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[@rohaxfx001]

Clean 1:44 Tube 3:23 Tape 6:07 Transistor 7:41

[@highclassbeats333]

Great job bro 🔥 💯 👍

[@TimTalksAudio]

Thanks!

[@WyattBrown377]

The Kush Omega 458a plugin you used for transistor saturation doesn't actually emulate transistors! It emulates tubes and transformers. What you probably meant to use was the Kush TWK which does indeed emulate transistors.

[@alanbangura7949]

This explanation was awesome!

[@matthewjones8510]

Tim always does such a good job

[@musictomotion]

Great job on explaining and showing how saturation works and affects the transients! :)

[@TimTalksAudio]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@powlobo.m.b.]

great explanation and comparison!

[@TimTalksAudio]

Glad you liked it!

[@godawg1023]

This was extremely helpful!

[@TimTalksAudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yusufkun_]

thanks Tim

[@sevenhxrecords677]

Thanks bro...great video

[@TimTalksAudio]

Thank you!

[@newguy6935]

Very helpful video. As I am studying this topic now, can you tell me what the differences are between distortion, saturation, and exciters? Kinda confused by all this and having a little trouble getting the answers. Also, while I was aware that saturation "thickened" the audio, I wasn't aware that it lessened the transients. Very helpful seeing those waveforms imposed on each other.

[@briancase6180]

Kazrog true iron for transformer saturation. Black box HG-2MS for tube. Wow, both are great. Big Al and Phil's cascade are good options too. Distressor/arouser for compression units.

[@TimTalksAudio]

Kazrog makes killer stuff and is a nice dude! PA of course makes great plugins too.

[@marsrivers]

Redlight is trully a Gem

Good video, explanation and everything. The comparison of the waveforms at the end, very illustrative, thank you very much. I have a question, what is the difference between a saturator and an aural exciter?

[@TimTalksAudio]

You're very welcome! An aural exciter generally hypes up the high end of a signal. Depending on the unit used, it can do this with mulitband dynamics on the high end, high end saturation or a number of other methods.

@@TimTalksAudio Great!, thank you very much Tim.

[@campar1043]

If I’m not mistaken this is also soft clipping(except transistor?)which helps tame transients which lowers the peak volumes but increases perceived loudness which in turn helps with a louder sound master that’s not so crushed ?

[@TransistorLSD]

Every saturation/distortion also soft-clips the signal. Different terms, same thing.

[@campar1043]

@@TransistorLSD saturation also adds harmonics whereas clipping doesn’t?

[@TransistorLSD]

@@campar1043 Clipping also adds harmonics. Clipping & saturation & distortion - different words for the exact same thing.

[@campar1043]

@@TransistorLSD oh I thought clipping was exclusively rounding off transients

[@TheVeksha]

transformer or transistor?

[@bassaroo]

Thanks, Tim - very helpful! One question I have is how did you get the Kush plugins to work properly in Studio One? I was demoing the four you mentioned and was really in love with them - especially the N and the A, then there was a huge blast of sound. I quit the program and restarted my computer, but the program crashed every time I tried to open that session. I was only able to open the session after deleting all the Kush plugins from my Mac's library (Running Catalina). Maybe you're on Studio One 5 (I'm on 4). Really hoping I can get those Kush to work for me! Thanks!

[@TimTalksAudio]

You may need to upgrade. I am running S1v5, and I was using the AU version of the plugins (on Mac) so you may want to try the VST2 versions as well. They should be compatible with v4 too though.

[@bassaroo]

Tim Talks Audio Thanks for the reply, Tim! You know, good point about the AU plugins - I didn't even think of that. I've only used the different VST versions every time I use plugins - maybe that's the problem?... Do you always use the AU versions of plugins? Is there any problem with "mix and match" using VSTs and AU in the same session? Cheers!

[@TimTalksAudio]

No, I don't always use the AU version of plugins. My "usual" series goes VST3, then AU, then VST2. I just keep track of how my system preforms with "that" version of a plugin. If i'm getting issues, I switch to another "style". I'll have to do more research to see if there's any differences in plugin format other then containers and compatibility. And of course you can mix and match! What ever works best on your system!

[@bassaroo]

Tim Talks Audio Thanks, Tim - I appreciate your reply.

[@AceKxld]

You kinda remind me of The manager on Dave FX

[@digitalstudiosystem9556]

Una demo sulle voci?

[@TimTalksAudio]

I can work on a video showing how they effect voices! Stay tuned and be sure to subscribe!

[@ayoubthegreat]

FYI. this video was normalized to -6.1 db under "stats for nerds" so you could use that info on future videos.

[@JMBvideo]

Except its all digital. (Not real tubes)

[@ye_boi]

I'm deaf, can't notice any difference :(

[@TimTalksAudio]

make sure to listen on headphones or studio monitors. It is subtle, but there are differences.

[@redkay7969]

me neighter

[@AuddityHipHop]

am i the only one who can never hear saturation unless its distorting the track?

[@TimTalksAudio]

As you slowly add in the saturation, listen for the mids of the track to start to add thickness! Saturation can also sometimes because adding harmonics because of how the process works and what it's doing! Maybe I'll make a video just on listening for saturation/other effects, thanks for the suggestion.