How do you create distortion purposely in your analogue chain?

[Tubefreak]

Like you, i use a vari mu for some distortion. I find that several little steps get the best results. So the tube drive from the SPL Kultube is sometimes used (settings below 50% with modified tubes) too.

A heavenly modified Sound Skulptor STS is also very nice to add some transformer sheen and coil distortion (internal diode clippers are unused in my unit).

[wado1942]

When I'm mixing (rarely) I generally mix to 1/4" so I can hit the tape harder for more distortion. In mastering, I could use the electronics in my AMPEX AG-440C for line amps and saturate the transformers a little if I wanted. Otherwise, I generally try avoid distortion in the mastering as I feel that's more like something that should be done in earlier stages of production.

[Spartacus]

Originally Posted by Tubefreak

Like you, i use a vari mu for some distortion. I find that several little steps get the best results. So the tube drive from the SPL Kultube is sometimes used (settings below 50% with modified tubes) too.

A heavenly modified Sound Skulptor STS is also very nice to add some transformer sheen and coil distortion (internal diode clippers are unused in my unit).

Thanks for the answer!
Didn't know about the STS box, it looks great!
I read on your site you have the Lundahl tranny Kultube, I guess it worth it.
Do you think at some point phase shift in the highs may be one of the reasons (with harmonic distortion of course) for transformers smoothness and tape distortion flavour?

As you have a custom made vari-mu based on the Phoenix, do you know if the input gain pot can distort the input transformers or is it located after in the signal path and then can drive only the valve?

cheers!

[polybonk]

Culture Vulture in parallel with eq/filters before and (if needed) after.

[gregor z]

Vertigo VSM 2 - IMHO the most versatile mastering "distortion" generator

[Spartacus]

Originally Posted by gregor z

Vertigo VSM 2 - IMHO the most versatile mastering "distortion" generator

This looks awesome indeed, I wish to get a secondhand one, can't afford a new one for now.

[ORC]

Originally Posted by Spartacus

Hi,

How do you manage distortion purposely in your analogue chain and which gear do you use for it?

I'm using the input gain in the T.C. Phoenix to boost purposely around 10dBu, sometimes more, to rise T.H.D. inside the signal path (transformers and valve) before the threshold detection (even sometimes without using compression at all) to get a natural compression and some richness with the harmonics only brought by the fact that the signal starts to distort a little internally. Of course it depends of the musical content.

Many of other valve or transformers design compressors can't both play with input gain AND threshold, it means when the compressor detect a certain amount of dBu (by rising the input gain or turning down the threshold pot, depending of the compressor design) it starts to compress, so you depend on what the constructor have decided concerning the behaviour of his machine (circuitry design, headroom components…) You can't really decide to saturate the components the way you want.

Do you use some compressors to create purposely some euphonic distortion? which ones? Do you like valve, transformers or even FET transistor for it?

Or do you use something else? Not taking into account all DSP or tape/valve distortion digital emulation, etc...

cheers!

Tape.

[Huntley Miller]

I don't do it.

[scottwilson]

ProCo Rat.

[scottwilson]

Oh - this is the mastering forum.

A pair of matched ProCo Rats with stepped pots.

[t_d]

my Rats are modified with 0.0000001 steps.

Originally Posted by scottwilson

Oh - this is the mastering forum.

A pair of matched ProCo Rats with stepped pots.

[teebaum]

i like the saturation posibilitys of my buzzaudio req2.2
if i need mure glue and saturation, i use my studer 1/2" a80 mark1

[ORC]

Dual Boss Metal Zone pedals with Lundahl input and output transformers, rack mounted of course, with Elma stepped switches I scrapped from my Buzz Eq. I really don't need any other Eq's anymore, since the MZ's have semi parametrric mid bands. This thing sounds just gorgeous, especially on, classical, Jazz, and other acoustic projects. Couldn't be happier.

[Tubefreak]

Originally Posted by Spartacus

Thanks for the answer!
Didn't know about the STS box, it looks great!
I read on your site you have the Lundahl tranny Kultube, I guess it worth it.
Do you think at some point phase shift in the highs may be one of the reasons (with harmonic distortion of course) for transformers smoothness and tape distortion flavour?

As you have a custom made vari-mu based on the Phoenix, do you know if the input gain pot can distort the input transformers or is it located after in the signal path and then can drive only the valve?

cheers!

Many of my clients have limited setups and small amounts of distortion helps a lot to get a thicker sound.

On my varimu, the input gain is before the tranny, on the output it's after the tranny. But they don't distort, tubes are a lot more sensitive.

The Sound Skulptor STS is a really nice unit and worth checking out. My advice is to cut the diodes out to get a more transparent sound. Makes a huge difference. The modified unit goes a lot further and has somewhat in common with the VSM2: independent tranny/zener/coil distortion, 10 'tape' voicings, neve and pikatron transformers, fully adjustable per channel, etc.

The Lundahls in the Kultube are nice, but they don't add any tape like qualities to audio. Just a little sheen and seem to subtly re-order the audio. The trannies in the STS are hand picked after a lot of testing. Lundahls where ok but too normal, the Neve was very nice and had instant charisma and the Pikatron gave a sense of urgency and sounds very well balanced.

Gonna add a box with only trannies sometime in the future, just for fun.

Kind regards,
Maarten

[Mr. Bars]

There is no particular mastering kind of distortion versatile for all cases. There is no even mastering kind of distortion per se. Subtle amount of... maybe. Different flavors... seems to be so. But you can use any type of analogue gear designed specifically for this purpose or play with units which have integrated distortion element. You can find many threads about that here. Every folk use his own suit of corresponding tools based on his experiences in context of his personal audio life and that in his opinion are suitable for achieving required goals. There are no any rules at all. Tape? For sure. Anamod or Portico Tape FX? Yes. Tube overdrive? Yes - use any high quality valve compressor, EQ or pre with no spoof tube pass to drive it. Preamps?. Yes - Neve style units, API or Chandler with input and output control works pretty well and many of us use it every day. And so on so on... Germanium drive, TG1 THD mode, Distressors, Fatso, Culture Vulture, Manly, Summit, Requisite - you can use any of them and many others if you know what it does and what you expect to hear. I can only wish you find your own magic combination.

Originally Posted by Spartacus

Hi,

How do you manage distortion purposely in your analogue chain and which gear do you use for it?

I'm using the input gain in the T.C. Phoenix to boost purposely around 10dBu, sometimes more, to rise T.H.D. inside the signal path (transformers and valve) before the threshold detection (even sometimes without using compression at all) to get a natural compression and some richness with the harmonics only brought by the fact that the signal starts to distort a little internally. Of course it depends of the musical content.

Many of other valve or transformers design compressors can't both play with input gain AND threshold, it means when the compressor detect a certain amount of dBu (by rising the input gain or turning down the threshold pot, depending of the compressor design) it starts to compress, so you depend on what the constructor have decided concerning the behaviour of his machine (circuitry design, headroom components…) You can't really decide to saturate the components the way you want.

Do you use some compressors to create purposely some euphonic distortion? which ones? Do you like valve, transformers or even FET transistor for it?

Or do you use something else? Not taking into account all DSP or tape/valve distortion digital emulation, etc...

cheers!