Do you have a Go-To Plugin for Warming Up, Saturation, +Character ?

[Smart Audio Solution]

Late to this one, but relevant. Been mixing for 35 years and spent time on the software side before starting my own brand, so I've used and built saturation plugins from both ends. Most end up being variations on the same 3-4 flavors. Built my own instead - Box Of Color, no brand names or gear references on the GUI on purpose, just ears. The 7 modules are interactive - tweaking one changes what the next does, so you get some musical unpredictability instead of a fixed recipe. Two selectable GUI skins too. $39.50 intro if anyone's curious: https://www.audioloom.com/smartaudiosol ... -color-one

[billinder33]

something by Korneff

The Amplified Instrument Processor is out of this world. My favorite character plugin. Absolute sledgehammer of analog gooeyness!

[kernaudioio]

most of these recommendations are great but they all get lumped together as "warmth" when they're doing pretty different things. tube-style saturation leans on even harmonics (2nd, 4th) which the ear reads as fuller/rounder, transformer and tape push more odd-order plus a frequency-dependent softening, which is why tape sounds "smooth on top" and a pushed transformer sounds "thick" rather than bright. so the useful question isn't "which warmth plugin" but "do you want body (even) or grit/edge (odd), and where in the spectrum." pick by the harmonic profile you're after and a lot of the choices sort themselves out.

[osiris]

I like Baby Audio TAIP, but it can be aggressive. TB Reelbus can be good. Also been playing with the free and great Klanghelm IVGI.

[Constructed Identity]

I also use IVGI 2, also DC8C3, Satin, Tube Amp, Wires, SDRR2...