Effects units to add warmth

[Libertine Lush]

I'm curious to know if effects units, besides ones made specifically for adding warmth, can be used specifically to add warmth to the sound of a synthesizer.

If so, which types of effects units (chorus, delay, reverb, etc) would be used, what specifications should I look for and which models if there are standouts you think suitable for this?

Thanks for any help.

[RichieWitch]

When I think of "warmth", I think of the distortion caused by tube saturation.

I usually use the Voxengo Tube Amp plugin if I'm staying "in the box". Musicrow also has a really nice Preamp Emulator that works well. Both of these are free. There are many others to choose from as well, depending on your tastes and musical style.

If you are working with a hardware synth, or if your audio interface has the appropriate routing options, you can also use a small tube preamp, like the ART Tube MP Studio. They are pretty inexpensive; I think I pad less than $40 for mine.

[Libertine Lush]

When I think of "warmth", I think of the distortion caused by tube saturation.

I usually use the Voxengo Tube Amp plugin if I'm staying "in the box". Musicrow also has a really nice Preamp Emulator that works well.

I've yet to work with pre-amps yet, so my limited understanding was that they're used for weak signals like mics and guitars to prepare them for connection to an amp.

So apparently they can be just as readily used to add warmth/saturation? Do you find they make a big difference?

If you are working with a hardware synth, or if your audio interface has the appropriate routing options, you can also use a small tube preamp, like the ART Tube MP Studio.

Typically, what connections are needed for such routing? Is it as simple as connecting my hardware synth to a preamp and then the premap to my audio interface?

Thank you.

EDIT: I just read that reverb can be used to fill out a sound, which I do find to be the case in my limited experience with them. Do you think there are certain reverbs that are suitable for what I want?

[Phorous]

Sonimus Burnley73 has a great preamp emulation for adding some saturation for $50. I don't know how it compares to a real Neve 1073 but I find it does really add some subtle warmth to a sound.

Console emulations are another option as well such as the different Sonimus emulations and Slate VCC.

[RichieWitch]

So apparently they can be just as readily used to add warmth/saturation? Do you find they make a big difference?

Just to be clear--not just any preamp. For the type of warmth I'm describing, you need a tube preamp.

Depending on the plugin in question, the amount of warmth can be very subtle or quite dramatic. I find the Voxengo Tube Amp doesn't have the most realistic saturation sound, but it works perfectly me, especially for electronic bass lines when I want them "warm and fuzzy". The sound difference is quite dramatic.

Klanghelm, on the other hand, makes a tube preamp plugin that sounds very much like real tube circuitry (to my ears anyway). The IVGI has incredible character and would be really good on the sounds of live instruments or vocals, where you want to add realistic tube transients that are noticeable.

To do something similar with hardware, again it takes a tube preamp, and you have to overdrive the input to essentially "saturate" the tube circuit with electrons. The electrical response of the tube in this over-driven state is what causes this characteristic sound, although any tube circuit will add some amount of "tube warmth" to the recording.

I find that subtle tube warmth (from a hardware preamp) is good for mid/high drum machine sounds, like snares and hats, whereas over-driven tube saturation works better on synth leads and pads. If you can find a preamp with transformer stages, I also find the creaminess of an over-driven transformer sounds amazing on synth sounds as well.

[Libertine Lush]

Thank you for the further explanation!

I find that subtle tube warmth (from a hardware preamp) is good for mid/high drum machine sounds, like snares and hats, whereas over-driven tube saturation works better on synth leads and pads. If you can find a preamp with transformer stages, I also find the creaminess of an over-driven transformer sounds amazing on synth sounds as well.

That's great to know--synths and drum machines happen to be what I primarily use.

[do_androids_dream]

I concur on Voxengo Tube Amp and IVGI. Both good for adding a bit of sizzle to synths or electronic drums.

[mockingquantum]

Personally I use SoundToys Decapitator to add some warmth to synths. At low settings, it functions more like a compressor than an out-and-out distortion effect, but you still get some harmonic distortion added in. It doesn't take much, but it can add a nice bit of life to the sound.

[Libertine Lush]

Thank you! I'll look into that.

[djanthonyw]

Klanghelm MJUC.

[4damind]

I don't think that hardware is an option because such preamps can be very expensive especially if you need 2 channels...
For ITB, a Tape+Console emulation or an EQ/Compressor with emulated preamp (there are some available like the Waves Scheps 73, Slate VMR etc) can help.

[simon.a.billington]

Yeah 500 series processors are getting more an more popular as is ones on a budget level. The market is growing all the time. So you could try and suss those out.

Look at anything with a characteristic preamp, I know Lindell has one. The great thing is it also appears as a Plugin Alliance plugin, so you could download a demo and trial it before committing if that was the direction you wanted to go. Neve, I think has something that will emulate tape characteristics, among its preamps. There should be others as well.

Alternatively maybe a characteristic 500 series eq would be your direction. Something you could mess with live to get the right tone you wanted.

Most of my stuff I do virtually, but i would like to go the 500 direction someday. I'll use a few different approaches depending on what I was after, but generally speaking I mostly do this as an engineer. As a musician/composer I try to keep everything as simple as possible and worry about the engineering side of things when I get there.

I do say I am a particular fan of the NLS and that Lindell plugin I was telling you about.

[Libertine Lush]

Thanks a lot for the recommendations, simon. I'll take a look at them.

[synzh]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan10/a ... synths.htm

[Saukar30]

You could possibly check Skonte's Disto as well