Analogue emulations in the red

[Planar]

Does it have a gain? Like the Satson and Sknote stripbus? I.e. dial in the saturation/EQ you like on the channel strip and then trim the gain down so the meters are at the same level if you bypass the plugin. Check that thread about "warmth" from a while back.

[Lost to the Void]

Read the manual. Some stuff is programmed to work when driven, some isn`t. Regardless the final output level should still be pulled down for other plugs in the chain.

Stuff like Satson is designed where you can push the VU. It`s not common though.

[bram2000]

Does it have a gain? Like the Satson and Sknote stripbus? I.e. dial in the saturation/EQ you like on the channel strip and then trim the gain down so the meters are at the same level if you bypass the plugin. Check that thread about "warmth" from a while back.

Taking Satson as an example, the big "Gain" knob is sort of pre-plugin though I think. If you lower this down your signal will drop below 0VU and you'll lose your nice analogue saturation. Leaving the gain high you would have to stick another gain plugin after Satson to lower the now saturated, >0VU signal down to something more reasonable.

Is that correct?

[mjudge]

The full version of Satson Channel has a back panel with an "Output Compensation" switch which I imagine takes care of it. If you have the CM version of the plug like me you have to stick another gain plug after it, like you said. I made a rack in Live with a Utility after the Satson and it reduces level as you crank up the gain on the Satson.

[Lost to the Void]

Does it have a gain? Like the Satson and Sknote stripbus? I.e. dial in the saturation/EQ you like on the channel strip and then trim the gain down so the meters are at the same level if you bypass the plugin. Check that thread about "warmth" from a while back.

Taking Satson as an example, the big "Gain" knob is sort of pre-plugin though I think. If you lower this down your signal will drop below 0VU and you'll lose your nice analogue saturation. Leaving the gain high you would have to stick another gain plugin after Satson to lower the now saturated, >0VU signal down to something more reasonable.

Is that correct?

I rarely push the satson so hard that I need to drop the gain afterwards as 0VU is -18db so even if you go over you still have a good amount of room (you can also change the VU scaling by clicking on it).
If you just want the saturation then you can switch the level compensation on.
If I have a long chain, at some point after the Satson I will need to drop the chain level, but most plugs have an input level or output level, so it`s no problem.

[rein]

an other option to look in is to get an old analogue mixer, or some pedals, or anything that you suspect to overdrive nicely.

i once picked up a crappy compressor from the 70s for almost nothing, compresses like shit but it sounds really magnificent when you drive it hot... cheap and effective if you want to go down that road.

[Program]

Regarding the Satson thingy; I have it as a 1st plugin in the chain & use its gain knob for levelling stuff to 0VU. Is that a correct thing to do? Sorry if I'm stealing the thread