Tubes often sound “warm” as well, but this more likely due to the second-order harmonic, which is closer to the fundamental frequency and lower in the frequency spectrum. Tube saturation creates a strong second-order harmonics, as well as both even and odd harmonics, depending on how significantly the tube is being saturated. In addition to creating soft-knee compression, saturation also results in harmonic generation harmonic generation depends primarily on the electrical components that are being saturated.Ī positive charge in a tube inhibits the flow of electrons, in turn compressing its electrical output This often results in compression that is less perceivable (depending on how much of the signal is being compressed). The compression employed by a saturated electrical component is soft-knee in nature, meaning that the signal will gradually be compressed, as opposed to instantly like with a hard-knee setting. How Does Soft-knee Compression Relate to Saturation? This will make the sound of the recording more detailed and complex, as the often masked aspects of an instrument, mix or master will become perceivable. Limiting, a form of compression with a high ratio, attenuates dynamic peaks while amplifying low-level signals.Īfter compression, if you increase the amplitude of the entire signal, you have in turn increased the amplitude of the quietest aspects of the recording to the greatest degree.
