Saturate saturation plugin interface by Newfangled Audio

Saturate: Spectral Clipper Saturation Plugin by Newfangled Audio Free Download

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (935 ratings)

Saturate is a saturation plugin from Newfangled Audio that overdrives audio with a spectral clipper designed to keep the tonal balance intact. It works on single tracks or full mixes and is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Saturate is an effects plugin in the saturation category, built around a Spectral Clipper algorithm also used in the Elevate Mastering Limiter. Its controls are deliberately simple: Newfangled Audio says the plugin can add up to 24 dB of overdrive while avoiding the muffled, tubby sound that heavy clipping often produces. It is suited to individual tracks as well as the master bus.

Best for

Track saturation
Mix bus overdrive
Adding harmonics
Gain staging
Clipping control

Developer: Newfangled Audio
Category: Saturation
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Spectral Clipper designed to preserve tonal balance under overdrive
Up to 24 dB of overdrive, per the developer
SHAPE control morphs from hard clipping to smooth curves
Symmetry control adds even harmonics for a richer tone
Ceiling control sets the clipping threshold
Independent INPUT and OUTPUT levels with AUTO output scaling
Saturation curve display and clipping meter
Input and output metering showing peak and RMS levels

03In depth

Spectral Clipper Sound and Character

Conventional saturators can lose midrange and high-frequency detail when low frequencies dominate the waveform. Newfangled Audio explains that Saturate treats the sine components of the signal independently, so low frequencies do not crowd out finer detail. The developer says the output keeps the same tonal balance as the input, with harmonics added.

The SHAPE control morphs the clipping curve from hard clipping to the smoothest curve the developer can produce. Symmetry adds even harmonics for a richer tone, and Ceiling sets the clipping threshold. Anti-aliasing is handled without oversampling, which the developer says removes aliasing artifacts more efficiently.

Metering, Gain Staging and Workflow

Independent INPUT and OUTPUT levels make gain staging straightforward, and AUTO output level scaling helps match loudness after processing. A Saturation Curve Display and meter show how the signal is hitting the selected clipping shape.

Input and output metering show both peak and RMS levels, which helps when you need to judge how hard the signal is being driven before and after the saturator.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Newfangled Audio
Type	Plugin
Category	Saturation
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Saturate?

Saturate is a saturation effects plugin from Newfangled Audio. It uses a Spectral Clipper algorithm to overdrive audio while aiming to keep the tonal balance of the input.