Any plugins with pentode distortion?

Discussion in 'Software' started by grrarrrgh, Jun 15, 2025.

  1. grrarrrgh

    grrarrrgh Member

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    Found out that the new Arturia mix drums effect has pentode distortion which seemed like something you don’t usually find and now I’m looking for something standalone that might have this type of distortion, even a VCV module would help… any good ones not like tied to a bundle or stuff like waves/overloud?
     
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  3. PulseWave

    PulseWave Rock Star

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    Blamsoft XFX Tube --> https://blamsoft.com/xfx-distortion-pack/

    Part of the free XFX Distortion Pack, this module offers tube distortion effects suitable for various applications. It's designed for use within the VCV Rack environment

     
    Last edited: Jun 15, 2025
  4. Lube Bag

    Lube Bag Producer

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    SoundToys Decapitator ('P' button) and BlackBox HG2 (literally has a 'Pentode' knob lol) both have it.

    UAD's Culture Vulture (which the Decapitator T and P modes actually emulate) has the P1 and P2 settings too.
     
  5. muse2love

    muse2love Producer

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    This
    [​IMG]

    and THIS

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    [​IMG]

    Good stuff
     
  6. wanderer

    wanderer Producer

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    There's a triode / pentode switch on the Wavegrove HCL Varis compressor. The sound is very different between the two modes.
     
  7. grrarrrgh

    grrarrrgh Member

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    Thanks for the suggestions, if any other ones come up I’ll have to look
     
  8. jhagen

    jhagen Platinum Record

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    You're welcome.
     
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  9. Blu

    Blu Producer

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    Arturia Dist TUBE-CULTURE has it. It emulates Thermionik Culture's Culture Vulture hardware
     
  10. mk_96

    mk_96 Audiosexual

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    PA Black Box HG-2, Vertigo VSM-4, Arturia Tube-Vulture, Arturia Coldfire (probably they just took the pentode mode from that one and put it into Mix Drums)

    Also "Pentode" is just a classification of tubes and also refers to how they're wired into a circuit, so anything with tubes in it might give you "pentode distortion", even if it doesn't use those words. So give those a shot too.
     
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  11. ptpatty

    ptpatty Platinum Record

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    AnalogxAI has some great Pentode, Triode and Tape emulations for their Genesis plugin. It's fiddly and CPU intensive but nothing sounds better to me.
     
  12. tzzsmk

    tzzsmk Audiosexual

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    Black Box Analog Design HG-2 :yes:

    and Fabfilter Saturn 2 can probably do that too, but it's not explicitly named so
     
  13. mkdj77

    mkdj77 Member

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    Where can I find that in Saturn 2
     
  14. PulseWave

    PulseWave Rock Star

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    In FabFilter Saturn 2, there isn't a saturation style explicitly named "Pentode", but there are several tube-style saturation types that can emulate the kind of harmonic behavior you'd expect from pentode tube circuits.

    Here's how to find similar saturation styles:
    1. Add a Band
      Click anywhere on the spectrum display to add a band.

    2. Select Saturation Style
      In the band’s interface, click on the saturation style dropdown menu (this shows styles like “Clean Tube,” “Warm Tube,” “Broken Tube,” etc.).

    3. Tube-Style Options to Try
      For pentode-like behavior, try these:
      • Warm Tube: More even-order harmonics, smooth tube warmth.

      • Clean Tube: Subtle tube coloration without overdriving.

      • Broken Tube: More aggressive and asymmetrical, could simulate more extreme pentode-like character.

      • American Tape / British Rock: Sometimes emulate tube gear coloration in a musical context.
      While Saturn 2 doesn’t label its saturation types explicitly by tube topology (like “pentode” or “triode”), these styles are based on those analog models.

    4. Tweak Dynamics & Drive
      Use the Drive, Tone, and Dynamics controls to further shape the harmonic content. Pentode circuits tend to produce more odd-order harmonics than triodes, so increasing drive and slightly tweaking dynamics can help emulate that.

    5. Modulation (Optional)
      For more realism or movement, add modulation sources to parameters like Drive or Tone.
    If you're looking for a plugin that specifically models pentode behavior, you might look at:

    • Klanghelm SDRR or IVGI (with tube settings)

    • Soundtoys Decapitator

    • PSP VintageWarmer

    • Kazrog True Iron (has tube/transformer modeling, though it's more subtle)
    Let me know what kind of sound you're going for (e.g., warm, fuzzy, aggressive), and I can guide you more precisely within Saturn 2.
     
  15. grrarrrgh

    grrarrrgh Member

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    I realized that a while ago, turns out it was already hidden in my system and now I can’t get rid of it
     
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