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?

 

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

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.

 

This


and THIS







Good stuff

 

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

 

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

 

Spoiler: ChatGPT

You're welcome.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

Black Box Analog Design HG-2

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

 

Where can I find that in Saturn 2

 

Spoiler: Source: ChatGPT KI

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.

 

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