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Official effect

Console Preamp

Low-gain saturator with extra low-end weight and a darker top, currently sharing the Tape Preamp core.

The active path is the same as Tape Preamp: high-pass cleanup, a heavier low shelf, modest 930 Hz emphasis, one gentle tanh stage, and a deliberately restrained post-drive high shelf. That gives it the feel of a thickening preamp color, but the current preview is not yet differentiated into a separate console-style saturation model.

  • Drive, Boost & Saturation
  • Library #9
  • Preview 8s

Waveform preview

Static peaks come from the compiled FAUST preview render. The live scope is drawn from the browser playback output in real time.

Timeline
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Source
Compiled browser preview
Live oscilloscope from the browser playback output.AnalyserNode keeps the signal path unchanged while exposing the waveform.

How It Works

Technical view

The active path is the same as Tape Preamp: high-pass cleanup, a heavier low shelf, modest 930 Hz emphasis, one gentle tanh stage, and a deliberately restrained post-drive high shelf. That gives it the feel of a thickening preamp color, but the current preview is not yet differentiated into a separate console-style saturation model.

  • Drive, Boost & Saturation
  • waveshaping / saturation
  • delay processing
  • oscillator / LFO modulation
  • DC blocking

Signal Path

Compiled preview chain

Preview source: An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it reaches the active drive path.

  1. 1internal picked-string demo phrase
  2. 2stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
  3. 3high-pass cleanup
  4. 4stronger low-shelf thickening and modest 930 Hz contour shaping
  5. 5gentle single tanh saturation stage
  6. 6restrained post-drive high-shelf compensation
  7. 7dry / wet mix
  8. 8DC blocker
  9. 9output gain trim
  10. 10final tanh limiter

Preview source

An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it reaches the active drive path.

Effect core

Gentle single-stage tanh saturator currently sharing the Tape Preamp core with strong low-shelf thickening.

Signal path

The static waveform and the live player both reflect this compiled signal chain.

  • internal picked-string demo phrase
  • stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
  • high-pass cleanup
  • stronger low-shelf thickening and modest 930 Hz contour shaping
  • gentle single tanh saturation stage
  • restrained post-drive high-shelf compensation
  • dry / wet mix
  • DC blocker
  • output gain trim
  • final tanh limiter

Controls that matter

These are the currently active controls detected in the FAUST source for this effect.

  • mix: Blends the clean stereo preview source with the low-gain saturator path.
  • output_gain_db: Applies final level trim after the DC blocker and before the limiter.
  • drive: Raises the input multiplier into a gentle single tanh stage.
  • tone: Adjusts a restrained post-drive high shelf.
  • contour: Pushes more low shelf and a modest 930 Hz contour before saturation.

Code-backed analysis

The generated description is tied to the active helper blocks and routing found in the current DSP.

  • demo
  • fx
  • outputStage
  • leftDemo
  • rightDemo
  • driveTone
  • phraseMono
  • previewShiftSamples

Controls

Audible controls in this DSP

  • mix

    Active

    Blends the clean stereo preview source with the low-gain saturator path.

    Lower values retain more unaffected attack; higher values emphasize the thicker preamp color.

  • output_gain_db

    Active

    Applies final level trim after the DC blocker and before the limiter.

    Matches loudness without changing the amount of saturation.

  • drive

    Active

    Raises the input multiplier into a gentle single tanh stage.

    Adds harmonic density and soft compression without moving quickly into heavy distortion.

  • tone

    Active

    Adjusts a restrained post-drive high shelf.

    Lets the saturator stay dark and dense or open slightly for more presence.

  • contour

    Active

    Pushes more low shelf and a modest 930 Hz contour before saturation.

    Adds weight and low-mid body to the preamp voice.

Analysis

Code-derived notes

Reviewed against the current DSP. The current preview shares the same active low-gain thickener core as Tape Preamp and is not yet a differentiated console-specific circuit.

Active blocks

  • demo
  • fx
  • outputStage
  • leftDemo
  • rightDemo
  • driveTone
  • phraseMono
  • previewShiftSamples
  • softsat
  • pickedVoice
  • fund
  • pickEnv
  • ampEnv
  • triggerAt
  • maxDelaySamples

Inactive helpers

  • synthVoice
  • organVoice
  • bellVoice
  • quantize
  • combLP
  • echoOnly
  • diffuser

Warnings

No current warnings are attached to this effect.

Source

  • library/drive-boost-saturation/console-preamp.dsp
  • Output stage: DC blocker -> output gain trim -> final tanh limiter
  • Library position: 9

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Each effect page uses the same generated description pipeline and compiled waveform preview assets.

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