SA2RATE 2
by Looptrotter · Saturation · Solid-state saturator
Not rated yet
SA2RATE 2 is a plugin version of Looptrotter's solid-state saturation circuit, made by Brainworx and approved by Looptrotter.
It adds low-order harmonics and gentle peak reduction, with filters to protect the lows and smooth the highs; it lists at $125.
Best for: Mix Bus, Drum Bus, Mastering, Bass, Vocals. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: solid-state, bus processing, warm, bass, drum bus, gentle, glue, mastering, mix bus, subtle, full mix, mid/side, wide, clean, extreme, built-in mix knob, mixing, parallel processing, single-band, smooth, subscription, thick, vocals.
What it does
SA2RATE 2 is the plugin version of Looptrotter's solid-state hardware saturator, sold through Plugin Alliance. It is built to add low-order harmonics and even out peaks without the pumping of a compressor.
- Drive: sets the input level and so the depth of saturation, with LEDs that light at 4% and 8% THD.
- LO Safe: a sweepable filter that keeps the low end out of the saturation so bass stays clean.
- HI Smooth: a continuously variable filter that controls how much the highs and transients are saturated.
- Dry/wet mix: blends saturated and dry signal for parallel use.
- Magic and Density: Magic adds analog-style warmth and opens up the mix; Density adds further harmonic thickness.
- Stereo tools: M/S processing, a Mono Maker for the low end and a Stereo Width control.
- TMT: Brainworx Tolerance Modeling Technology simulates small component differences between channels, as in real hardware.
First released in October 2022, version 1.2.0 (January 2026) has been on sale. A 14-day trial is available, and it is included in the CORE and PRO subscriptions.
Source: Looptrotter product page
When to use it
SA2RATE 2 is the better pick for subtle, controlled density on a bus or master rather than obvious distortion. Compared with the Black Box HG-2 it has a single solid-state character, but its LO Safe and HI Smooth filters give more direct control over which part of the spectrum saturates. It is far gentler than Decapitator, which is built to go into heavy grit. Next to Softube Saturation Knob it offers much more control, with M/S, width and mono-maker tools built in.
- Best for: glue and warmth on the mix bus and drum bus, and gentle density in mastering.
- Genres: general-purpose.
- Look elsewhere if: you want heavy distortion or several saturation flavours; Decapitator or Saturn 2 go further.
- Tip: Plugin Alliance users report it works well on drums and hi-hats without losing punch, and in a chain with tape emulation and a transient shaper.
What producers say
Users and reviewers rate it very highly for warm, subtle saturation; the few complaints are minor.
- Plugin Alliance users rate it 4.9 out of 5 from 10 reviews; one called it "the closest thing to magic" in in-the-box saturation, others praised it as glue on buses.
- Mathew Vaughan gave it 10/10, describing the sound as "warm, three-dimensional and luxurious" and noting it handles both subtle and extreme settings.
- Criticisms: one user asked for a GUI update for high-DPI screens; another found it "not 1 to 1" with the hardware, though very close.
Where to buy
- Plugin Alliance: $125
Tutorials and reviews
- Looptrotter SA2RATE 2 - Walkthrough
- REVIEW - Looptrotter SA2RATE 2 analog saturation
- IT'S BIG AND YELLOW, BUT IS IT AMAZING? - BRAINWORX LOOPTROTTER SA2RATE 2
- Looptrotter SA2RATE 2 - HARDWARE vs PLUGIN battle!
- Looptrotter SA2RATE 2 Playthrough
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