VariSaturator
by Voxengo · Saturation · Tube and waveshaping saturator
Not rated yet
A saturation plugin with a tube stage and a digital waveshaper in series, run broadband or split into two bands.
It can raise loudness without raising peaks proportionally, or add subtle harmonics to help a muffled track cut through.
Best for: Drums, Bass, Vocals, Mix Bus. Genres: all genres.
Keywords: tube, bass, drums, vocals, multi-band, bus processing, mid/side, full mix, low latency, subtle, enhancement, mixing, colored, mix bus, oversampling, polish, thick, zero-latency.
What it does
VariSaturator is Voxengo's "Tube Warming Plugin." It can "maximize the loudness of the audio tracks without increasing their peak levels proportionally," or apply subtle coloration that makes tracks sound more pronounced and polished.
- Two saturation modules: an asymmetric valve (tube) saturator that resembles a tube amplifier cascade, followed by a digital waveshaping saturator with feedback topology.
- Two-band or broadband: apply saturation to the whole signal or to two bands, with a crossover steepness switch.
- Channel options: stereo, mid/side, routing and grouping, and 5.1/7.1 surround.
- Quality: up to 8x oversampling and 64-bit floating point processing at zero latency.
- Uses: Voxengo suggests drum, bass and vocal tracks, submixes and full mixes.
Version 2.7. The demo mutes output briefly every 45 seconds.
When to use it
VariSaturator is a lower-priced choice for controlled tube-plus-waveshaper saturation, with two-band splitting and mid/side for bus and mix use. FabFilter Saturn 2 offers multiband saturation with many more styles and modulation, Soundtoys Decapitator goes further into aggressive analog color, and u-he Satin models tape where VariSaturator uses tube and waveshaper stages.
- Best for: thickening drums, bass and vocals, and adding density or loudness to buses and mixes.
- Genres: any; it's a general mixing saturator.
- Look elsewhere if: you want heavy distortion or trashed sounds; Decapitator or Saturn 2 go further.
- Standout: tube and waveshaper stages in series with a two-band mode and mid/side.
What producers say
Computer Music found it good for character rather than heavy distortion.
- Computer Music (2008): listed "Two excellent saturation flavours" and a mid/side option among the pros.
- Verdict: "not for high-gain junkies," but for adding character to mixes it "more than fits the bill."
- Gripe: "Not able to totally trash sounds."
Where to buy
- Voxengo: $49.85 (Listed at €43.90; converted at €1 = $1.1355 (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026))
Tutorials and reviews
- Voxengo Varisaturator | Tutorial (Lonely Rocker)
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