Add authentic tube warmth and saturation to your sound with the Tomato preamp plugin from Mercuriall. This virtual preamp emulates a classic tube circuit, offering a unique character for your audio projects.
Modeling the Tube Classic
The Tomato preamp reproduces a simple but effective vacuum tube preamp circuit with two triode tubes. Designed by Igor Shayev from Lithuania, this plugin is designed to create “wedge” and overdrive effects. Its architecture does not include its own tone block, making it neutral in terms of frequency correction and requires the use of an external equalizer to shape the desired tone. This provides full control over the equalization, allowing the preamp to be integrated into any processing chain.
Advanced Simulation Technologies
At the heart of the Tomato preamp is high-quality physical modeling that simulates the operation of tube stages in real-time. The plugin reproduces the non-linear behavior of vacuum tubes, their saturation, and dynamic characteristics. This approach provides realistic and dynamic sound, imitating even details such as the ability to use the original “heater” circuit (in the virtual world sense). You get an authentic response from the tube circuit to the input signal.
Important Points of Use
Like any precise simulation of an analog device, the Tomato preamp has its own features. With an excessive input signal level, the plugin may enter an unpredictable state, which will lead to the temporary disappearance of sound. This is not a problem, but a simulation of the circuit’s behavior under extreme loads. To restore operation, simply click any switch in the plugin (Oversampling, tube model, voltage) or press Play in your DAW.
Tips for Optimal Sound:
- Carefully control the input level to achieve the desired degree of saturation.
- Use an equalizer for final tone polishing.
- Pay attention to the dynamic response of the plugin to your playing.
- Experiment on different instruments and signals.
Summary
Mercuriall Tomato preamp is a powerful and authentic tool for getting a classic tube sound. Its accurate simulation and flexibility make it a valuable addition to any virtual studio. Try the Tomato preamp and add a real tube character to your recordings!
