What makes hysteresis saturation different from other saturation?
Most saturation applies a static curve — same input always produces same output. Hysteresis is history-dependent: the output depends on the input AND on what the magnetisation was doing a moment ago. That state-awareness is why tape saturation feels different from tubes or clipping.
What does the Memory control do?
Memory controls how much influence the previous magnetic state has on the current output. Higher values make the saturation "stickier" — transients soften more, the character becomes more dependent on what came before. Lower values make the response more immediate.
What is Barkhausen noise?
When magnetic domains in real tape flip between states, the domain walls snap rather than slide smoothly. That snapping produces a stochastic crackling noise called Barkhausen noise. The Barkhausen control injects this magnetic grain for extra texture.
What do the quality modes change?
ECO (1×) is the lightest mode for tracking. NORMAL (2×) and VINTAGE (4×) add oversampling to push aliasing above the audible band. INSANE (8×) uses the most accurate processing path for final renders. Higher modes cost more CPU and may add latency.
Does ECO mode add latency?
No. ECO (1×) runs sample-by-sample at native rate — zero latency, zero lookahead. The other modes introduce latency from the oversampling filters.
What is the Coupling control?
Coupling models the way adjacent magnetic domains in real magnetic material influence each other. It adds a subtle inter-sample interaction that increases harmonic complexity without obviously changing the character. Default is 20%.
Why does the X-Y Loop tab exist?
The X-Y Loop displays the actual hysteresis loop — input vs. output as a 2D trace. A wider loop usually means more history-dependence and more harmonics. It is the visual signature of hysteresis saturation.
How does the demo work?
Fully functional — every control active, no time limit. A 0.5-second noise burst plays every 60 seconds and will be printed in renders. No account required to download.