DeepFryer FAQ

T is the balanced triode default: rounded at low Drive, controlled edge at high Drive. P1 is a pentode with tighter mids and earlier H3 onset: it breaks up sooner and holds its character harder. P2 is the aggressive pentode, with the heaviest H3 plateau past the crossover. Reach for T when in doubt, P1 when you want the saturation to be obvious, and P2 when polite is not the assignment.

The crossover is not a single click-point. It happens across a range, roughly between Drive 50% and 80%, with the character flip becoming most obvious around 65–70%. Below that, H2 still dominates and the sound feels rounder and thicker. Above it, H3 takes over and the tone becomes edgier, grittier, and more present.

Bias is a DC offset applied inside the saturator (range 0.00–1.00). It skews the waveform asymmetry, pulling the harmonic balance toward H2 without changing how hard the Drive is pushing. Use it to add roundness and even-harmonic body without re-dialling Drive, or to create character variation when A/B-ing Types.

Live (1×) for tracking: no added processing latency and lowest CPU. Design (2×) for sound design and general work. Mix (4×) when balancing in context and pushing Drive higher. Master (8×) for final render passes where you want the highest oversampling setting. Higher modes reduce aliasing further but cost latency and CPU; the plugin reports latency to the host so most DAWs compensate automatically.

Auto-Gain is on by default. It compensates for the gain change Drive introduces so that bypass A/B comparisons are less affected by volume differences. Turn Auto-Gain off in Settings if you want the raw output level to move with Drive.

The HPF is a pre-saturation high-pass filter (20–500 Hz, toggleable). It reduces subsonic content before it hits the saturator; heavy low-end content can otherwise push the saturation into muddy distortion. Enable it around 60–80 Hz on anything with significant bass, such as kick, bass, or low synths. This lets the mids and highs hit the saturation stage more clearly.

Yes. Every control works, every preset loads, and every quality mode renders. The only limitation is a 0.5-second noise burst every 60 seconds, which will be printed in renders and exports. No time limit, no account required.

Drive, Bias, Tilt, HPF Freq, Mix, and Trim are continuous parameters and are designed for smooth automation. Type (T/P1/P2) is a discrete switch: changes are audible as a character jump, not a crossfade, so schedule those at phrase boundaries or between sections.