The Pro Channel's Saturation Stage: Is the Drive control/function Broken? [Resolved]

I started to really use the Pro Channel since the X1b update. I'm mostly impressed with it.
 
If I save a project with Pro Channel Compressor, EQ, and Saturarion settings made for a particular track, those settings come back active when I reload the project. I can also save settings as a preset and recall that preset for any audio track and see the settings and powerlight of the ProChannel componets on or off (depending on how I made the settings before I saved as a preset.)
 
I'm aware of the issue with the Pre/Post buttons on the Pro Channel. I'm not referring to that matter.

What's got me wondering is that the Drive knob on the Saturation component seems to do nothing at all when adjusted, whether in Type 1 or Type 2. I can see the Activity Indicator light up when I turn the Drive knob all the way up, but I hear no difference in the audio on the track. Am I missing something?

I have a hardware Presonus Mic tube PreAmp with a drive control on it, and if I adjust that drive control, I can hear a difference in the sound I get from the Mic connected to the preamp. So, am I missing something that I should be made aware of with the drive control on the Saturartion component of the Pro Channel, or is this function broke? The input and output controls seem to work just fine.
 
I would appreciate any reasonable feedback. :)

Hi Billy:

Yeah, I noticed that the input control makes a difference as I had to mess around with increasing it to get the Activity indicator to light up, but what I wasn't doing was to lower the output enough to really tell a difference.

Now that I know how it works, it still seems to be a relatively subtile effect heard even when the drive is increased fully, the input set at various settings above half way, and the output set at various settings below half way.

I can see it is working, though.

Thanks for the enlightenment. :)

thomasabarnes


Hi Billy:

Yeah, I noticed that the input control makes a difference as I had to mess around with increasing it to get the Activity indicator to light up, but what I wasn't doing was to lower the output enough to really tell a difference.

Now that I know how it works, it still seems to be a relatively subtile effect heard even when the drive is increased fully, the input set at various settings above half way, and the output set at various settings below half way.

I can see it is working, though.

Thanks for the enlightenment. :)

Thomas,

It depends on the source material.   I don't feel "this' saturator is that good, frankly.  There are much better, more reactive ones all around (3rd party and freebies).

But, as an example - take a pretty standard kick and throw the saturator on.  Increase the input until you see the little icon start to light up.  The adjust the drive and try the 2 different style settings.  You should hear a big difference once you've overdriven it.

This saturator may be handy at times, but again, I think there are better options available.