Studio 351

Studio 351 is a dual-channel preamp voiced for Class A tape-machine-preamp weight – fuller and rounder than a brighter tube circuit. Every channel runs input gain into an asymmetric tube saturation stage tuned for that character, a level-dependent VCA stage, a fixed low-mid weight shelf that’s always on, and independently sweepable Bass and Treble EQ.

Character EQ
A three-position knob labeled the way a real tape machine’s speed and equalization selector would be – 7.5 NAB, 15 NAB, and 15 AME – a nod to the actual tape speed and EQ curve standards that shaped decades of recordings. Each position is a distinct fixed curve applied after the Bass and Treble bands, changing the top end without adding another knob to ride.

Two Independent Channels
Channel A and Channel B each get a full control set – Input, Bass, Treble, Output. Link ties both channels to Channel A for standard stereo operation. Unlink breaks that connection entirely for asymmetric sources or two unrelated mono channels in one instance. Mono/Dual/Stereo output summing, and an Input/Output toggle for the VU meters.

Ten Real Presets
Straight Tape, Reel Warmth, Drum Deck, Spool Squeeze, Vintage Heft, Air & Iron, Hot Bias, Blend Ready, Wide Reel, and Mono Iron – values captured from real ear-tuned sessions, not hand-typed guesses. Straight Tape is the neutral default: unity gain, the Class A character doing its job with nothing else in the way.

Features

• Dual fully independent channels – Input, Bass, Treble, Output per side
• Class A tape-preamp-style saturation, asymmetric tube waveshaping
• Fixed low-mid weight shelf, always on, part of the voicing
• Three-position Character EQ styled after real tape speed/EQ curves
• Link / Unlink channel operation
• Mono / Dual / Stereo output summing
• Real Class A tube VU ballistics, Input/Output source toggle
• 10 factory presets plus Straight Tape, the neutral default

System Requirements

• VST3 (64-bit) – Windows, macOS, Linux
• AU (64-bit) – macOS only
• Windows 10/11, macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon + Intel), Linux Ubuntu 22.04+ or equivalent