MeldaProduction’s MSaturator is a free plug-in that applies smooth, tube-style saturation (a faint distortion, as if passed through analog gear).
A saturation plug-in adds a faint distortion, as if the sound had passed through analog gear, to add thickness and warmth.
In this article we compare MSaturator with 12 saturation plug-ins and rate how well it serves its purpose on three criteria. The basis is official manufacturer information.
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Score 2.0 / 5 (average of the 12 products compared: 3.0)
- Price
- Free
- Specs last checked
- 2026/09/25
- Range of texture
- Tube-style + harmonics
- Per-band processing
- None
- Mix and tone control
- Dry/Wet + harmonics
- Price (store, date)
- Not listed
Image: from the MeldaProduction official website (product image)
Summary
Among the 12 saturation plug-ins, MSaturator is rank C. The ranks run S, A, B and C, and C is the lowest. Averaging the scores for each criterion (out of 5, with the one criterion that matters most for the purpose counted double) gives 2.0.
Things to keep in mind
- Range of texture (2 points): the range of distortion types to choose from is small.
- Per-band processing (1 points): it has no function for changing the distortion by pitch range.
Who it suits: people who want to try light saturation on a bus or a whole mix, for free.
Main features of MSaturator
Tube-style saturation
MSaturator is free saturation that sharpens the outline of a sound with a smooth, tube-like distortion. The lower you set Threshold, the more loudness feel and distortion you get. With Analog you can set how much of the even-order harmonics typical of analog gear is added.
A Harmonics panel that adds harmonics
In the Harmonics panel you can add the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th harmonics, each in its own amount. The manual explains that tubes and tape produce even-order harmonics (2nd, 4th) and transistors produce odd-order ones (3rd, 5th). By choosing which harmonics to add, you change the character of the sound.
Dry/Wet and M/S processing
Dry/Wet sets how much of the original sound is mixed in, which prevents overdoing the distortion. As in other MeldaProduction products, there is also a setting that processes only the center (Mid) or only the spread at the sides (Side). It is included in the free MFreeFXBundle.
Where it is useful
- Adding a little cohesion to a bus or a whole mix with free saturation
- Adding the 2nd harmonic with Harmonics to give a vocal tube-like warmth
- Processing only the Side to add brightness to the stereo spread
Rating by criterion
Range of texture: 2 / 5
We check the range of distortion types you can choose, from subtle warmth to strong distortion.
One kind of tube-style saturation, with a Harmonics panel where the 2nd to 5th harmonics can be added separately.
If “range of texture” matters most to you, Saturn 2 and Trash (5 points) are a better fit.
Per-band processing: 1 / 5
We check whether the distortion can differ for low and high pitches.
Per-band processing is not listed.
If “per-band processing” matters most to you, Saturn 2 (5 points) is a better fit.
Mix and tone control: 3 / 5
We check whether you can adjust how much is mixed with the original sound, and the tone.
It has Dry/Wet for mixing with the original sound, and the type of harmonics added (tube-like even-order or transistor-like odd-order) can also be adjusted.
How we score (Saturation plug-ins)
| Criterion | Basis | 5 pt | 4 pt | 3 pt | 2 pt | 1 pt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Range of texture | The range of distortion types you can choose, from subtle to strong | Choose from 20 or more kinds of distortion | Choose from 5 or more kinds of distortion | 2 to 4 kinds | 1 kind | — |
| Per-band processing | Whether the distortion can differ for lows and highs | Multiband processing of up to 6 bands | 2 to 3 bands | — | — | No per-band processing |
| Mix and tone control | Control of how much is mixed with the original sound, and of the tone | Mix, tone, dynamics and more can be adjusted for each band | Both mix and tone are available | One of the two | — | Not mentioned on the official page |
Each criterion is scored from 1 to 5 on how well the product serves one goal: adding thickness and presence to vocals and backing tracks. Scores follow the conditions in the table above, and the rank is based on an average in which "Range of texture" counts double. The basis is official manufacturer information. Sound quality and CPU load are not measured, so they are not scored; reviews from trade magazines are introduced in the articles for reference. Price is not part of the score. Features that cannot be confirmed from the manufacturer's or a retailer's description are scored as if absent. The "OBS (streaming)" column in the table shows whether the official page lists the VST2 format that the streaming software OBS Studio can use (○). OBS does not support the VST3 format. It is not part of the score.
MSaturator screens and images
Image: from the MeldaProduction official website (product image)
MSaturator system requirements and getting started
| Operating system | Windows / Mac (both 64-bit) |
|---|---|
| Plug-in formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Free version | Free (included in MFreeFXBundle) |
| OBS (streaming) | Works as it is (VST2 is listed) |
Checked on the manufacturer’s official pages on September 27, 2026. How to use plug-ins in the OBS streaming software is explained in How to use VST3 plug-ins in OBS.
Compared with other saturation plug-ins
Click a heading to sort. On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Product | RankAvg. score | Range of texture | Per-band processing | Mix and tone control | Free | OBS (streaming) | Price (store, date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FabFilterSaturn 2 | S 5.0 | 28 types | Up to 6 bands | Adjust per band | — | ○ | $149 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| SoundtoysDecapitator | B 3.3 | 5 types | None | Mix + tone | — | ○ | $199 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| MeldaProductionMSaturator | C 2.0 | Tube-style + harmonics | None | Dry/Wet + harmonics | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| SoundtoysRadiator | C 2.3 | One tube type | None | Mix + bass/treble | — | ○ | $99 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| SoftubeSaturation Knob | C 2.0 | 3 modes | None | One knob | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| KlanghelmSDRR | B 3.3 | 4 modes x 2 models | None | Mix + RESPONSE | — | ○ | ≈$25.78 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| KlanghelmIVGI | C 2.0 | 1 type | None | RESPONSE | Free | ○ | Not listed |
| OutputThermal | A 3.8 | 19 types | Band split | Tone, width | — | ○ | $149 [PB, checked Oct 26] |
| KazrogTrue Iron | B 3.0 | 6 transformers | None | Strength + mix | — | Not confirmed | $39.99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| iZotopeTrash | S 4.5 | 60+ types | 3 bands | Mix + Tilt + envelope | — | × (VST3 only) | $99 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Plugin Alliancebx_saturator V2 | B 2.8 | 1 type | 4 bands + M/S | Drive and mix per band | — | ○ | $100 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
| Plugin AllianceHG-2 | B 2.8 | 4 tube stages + switch | None | Mix + Air + Calibration | — | ○ | $125 [Official, checked Oct 26] |
Features checked on each manufacturer's official website on September 25, 2026. Check the store page behind the buy button for the price.
Read next
- Radiator: features and rating (rank C)
- Saturation Knob: features and rating (rank C)
- Saturn 2: features and rating (rank S)
- Decapitator: features and rating (rank B)
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