Soundtoys Radiator tube saturation plug-in: features and spec-based rating

Soundtoys’ Radiator is a tube distortion and EQ plug-in that recreates the Altec 1567A, a tube mixer of the 1960s. It has bass and treble knobs and a Mix knob that blends in the original sound, and you can choose whether to include the noise of the original unit.

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 Radiator 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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Summary

Among the 12 saturation plug-ins, Radiator 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 2.3.

Strengths

• Mix and tone control (4 points): you can adjust in detail how much is mixed with the original sound, and the tone.

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 quickly add warm tube distortion with few knobs.

Main features of Radiator

A recreation of the Altec 1567A tube mixer

Radiator is based on the Altec 1567A, a tube mixer and amplifier from the 1950s. The sound passes through the first tube, the bass and treble knobs and the second tube, in that order, and picks up tube-like warmth. Even the noise of the original unit is recreated.

Two knobs: Bass and Treble

It recreates the original’s bass and treble knobs (a tone stack). You can adjust the lows and highs of the tube-distorted sound in the way old gear acted. A Mic and Line switch also lets you choose how the input reacts.

Mix blends in the original

A Mix knob that the original did not have has been added, so you can blend in the original sound. If it is overdone, you can add the original back to return to a natural thickness. The manufacturer also says that all the proceeds from Radiator are donated to a non-profit organization.

Video: “Radiator & Little Radiator: Introduction” (official soundtoys YouTube channel; narration in English) Watch on YouTube

Where it is useful

• Adding tube-like warmth to a vocal or acoustic guitar
• Putting it on a drum bus to bring the whole kit together
• Using Bass and Treble to move the tone toward old gear

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 distortion, from the Altec 1567A.

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.

It has no per-band processing.

If “per-band processing” matters most to you, Saturn 2 (5 points) is a better fit.

Mix and tone control: 4 / 5

We check whether you can adjust how much is mixed with the original sound, and the tone.

It has a Mix knob that blends in the original sound, and bass and treble knobs.

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.

Radiator system requirements and getting started

Operating system	Windows 10 or later / Mac (macOS 10.15 or later). Windows on ARM is not supported
Plug-in formats	VST2, VST3, AU, AAX
Other	An internet connection is needed for activation
Trial	30-day trial available
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.

Read next

• MSaturator: 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)