Distorters / Saturators

Baby Audio’s take on bass enhancement is both sophisticated and versatile.

This hybrid valve/solid‑state processor offers some unusual facilities — not least the ability to be remotely controlled from your DAW.

Fuzztopia is a two‑in‑one pedal that offers separate controls and bypass switching for both fuzz and distortion.

Much more than just a fuzz pedal, this unique distortion device offers literally billions of possibilities...

Strymon’s Canoga is designed to replicate the sound of old‑school fuzz circuits, and was apparently inspired by the classic silicon Fuzz Face.

Much more than ‘just’ a preamp, the Dual Delta from Highland Dynamics is also a versatile and creative tone‑shaping tool.

Why choose between different saturation plug‑ins when you can blend between different sounds to taste?

More than ‘just’ a distortion pedal, this all‑analogue overdrive boasts real amp‑like character.

As well as linking to their FT1 hardware, Freqport’s FT1-EMU plug‑in now also mimics it.

The TFP‑1 Tall & Fat pedal is designed specifically to emulate the dynamic behaviour and tonal character of the Hammond AO28 amplifier found at the heart of revered B3, C3 and A100 console organs.

With two different distortion stages, an insert point and external controls aplenty, could this be the only overdrive you need?

Warm Audio’s latest overdrive pedal is the Tube Squealer, and with its name and green case that slopes down slightly at the front, there’s little doubt as to what it’s based upon! 

If you’ve always wanted an overdrive or distortion pedal featuring two fully independent channels with exactly the same facilities, here it is!

These examples accompany my review of the T-Rex TwinBlaze pedal, published in SOS November 2025.

This quirky 500‑series module is designed for colour and attitude rather than cleanliness.

Part fuzz, part guitar synth, this quirky pedal was conceived with horror soundtracks in mind. But it’s not a one‑trick pony...

The Tube Screamer is one of the most modded pedals there is, and this plug‑in lets you mod the virtual circuit to your heart’s content!

Softube's plug-in version of the Drawmer 1976 offers three‑band saturation and stereo widening.

The latest device to take up the challenge of ‘tape without tape’ is the Stardust, which Qu‑Bit describe as a ‘cosmic tape looper’.

Like classic fuzz pedals, this one sounds great. Unlike them, it’s easy to control and can play nicely in any setup!

JMG’s DarkFire is a harmonic enhancer plug-in whose added harmonics can be shaped by a three‑band EQ to put them precisely where you want them.