#219: How Wave Observer Reveals What Softube Saturation Knob Really Does

Music Production and Mixing Tips for Beginner Producers and Artists | Inside The Mix

Ever twist a saturation knob and wonder if you’re hearing compression, distortion, or something in between? In this episode of Inside The Mix, Marc Matthews puts that question to the test with a clean, scientific setup, a 440 Hz sine wave, the Softube Saturation Knob, and Wave Observer, a free oscilloscope plugin by Press Play.

By placing Wave Observer last in the signal chain, Marc visually shows how your waveform changes as you dial in saturation, how rounded peaks flatten, harmonics stack up, and a pure sine wave slowly edges toward a square. No more guessing, no more placebo, just a clear visual of how your favourite plugins reshape the sound.

Marc explains why visual feedback matters when subtle processing tricks your ears, and walks you through a simple DIY method you can try in any DAW. You’ll see exactly what happens around -12 dBFS, where soft saturation tightens dynamics long before the audible grit appears.

This quick session helps you connect what you hear to what you see — so you can mix faster, gain stage with intention, and start trusting your ears with confidence.

Takeaways:

• How to use Wave Observer for real-time saturation analysis
• What clipping actually looks like
• A repeatable workflow for plugin testing and calibration

If you’re ready to stop mixing blind and start seeing your decisions pay off, on meters, waveforms, and final masters — this one’s for you.

Subscribe, share the episode with a producer friend, and drop Marc a note with the next plugin you want analysed. Your suggestion might feature in a future episode of Inside The Mix.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Press Play Wave Observer

FREE Plugin To See Inside Your Mixes - Press Play Wave Observer

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1. #219: How Wave Observer Reveals What Softube Saturation Knob Really Does (00:00:00)

2. Why Blind Tweaking Hurts Your Mix (00:00:56)

3. Meet Wave Observer: Free Oscilloscope Plugin by Press Play (00:01:12)

4. Listener Question: What Does Saturation Actually Do? (00:02:23)

5. Why Every Producer Should Use an Oscilloscope (00:02:51)

6. Quick Survey: Shape Future Inside The Mix Episodes (00:03:24)

7. Wave Observer in Action: Reading the Display (00:04:10)

8. Test Tone Setup: 440 Hz Sine Wave Explained (00:04:28)

9. Softube Saturation Knob Demo: Seeing the Harmonics Build (00:05:11)

10. Key Takeaways: Visual Mixing and Gain Staging Tips (00:06:34)

11. Support the Show & Related Episodes (00:08:16)