Download AD-1 0.1.0 (macOS)
Audio Unit / CLAP · macOS 11 or later · Apple Silicon / Intel

Read this before installing — there is no code signature. macOS marks downloaded files as quarantined, so your DAW will not load the plug-in as it is. The bundled install.command clears that flag.

How to install, and what that script does ›

Five circuits

This is not a choice between distortion curves. The circuit being solved actually changes.

TRIODE	A single triode stage. Bypassing the cathode resistor moves the operating point
PENTODE	Pentode. Harder than the triode, and clips asymmetrically
GERMANIUM	A germanium transistor in common emitter. Saturates early, at low voltage
IRON	A transformer. It carries magnetic history (hysteresis), so the same input gives a different output depending on what came just before
OP-AMP	A diode clipper. A series resistor on one side only makes it asymmetric

Details

BIAS is in different units on each circuit. Under the knob you get the value of the component actually being moved (cathode resistance Rk, DC flux offset Φoff, and so on). These are not decorative numbers
18 factory presets. All level-matched by measurement
Accuracy rises automatically when you bounce. The iteration limit comes off too. Nothing for you to do
Latency is 5 samples. Fixed, and reported so the host compensates automatically. Bypass delays by the same amount, so switching it in and out does not shift phase

Supported hosts

Formats	Hosts
Audio Unit	Logic Pro / GarageBand / MainStage
CLAP	Reaper / Bitwig Studio / Studio One 7 and later

AD-1 cannot be used in Ableton Live or Cubase. There is no VST3 build, and that is a licensing constraint (why). Live has no CLAP support, so at present there is no way for it to load AD-1. We are sorry.

Pro Tools is not supported either. There is no AAX build.

More detail

Install — clearing the quarantine flag, and what install.command does
Manual — every control, the preset list, bounce behaviour
Support — when it will not install, when it will not appear, and about code signing