Real Saturation. Real Smooth.
Control Real Gear. Reserve or Use On-Demand.
Control real analog gear straight from your DAW with the Analog Matrix. The Analog Matrix is not an emulation! It acts as a portal, connecting your digital audio workstation to actual physical gear in real time.
Reserve a session using the calendar below, or jump straight into the Analog Matrix plugin and use equipment on demand as it is available. Note: on-demand access requires credits or an active subscription.
Analog Matrix
Robotic Control
Overview
The Looptrotter SA2RATE 2 is a dual-channel solid-state saturator that has earned legendary status in studios worldwide. Designed to add low-order harmonics while smoothing your signal, the SA2RATE 2 does something magical: it significantly increases RMS without raising peaks. Translation? Your tracks get louder, punchier, and more present without crushing dynamics or introducing unwanted artifacts. Whether you’re sweetening vocals, beefing up drums, or adding final polish to your mix bus, this Polish-made powerhouse delivers musical saturation that digital plugins simply can’t replicate.
What makes the SA2RATE 2 truly special is its intelligent frequency-shaping circuits. The LO Safe circuit uses pre-emphasis and de-emphasis to keep your low frequencies tight and powerful without unwanted distortion – perfect for kick drums, bass, and full mixes. Meanwhile, HI Smooth boosts high frequencies before the saturation stage and then attenuates them afterward, allowing deeper harmonic saturation of your tops with subtle compression that smooths transients without adding harshness. The result is saturation that enhances rather than overwhelms, adding depth and dimension across the entire frequency spectrum.
With independent Dry and Wet controls on each channel, you have complete command of your blend – from barely-there analog warmth to full-throttle harmonic aggression. The Drive control lets you dial in exactly how hard you want to push the circuit, with LED indicators showing when you’re at 4% and 8% THD so you always know where you stand. True bypass processing enables instant A/B comparisons at the touch of a button.
It’s time to experience the SA2RATE 2’s world-class saturation on any source – vocals, synths, drum bus, mix bus – and hear why top engineers consider this an essential tool for adding life, dimension, and that unmistakable analog magic to their productions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Looptrotter SA2RATE?
The Looptrotter SA2RATE is a dual-channel, solid-state analog saturator that adds rich low-order harmonics and smoothly evens out your signal. Hand-built in Poland, it pushes a transistor saturation circuit to add weight, warmth, and density without the harshness of digital clipping. The result is thick, musical color that ranges from barely-there polish to full-send grit.
What is the Looptrotter SA2RATE best for?
The SA2RATE shines on drum bus, mix bus, synths, bass, and vocals – anywhere you want analog weight and presence. Engineers reach for it to glue a drum group, thicken a bass, sweeten vocals, or add final polish across a whole mix. Because it is stereo with independent channel control, it is equally at home on a single source or an entire bus.
How does the SA2RATE make mixes louder without crushing them?
The SA2RATE increases RMS (average loudness) without raising your peaks, so tracks get louder and punchier without the squashed, over-limited feel. Its saturation gently rounds transients and adds harmonic density, which the ear reads as “louder” and “fuller” without the artifacts of heavy compression or limiting. That makes it a favorite for adding modern loudness while keeping dynamics intact.
What do the SA2RATE’s controls do?
The SA2RATE’s DRIVE sets both the input level and the depth of saturation in one move, while independent DRY and WET controls blend processed and clean signal per channel. Two specialized circuits keep it musical: LO Safe protects low frequencies from distortion (great for kick, bass, and full mixes), and HI Smooth saturates the top end without harshness while taming transients. PROCESS gives you true-bypass A/B, and two LEDs light up when you hit 4% and 8% THD.
How do I get subtle warmth versus heavy saturation on the SA2RATE?
Use the DRY/WET blend and DRIVE together: lower drive with a touch of wet adds gentle analog warmth, while higher drive and a fully wet signal pushes into bold, aggressive saturation. Because each channel has independent dry/wet, you can dial in parallel-style saturation, keeping the clean signal intact and blending in only as much grit as you want. The 4% and 8% THD LEDs help you see how hard you are pushing the circuit.
What’s the difference between even and odd harmonics?
Even-order harmonics (octaves and fifths above the fundamental) sound smooth, warm, and round, while odd-order harmonics (thirds) add edge, presence, and aggression. Most analog circuits generate both, and that blend is a big part of why a piece of gear sounds the way it does. The SA2RATE’s solid-state circuit layers in these harmonics to add density and character that clean digital audio lacks.
Is this the real Looptrotter SA2RATE hardware, or an emulation?
It is the actual Looptrotter SA2RATE hardware, real transistors and real analog circuitry, not a model of them. At Access Analog you control the physical unit in real time from your DAW through the Analog Matrix plugin, which robotically moves the real knobs. Real Gear. No Emulations.
How much does it cost to use the Looptrotter SA2RATE at Access Analog?
You can reserve the SA2RATE from $3.15, or use it on demand with credits or an active subscription. New accounts get a free hour of processing (about 12 credits) to try it out. Credits never expire, and reservation prices are the same in dollars or credits.
Can I save and recall my SA2RATE settings at Access Analog?
Yes. Every SA2RATE setting can be saved in your DAW session and recalled instantly, just like any other plugin. The Analog Matrix robotically returns the real hardware to your exact knob positions, and you can automate parameters too. That gives you the character of real analog saturation with the total recall of an in-the-box workflow.
More Information
Select Features of the Looptrotter SA2RATE 2:
- Dual-channel Looptrotter solid-state saturation designed for low-order harmonics and musical leveling.
- Increases RMS without raising peaks (great for modern loudness without the “squash”).
- DRIVE controls input level + saturation depth in one move.
- PROCESS (true bypass) for fast A/B comparisons.
- Independent DRY/WET control for subtle color or 100% saturation.
- LO SAFE pre/de-emphasis to protect low frequencies from distortion (kick/bass/drum bus/mix bus).
- HI SMOOTH high-frequency pre/de-emphasis for smoother top-end saturation + gentle transient control.
- THD indication LEDs at 4% and 8%.
- Balanced I/O plus -10 dBV TRS instrument inputs that automatically disconnect the line input when used.