American Class A

American Class A

Dream Big, Sound Bigger

Gut-busting drums. Crackling, searing, face-melting guitars. Meaty, punching bass. Rich, up-front vocals. Wide-open, airy, living electronics. If you will it, it is no dream with the American Class A.

Based on the greatest classics of American mixing console hardware, this channel strip is fast and easy to work with, and brings a truckload of character to the party.

With a shape section featuring gate and transient designing, a stellar four-band EQ with proportional Q and range control, a fascinating compressor design which can be switched between feedback and feedforward operations, and a warm, crunchy output drive section, no modern studio is complete until this sonic option is at hand.

The American gear on which this strip is based is perhaps best known for the way it brings out the power and energy of modern rock music; acts such as Radiohead, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, and Pearl Jam have used similar consoles.

Drums leap out of the speakers, vocals grab you by the scruff of the neck, guitars spontaneously combust. But the American Class A is also capable of subtlety.

Using the range controls of the EQ to limit the gain boosting and cutting to a half or even a quarter of the starting values, it becomes a high-resolution mastering unit. And running a synth sound through these same hard-rocking controls can result in improved openness and vitality just as easily as an increased grunt.

This plug-in also seamlessly integrates with Console 1 as a channel strip, so anyone using a Console 1 will have the added benefit of Console 1’s analog workflow and features.

Don’t spend another second longing after that ideal sound. Get the American Class A today. Dream big, sound bigger.

In Short

• American mixing console sound, for Console 1 or as a standalone plug-in.
• One license for both the Console 1 version and the native plug-in.
• Characteristic stepped EQ with proportional Q values. Gives bold boosts and clean cuts.
• Unique compressor design, which can operate in feedback or feedforward topologies.
• Cutting-edge graphics and waveform visualisations offer all the information you need.
• Shape section has both gate and transient shaper, with all the same tasty analog sound of the strip’s circuitry.
• Crunchy drive from the output stage, with controllable character.
• A real and complete workhorse replacement for stock DAW mixing tools.

System Requirements

• Mac OS X 10.13 up to OS 12 (older OS versions will not work) (64-bit only).
• Windows 10 (older Windows versions may work but are not tested) (Windows 11 Pending) (64-bit only).
• Mac: Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 / Xeon - Full Apple silicon support (M1 or higher).
• Windows: Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 / Xeon / AMD Quad-Core or newer.
• Screen resolution 1280x800 or larger.
• Supported sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz, in both mono and stereo.
• 8 GB RAM or more is recommended, as well as at least 8 GB hard disk space for installation (individual plug-ins take less space, while sample libraries may require additional disk space).
• A Softube account is required to register and install the software.
• An iLok account is required for authorisation of the software.
• Internet access for downloading installer and managing licenses.
• iLok generation 2 and up, if you intend to use a physical iLok dongle for authorizing your plug-ins (note that an iLok dongle is not a requirement).
• In theory, any 64-bit VST, VST3, AU, or AAX (11.0.2 or higher) compatible host application should work.
• The most recent maintenance release of the DAW application is recommended.

However, due to plug-in host differences between DAWs - and Softube's own rigorous testing standards - Softube only officially test their plug-ins and instruments in the most recent versions of Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Live, Studio One, Digital Performer, Reaper and Sonar. Softube plugins are not tested in the non-listed systems, but they most likely work as long as the system requirements are met.

Important note: make sure that you always use the latest iLok License Manager. It is not included in the Softube installer but can be downloaded from www.ilok.com​