Lemur Audio – SAMUEL v1.0.19 for WiN

SAMUEL is a console-style channel with a saturation preamp, valve, feedback compressor and a four-band equalizer with zero latency.

Four-band console equalizer

SAMUEL’s LF and LMF EQ ranges are next to the display.

Two shelves and two bells, each always in the signal path: setting the range in the center adds absolutely nothing, so there’s no need to turn the ranges on and off. The bass range is 30 to 450 Hz, while the treble ranges from 1.5 to 16 kHz; the bass range is 200 Hz to 2.5 kHz, and the treble range is 600 Hz to 7 kHz, each with its own Q factor from 0.5 to 3. 

Two range buttons move the bells—x3 lowers the LMF to the low midrange, x3 boosts the HMF to around 21 kHz—and each boost is ±17 dB. The gain and Q controls work the same as in the console channel, and the bass and treble retain their depth.

High-Pass and Low-Pass Filters

SAMUEL high-pass and low-pass filter controls with LEDs.

The high-pass filter operates from 20 to 350 Hz, and the low-pass filter from 12 kHz to 3 kHz. In the OFF position, the filter is completely disabled; a small LED under each knob indicates whether the filter is engaged or not. The EQ on/off switch disables the entire EQ, including the filters, for quick pre- and post-effect adjustments.

Preamp Saturation – Mic and Line.

The SATURATION control knob with ON and LINE switches.

The preamp stage is located at the top of the band. LINE preserves the clarity of the highs and adds warmth to the lows; MIC delivers a wider, brighter sound. The drive operates in a range of -12 to +24 dB, and the stage returns the same level, so as the volume increases, the color changes, not the volume—below 0, the sound is cleaner than unity, above it, the harmonics increase. The entire stage operates with oversampling, so the harmonics do not return to the audible range.

A gate that behaves like a console gate

—the SAMUEL’s gate section—features threshold, range, trigger, and hysteria.

THRESHOLD ranges from -30 to +10, attenuation range from 0 to 40 dB, RELEASE from 0.1 to 4 seconds, and FAST switching for attack. HYST determines how far below the opening point the gate will close again, preventing a decaying tom or ringing snare from rattling at the threshold. The left column of LEDs indicates how much the gate blocks the sound.