Dials by AudioThing

Dials – Test Equipment Channel Strip

Dials is a unique channel strip plugin based on an unusual combination of vintage test and broadcast equipment from the 1950s, carefully translated into the digital domain. Developed in collaboration with composer and sound artist Hainbach, it captures the experimental spirit and distinctive tone of early electronic music studios.

At the heart of Dials is a repurposed German vacuum tube broadcast device paired with a rugged American band-pass filter. Together, they form a channel strip unlike traditional studio processors, delivering a sound shaped by scientific and radio engineering rather than conventional recording gear. This gives Dials a bold, authoritative tone that works equally well on vocals, drums, synths, and sound design material.

The preamp section is modeled after a rare German measurement instrument originally designed for broadcast calibration. Beyond its rich harmonic coloration, the circuitry naturally compresses the signal in a smooth and musical way. In Dials, this behavior has been carefully analyzed and made adjustable, allowing you to blend overtone-rich gain with compression independently for precise control.

The filter section is inspired by classic laboratory filters once found in science labs and early electronic music studios. These filters are not clean or surgical by modern standards; instead, they resonate, ripple, and sing as they sweep through frequencies. Resonance has been added to emphasize this musical behavior, making the filters a powerful creative tool rather than a corrective one.

While rooted in vintage technology, Dials is a modern processor at heart. It can be used as a subtle sweetening tool, a bold character effect, or even as an instrument when pushed to extremes. From larger-than-life voice processing to aggressive, club-ready drum shaping, it invites experimentation and rewards curiosity.

Dials is available for macOS, Windows, Linux, and iOS, supporting all major plugin formats. Whether you are looking to add historic color to your mixes or explore the sound of early electronic experimentation, Dials offers a distinctive and inspiring sonic palette.