TX-5 Drive

Two transistor and three tube circuits behind one Drive

TX-5 Drive runs your sound through one of five circuits, a silicon and a germanium transistor stage and three tube stages, each solved sample by sample with its capacitors, so a loud hit can bias a stage off and leave the quiet note after it a few dB lower for a moment. Drive sets the gain into the circuit from -12 dB at 0 to +36 dB at 10, Boost adds 20 dB more, and the meter reads 0 where the chosen circuit reaches 1 % harmonics. Low Cut and Tone come before the circuit and High Cut after it, and Auto Gain gives back what the circuit presses out from a fixed table, without reading your sound.

96 presets
10 folders
4 knobs
VST3 and AU

$79.00

It’s a one-time payment, and it keeps playing with all of its presets whatever your plan.

TX-5 Drive demoHear it switch on and off

96 presets

Sorted into 10 folders and named for how they sound, so you can get to the right one quickly.

Dark Rounded BreakDrums
0:10
Dirty 808Bass
0:12
Tube VocalVocals
0:10
Distorted VocalVocals
0:14
Thick Power ChordsGuitar
0:11
Small Amp GuitarGuitar
0:12
Driven OrganChords
0:11
Crunchy ChordsChords
0:11
Screaming LeadMelodies
0:12
Console GlueFull Mix
0:11

+ 86 more presets

What each of its four knobs turns

Drive

Sets the gain into the circuit from -12 dB at 0 to +36 dB at 10, 4.8 dB a number, and the meter rises with it.

What it moves

How hard the circuit is pushed and the level given back after it, with Auto on.

Built from verified blocks

Five circuits whose harmonics on a full-level bass at Drive 5 run from 3.9 % on Crisp to 13.2 % on Bite.
A meter that reads 0 dB where the chosen circuit reaches 1 % harmonics at 1 kHz, and Boost for 20 dB more drive.
Low Cut from 20 Hz to 1 kHz and Tone before the circuit, High Cut at 6 or 30 dB an octave after it.
Auto Gain from a fixed table by circuit and Drive, keeping five test clips’ mean loudness within 1 dB of the input from Drive 0 to 10.

TX-5 Drive

Five transistor and tube circuits behind one Drive, with filters before and after.

One-time paymentIt keeps playing with all of its presets whatever your plan.
96 presetsSorted into 10 folders and named for how they sound.
VST3 and AUWorks in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, GarageBand, FL Studio and other DAWs.
Goes to your Studio 56 library once you paySign in with that email on any computer and it’s there.

TX-5 DriveStudio 56

$79.00

Get it with Pro, free for 7 days

If you subscribe to Pro, TX-5 Drive is already yours. Log in to see.

TX-5 Drive at a glance

Product type: Effect
Number of presets: 96
Sound category: Distortion, Tape & saturation
Plugin formats: VST3 and AU
Runs in: The Studio 56 plugin, free
Manual: TX-5 Drive manual
Make your own: How to make your own distortion plugin

System requirements

macOS
Windows
VST3
AU

Mac: macOS 10.15 Catalina or later, on Apple silicon or Intel
Windows: Windows, 64-bit
Plugin formats: VST3 and AU on Mac, VST3 on Windows
DAWs: Ableton Live, Logic Pro, GarageBand, FL Studio and other DAWs that load VST3 or AU plugins, but not Pro Tools
Internet: To sign in, to get what you buy and to make instruments and effects, but not to play them

Installing, offline use and more are on the Support page.

TX-5 Drive FAQ

Does TX-5 Drive keep working if I buy it?

It’s a one-time payment, and it keeps playing with all of its presets whatever your plan.

Is TX-5 Drive included in Pro?

Studio 56 Pro comes with TX-5 Drive and everything else on the shelf, and lets you make plugins of your own.

Which DAWs does TX-5 Drive work in?

It opens in the Studio 56 plugin, a VST3 and AU that works in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, GarageBand, FL Studio and other DAWs.

How many presets come with TX-5 Drive?

It comes with 96 presets in 10 folders.

Do I need an account to buy it?

You pay with your email, and it goes on the Studio 56 account for that email, which is made for you if you don’t have one. Sign in with that email on any computer and it’s there.

What if something doesn’t work?

Email oliver@studio56.ai and I’ll help you get it working.