HoRNet HTS9 v1.1.1

We are excited to announce the release of HoRNet HTS9 version 1.1.1, the latest update for our faithful emulation of a famous green guitar pedal that has been a staple in the music industry since the early 1980s. This overdrive pedal, widely known for its ability to add warmth and crunch to guitar tones, has earned a reputation for being an essential tool for blues, rock, and various other guitar genres. Our HoRNet HTS9 plugin faithfully captures the essence of this iconic pedal, offering musicians and producers an accurate and highly usable simulation for their digital audio setups.

The HoRNet HTS9 is a tube screamer VST overdrive that replicates the unique characteristics of the original pedal. This pedal is famous for its ability to lightly distort the guitar signal and boost the amplifier tubes, giving players that iconic warm overdrive sound. The pedal works by providing a clean distortion that doesn’t overpower the sound but instead adds harmonic richness. The essence of the HTS9 lies in its ability to achieve light distortion without muddying up the low-end frequencies, while giving the high frequencies more clarity and definition.

This is achieved through two distinct processing stages, ensuring that the HTS9 produces a balanced, smooth, and musical overdrive. The first stage uses a frequency-dependent diode clipper that only distorts frequencies above 720Hz, leaving the low-end frequencies untouched. This design ensures that the bass remains clean and clear, without becoming muddy or overpowering the rest of the tone. Meanwhile, the higher frequencies gain a subtle boost, which adds clarity and definition to the guitar sound, making it ideal for both solo and rhythm playing.

The second stage of the pedal emulation involves a tone-shaping filter that morphs from a low-shelf to a high-shelf. This stage is where you can further refine the tonal characteristics of your guitar sound, allowing you to sculpt the perfect overdrive for your needs. The tone control is essential for shaping the overall tonal balance, and it offers a wide range of adjustments for both bright and warm sounds. Whether you want to enhance your guitar tone with a bit of extra treble or smooth out the high-end for a warmer tone, this filter provides the necessary flexibility.

Additionally, to prevent the harshness and fizz that can sometimes be introduced by the diode clipping process, the signal passes through a gentle 3dB/octave low-pass filter. This ensures a smoother, more natural distortion that doesn’t introduce unwanted noise or harshness, maintaining the musicality of your guitar tones. This low-pass filter is particularly important for preserving the natural quality of the guitar’s tone while still achieving the desired level of overdrive.

In the HoRNet HTS9 version 1.1.1 update, we’ve made several important changes that enhance the plugin’s performance and bring it even closer to the original pedal’s behavior. Most notably, we’ve fixed the internal gain structures to better align with the gain characteristics of the original unit. This change ensures that the output levels remain consistent and natural, even when you increase the drive. One of the challenges with digital simulations is maintaining an accurate representation of how the pedal responds to changes in gain, and with this update, HoRNet HTS9 now better matches the dynamic response of the hardware counterpart.

In addition to the gain improvements, we’ve also enhanced the overall sound quality of the plugin by incorporating analog-style processing throughout the signal path. This gives the plugin a more organic, warm, and slightly saturated feel, which is a hallmark of analog gear. Analog warmth has become a desirable characteristic for many, and the HTS9 captures this essence while still providing all the benefits of a digital plugin. The analog-style processing is completely optional, and you can disable it if you prefer a cleaner, more neutral sound. This gives you the flexibility to adapt the pedal’s character to fit your personal preferences and the specific needs of your project.

For those who are looking for the best possible sound quality, HoRNet HTS9 also includes automatic oversampling. This feature ensures that the plugin operates at higher sample rates without introducing any unwanted aliasing or distortion. At 44100 and 48000 Hz, the plugin provides 4x oversampling, and at 88100 and 96000 Hz, it offers 2x oversampling. This automatic oversampling ensures that your guitar tones remain pristine and natural, with no loss in audio quality even at high frequencies. This feature is particularly beneficial for users who require the highest level of detail and clarity in their guitar tones, ensuring that the plugin is suitable for professional studio work.

The HoRNet HTS9 version 1.1.1 update is primarily a maintenance release, focused on improving the internal performance and sound of the plugin. The core of the update is the gain structure fix, which brings the plugin’s behavior more in line with the original tube screamer’s gain characteristics. By improving the way gain is handled internally, we’ve ensured that the HTS9 reacts more naturally when adjusting drive levels, making it more versatile and responsive to a variety of musical situations. Whether you’re recording, mixing, or mastering, this update ensures that the plugin behaves exactly how you would expect it to.

As always, we’ve worked to ensure that HoRNet HTS9 provides the best user experience possible. The plugin’s interface is straightforward, intuitive, and designed to keep the focus on your creativity rather than on navigating complex controls. Whether you’re a guitarist looking for that iconic overdrive tone, a producer crafting the perfect guitar sound for a mix, or an engineer seeking a reliable tool for adding subtle harmonic richness, HoRNet HTS9 gives you the flexibility and sound quality you need. It’s a versatile tool that can work in a wide range of musical styles, from classic rock to modern blues and everything in between.

The update to version 1.1.1 is free for owners of the plugin. If you already own HoRNet HTS9, you can easily download the latest version from the user area on our website or via HoRNet DoIn, our downloader and installer. We highly encourage you to update your plugin to take advantage of the improved sound and performance.

In conclusion, HoRNet HTS9 remains a powerful and flexible tool for guitarists and producers alike. Whether you’re aiming for classic blues overdrive tones, rock crunch, or something in between, this tube screamer VST overdrive brings the legendary sound of the green pedal into your digital setup. With this latest update, we’ve made sure that the plugin sounds better than ever and is even more faithful to the original unit’s response. If you haven’t already, give HoRNet HTS9 a try and experience the warmth, richness, and versatility it brings to your guitar tones.