A-PEX 351 Tape Saturation Preamp
Analog warmth. Soft saturation. Timeless glue.
The A-PEX 351 is not about distortion — it’s about depth and cohesion.
Its tape-driven character gently saturates the signal, softening transients and adding harmonic richness, creating a sense of glue and musical balance.
Experience These Profiles with TSC Rack
To get the most out of these profiles, we recommend using TSC Rack — our original plugin designed specifically for Tokyo Studio Capture profiles.
TSC Rack fully supports the latest NAM A2 architecture, delivering the highest level of accuracy currently available, while also providing seamless True Stereo operation through independent Left and Right profile loading.
With its integrated profile browser, four processing slots, Auto Phase Calibration, Native Sample Rate Processing, and automatic profile management, TSC Rack makes working with NAM faster, simpler, and more enjoyable than ever.
New to NAM?
If you’re just getting started with Neural Amp Modeler, our step-by-step NAM Guide covers everything you need—from installing the plugin to loading your first profile.
What’s Included
A set of tape saturation profiles captured at different drive levels.
Profiles included:
- A-PEX 351 – Base Gain
Subtle saturation with gentle warmth and cohesion. - A-PEX 351 – Pushed Drive
Deeper saturation with thicker harmonics and soft compression.
Sound Characteristics
- Transients are rounded, not dulled
- Harmonics are enriched across the spectrum
- Natural compression adds subtle glue
Audio Demo
Compare the original hardware signal and the NAM profile across a range of sources — bass, guitar, synth, and more.
Each example demonstrates how closely the profile captures the tone, dynamics, and harmonic response of the hardware.
The NAM and hardware samples are gain-matched to allow for a more accurate evaluation of the capture’s fidelity.
For additional context, a dry (unprocessed) version is also included.
The hardware used for this comparison is a single-channel unit; therefore, these demos are presented in mono to reflect its original character.
The NAM profiles themselves support full stereo operation when used on a stereo track.
Why this capture is different
- Multiple drive levels captured for tonal variation
- Carefully controlled input levels during profiling
- Designed for real-world mixing and saturation use
Waveform Comparison (Hardware vs NAM)
Below is a direct comparison between the original hardware signal and the NAM profile output.
This visualization highlights how accurately the saturation and dynamic response are preserved.
Technical notes
- Format: NAM (.nam)
- Sample Rate: 48kHz
- Capture Type: Real hardware
- Calibration: Studio-level gain staging
Gain Staging Advice
Our captures are pre-calibrated at -18 dBFS input level.
For best results, we recommend feeding the plugin with an input signal close to -18 dBFS.
Due to gain reduction during the profiling process, the output level of a loaded profile may be slightly lower than the original input signal.
Please adjust the Output control to match your source level or to reach your preferred listening volume.
Disclaimer
This product consists of digital NAM profiles and impulse responses captured from real hardware.
All products are independently developed by TSC (Tokyo Studio Capture) and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to any hardware or software manufacturers.
Any product names, references, or visual elements are used strictly for descriptive purposes only. All trademarks and brand names are the property of their respective owners.
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Anonymous (verified owner) –
I’ve been looking everywhere for a proper 351 preamp emulation and most plugins sound nothing like actual unit. But this one is *it*. These A2 captures are the closest you’ll ever get to this rare unit.