Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, FreqPort’s flagship product is the FreqTube FT1. FreqTube is the answer to the question: how can I get actual tube sound within my DAW? For decades, we have seen emulations of tube processing via digital plugins, many of which sound good and work well while some fall short of the goal. But FreqTube is a game changer. The FT1 is the real deal and no one else is doing this. Accessed via USB-C and offering total recall via their proprietary software, the FT1 acts as a plugin inside your DAW that features actual vacuum tubes.
Using four vacuum tubes that offer either two stereo paths or four mono paths, the FT1 comes equipped with (two) E83CC tubes in channels one and two, and (two) 12AX7 tubes in channels three and four. What is the difference between these tubes? The 12AX7 and E83CC tubes are essentially the same, with the E83CC being a higher-quality, premium version of the 12AX7. The 12AX7 is the American name, while ECC83 is the European designation for the same tube type.
In practical use, the FT1 is incredible on a direct electric bass, brings life to vocals, and can help a vocal cut through a mix with a harmonic sizzle that can be either subtle or substantial. A small-sounding, direct guitar suddenly sounds like it is coming from an amp, and again, enhancement can be mild or drastic. Using their software, the unit appears as a plugin and is very easy to dial in on what you need. When you first launch the plugin, it instructs you to select a key input from your audio hardware. This differs from the traditional notion of a key input where a sidechain controls the envelope of a sound. Selecting any unused audio input gives the FT1 a timing/clock reference, and without doing this required step you will encounter performance problems. Once clocked with a key input, the FT1 should work perfectly. Bear in mind that when you open a session without your FT1 attached, there will be no signal on that channel, so you will need to either remove the plugin or bypass it totally.
It’s easy to fall in love with this unit. Once you have it set up, it is very reliable and will be a powerful addition to your mixing toolkit. A rack mount is available to mount two FT1's side by side for $99. $999
