FreqLift combines upward compression, tube processing and clipping. Use it to bring quieter details forward, add harmonic colour and shape peaks. Work across the whole signal, or divide it into two bands with independent processing.

This guide covers using FreqLift once it is installed in your DAW. Screenshots show the captured build and example settings. The preset-browser image is provisional pending the final factory bank.

Digital and Analog

FreqLift has two ways to process the tube stage:

Mode	Tube processing	What you need
Digital	Emulated tubes inside the plugin	FreqLift running in your DAW; no tube hardware required
Analog	Real tubes in the selected hardware unit	AnalogHub and connected FT1 hardware, with suitable tubes available

Uplift and Downlift are available in both modes. Digital mode is the default, so you can get started without hardware by inserting FreqLift on a track or bus. Choose Analog when you want to use a connected unit, then check its identity and tube availability as described in Tubes and Analog hardware.

Plugin hosted inside Ableton

Plugin hosted inside Ableton

FreqLift in Ableton Live, shown in Analog mode with Unit A selected.

A first sound in Digital

Insert FreqLift on the track or bus you want to process. Digital is chosen by default.
Use Simple view. Leave Dry / Wet at 100% while learning the processing controls, and make sure Bypass is off.
Play a familiar passage at a comfortable monitoring level. Start with material that has both quieter detail and stronger peaks.
Raise Uplift gradually. Listen for more detail and sustain between the louder events.
Adjust Tube Drive to explore the selected tubes' saturation. Compare at a similar listening level so that a louder result does not dominate the comparison.
Lower Downlift gradually if you want more peak shaping. Watch the reduction and output meters, and listen to how transients change.
Reduce Dry / Wet if you want to blend some original signal back in. Use Bypass for a whole-plugin comparison.
Pro Tip: Compare Linear Phase in Settings when blending dry and processed audio. It adds plugin latency.
Try a different Technique to change the response of the Downlift and Uplift processing.
Once you’ve explored the controls, try a preset from the preset browser as another starting point. Save your current sound first if you want to keep it, because loading a preset replaces the sound settings.

These controls interact: increasing Uplift changes what reaches the tubes, and increasing Tube Drive changes what reaches Downlift. Make small adjustments and revisit the earlier controls as the sound develops.

The processing order

Both modes use the same processing stages. Single band applies them to the full signal. Split Band divides the input into Low and High, processes each independently, then combines them before the final Dry / Wet blend.

Single-band signal flow

The full signal passes through one processing chain. Dry / Wet blends the processed signal with the dry signal.

Split-band signal flow

Each band has its own Uplift, Tube Drive, tube selection, Downlift and output gain. The + symbol combines the two processed bands. Both bands are shown with Solo off.

The tube stage uses emulated tubes in Digital or the selected hardware tubes in Analog. Deselecting all tubes bypasses that band's tube stage; Uplift and Downlift remain available.

Downlift includes ceiling-related output compensation, included within its box in both diagrams. Its displayed ceiling is the clipping-stage setting, not a guaranteed final plugin output limit. See Output headroom.

2. Finding your way around

Interface overview

Advanced view in Digital mode: presets and settings at the top, mode and track identity below, tube selection, processing controls, and Bypass and Dry / Wet at the bottom.

Simple and Advanced

Simple presents the three main faders and the Technique selector. It is useful for working quickly with a recipe and adjusting the overall amount of processing.

Advanced adds Uplift timing, ratio and detector controls; tube Bias and +18dB; and Downlift mode and Knee. It also gives access to Split Band processing.

Both views share the same sound settings. Hiding the detailed controls does not reset them.

Switching to Simple while in Split Band mode turns Split Band off and uses the High band's settings to process the full signal. This can change the sound substantially. The Low band's processing values are retained for later use, but retaining settings does not reserve physical tubes that may become unavailable. Returning to Advanced does not, by itself, turn Split back on.

A preset containing Split processing opens in Advanced so that its two-band controls are accessible.

Tubes and spectrum

Simple tubes and spectrum

Tubes view	Spectrum view

Two views of the same single-band sound: tube selection and final-output spectrum.

In single-band operation, the display toggle switches between tube artwork and the spectrum. This changes what you see without changing the sound. An asterisk (*) beside the Technique name means one or more of its recipe settings have been changed; switching views does not clear those changes. Return to the tubes view when you want to inspect or change a tube selection.

Split operation uses the spectrum and crossover display, with compact tube selectors for each band. The single-band display toggle is hidden while Split is active.

Track identity and Unit

The track-name field and colour help identify this instance in AnalogHub. The DAW can provide initial track information; you can edit the displayed identity to make it easier to recognise.

FreqLift does not currently display its track name or colour on the FT-1 hardware. Hardware display of this information is supported by the FreqTube plugin.

In Analog mode, the Unit selector identifies the hardware unit this instance requests. Match its letter to the unit shown in AnalogHub. The unit choice is separate from the track name.

Bypass, Dry / Wet and resizing

Bypass bypasses FreqLift processing. Dry / Wet blends original and processed audio: the left end is fully dry and the right end is fully wet. Double-click the Dry / Wet slider to restore 100% wet.

Drag the window's resize grip to change the interface size.

Resetting and entering values

Double-clicking a control restores its control default, which may differ from the selected Technique or saved preset.

Control	Double-click result
Uplift fader	Zero lift
Tube Drive fader	0.0 dB
Downlift fader	Ceiling 0.0 dB
Attack	6.6 ms; the caption may round the displayed value
Release	430 ms
Bias	0
Knee	3.0 dB
Tilt, when available	0.0 dB
Split-band output-gain line	0.0 dB
Dry / Wet	100% wet

Click the crossover frequency readout to type a frequency in Hz or kHz. The main fader and knob readouts are displays, rather than text-entry fields.

Sound parameters such as the main faders and timing controls can be automated through the DAW. The view choice, Split switch, Digital/Analog choice and Uplift Ratio are not host-automatable controls in this version. Use the DAW's parameter list to identify the available Low Band and High Band controls; single-band operation uses High Band.

3. Shaping your sound

Uplift

Uplift brings quieter material forward through upward compression. As the signal gets louder, the added lift retreats; as it gets quieter, the lift returns. This can reveal tails, room sound and low-level detail, as well as noise already present in the recording.

Uplift controls

Amount sets the lift range; Advanced controls shape how Uplift follows the signal.

The Uplift fader has a 0–100 scale for its travel. The value below it shows the maximum added lift in dB, which also depends on Ratio. The curve’s lower anchor is fixed at −20 dBFS, regardless of Amount or Ratio. Below this point, lift is capped at its maximum; above it, lift tapers toward zero, with rounded transitions around the curve’s corners. The upper threshold, where the ideal curve reaches zero added lift, moves upward with Amount: −10 dBFS at Amount 50 and 0 dBFS at Amount 100. At Amount 0, Uplift adds no gain. The moving gain meters show how much lift is being applied, rather than simply repeating the fader setting.

How Amount changes the Uplift curve

The dotted vertical lines mark the fixed −20 dBFS anchor. At a fixed Ratio of 3:1, Amount 0 adds no lift, Amount 50 allows about +6.7 dB, and Amount 100 allows about +13.3 dB. These simplified static curves show Uplift alone, before the tubes and Downlift; rounded transitions and Attack/Release movement are omitted.

Read either plot from left to right: quiet inputs are on the left, loud inputs on the right. The left plot shows the resulting output level; the right shows just the added lift. Raising Amount increases the maximum lift and extends the lift to louder input levels. For example, at Amount 50 and Ratio 3:1, a steady input level of −30 dBFS receives about +6.7 dB of lift, giving about −23.3 dBFS after Uplift. The fader's dB readout shows this maximum; louder material receives less lift.

Control	What it changes	Range or choices
Uplift Amount	How much quieter material can be lifted	Zero lift at the bottom; maximum depends on Ratio
Ratio	Strength of the upward compression	1.5:1, 3:1 or 6:1 in Advanced
Attack	How quickly the lift retreats when the signal becomes louder	1–50 ms
Release	How quickly the lift returns when the signal becomes quieter	50–1000 ms
Peak / RMS	Whether the detector follows peaks or an averaged level	Peak or RMS

At full Amount, maximum lift is approximately 6.7 dB at 1.5:1, 13.3 dB at 3:1, or 16.7 dB at 6:1. Changing Ratio can therefore change the dB readout even if you leave the fader in the same position.

Try a lower Ratio for a restrained lift. A faster Attack lets the added gain retreat sooner on loud events; a slower Attack lets more of that gain carry into their onset. A shorter Release brings lift back sooner between events, while a longer Release spreads its return over more time. Listen for the effect on the rhythm and sustain rather than relying on settings alone.

Peak follows short peaks more directly. RMS follows an averaged level. Compare them with the same material and Amount to hear which movement suits the track.

Tube Drive

Tube Drive controls the level entering the selected tubes. Increasing it changes both level and saturation, so listen to tone and transient shape as well as loudness.

Tube Drive controls

Drive is the main level control into the tubes. Advanced adds Bias and the +18dB boost.

Control	What it changes	Range or choices
Tube Drive	Input level to the tube stage	−24 to +12 dB; default 0 dB
Bias	Tube bias and harmonic character	−64 to +63; default 0
+18dB	Adds a fixed 18 dB of drive into the tubes	Off or on; default off

Bias is a unitless control; its numbers are not dB. The +18dB switch adds to the drive setting and can produce a substantial change. Start with it off, then compare it deliberately at a suitable monitoring level.

Tube type and member selection are described in Tubes and Analog hardware. When no tubes are engaged for a band, the tube stage is bypassed and its Drive, Bias and boost controls are disabled. Uplift and Downlift can still process that band.

Tilt is an Analog control for balancing the two tubes of a connected stereo pair. Its range is −3 to +3 dB in 0.5 dB steps, with a centre of 0 dB. It is enabled for a two-tube selection, not a single tube. It is a shared control, not an independent Tilt for each band. Its visibility also depends on the selected view and connection state.

Downlift

Downlift shapes peaks by clipping. Lowering the ceiling clips more of the signal; the mode and Knee determine the shape of the transition.

Downlift controls

Low-band Downlift shown in Hard mode, with Knee disabled. Select Soft to enable Knee.

Control	What it changes	Range or choices
Off	Bypasses clipping for this band	Ceiling fader and Knee are disabled
Hard	Clips peaks with a sharp transition	Knee control is disabled
Soft	Rounds the transition into clipping	Enables Knee
Ceiling	Level at which clipping acts	−24 to 0 dB; default 0 dB
Knee	Width of the soft-clipping transition	0.5–12 dB; default 3 dB

A larger Knee gives a more gradual transition. It is measured in dB, not milliseconds. The default mode is Hard.

FreqLift adds output compensation equal to half the amount by which the ceiling is lowered. For example, a −6 dB ceiling adds 3 dB of compensation after clipping. This is part of Downlift's gain behaviour, so lowering the ceiling is not the same as turning down an output fader.

The stored ceiling also determines this compensation when clipping is Off. To compare against a neutral Downlift setting, return the ceiling to 0 dB before choosing Off. This keeps an earlier ceiling setting from contributing compensation to the comparison.

In Split mode, each band's Downlift acts before the bands are combined. Additional band gain, recombination and the dry blend affect final levels. Downlift does not guarantee a final output or true-peak ceiling, even in single-band operation.

Techniques

A Technique is a fixed recipe for the currently controlled band. It sets Ratio, Attack, Release, Peak/RMS, Downlift mode and Knee. Use it to choose a starting character, then set the three main faders by ear.

Technique menu

Techniques apply to the visible band. Each band can have its own Technique. The menu includes Reapply Technique for restoring its recipe settings.

A Technique leaves Uplift Amount, Tube Drive, Downlift Ceiling, Bias and +18dB alone. It also leaves tube selection, crossover, band output gain and Dry / Wet alone. Moving the main faders does not make its timing or other recipe values follow those faders.

The default Technique is Clean Master: 1.5:1, RMS, 6.6 ms Attack, 430 ms Release, Hard clipping and a stored 3 dB Knee. Knee remains disabled until Soft is selected.

Technique	Ratio	Detector	Attack	Release	Downlift	Stored Knee
Clean Master	1.5:1	RMS	6.6 ms	430 ms	Hard	3 dB
Bus Glue	6:1	Peak	7.6 ms	162 ms	Hard	5.3 dB
Crunch Presence	3:1	RMS	12.7 ms	74 ms	Hard	3 dB
Drum Loop Big	3:1	Peak	9.6 ms	140 ms	Off	5.3 dB
Drum Pusher	6:1	Peak	50 ms	50 ms	Soft	12 dB
Drums Squeeze	6:1	Peak	5 ms	600 ms	Soft	12 dB
Guitar	1.5:1	Peak	6.3 ms	246 ms	Soft	3 dB
Guitar Megaboost	6:1	Peak	1.5 ms	826 ms	Soft	7.6 dB
Hot Bass	3:1	Peak	35 ms	250 ms	Soft	12 dB
Instant Pump	6:1	Peak	1 ms	50 ms	Hard	6.1 dB
Instrument Drive	6:1	RMS	7.6 ms	350 ms	Soft	5.3 dB
Kick Loop Booster	6:1	Peak	10.1 ms	183 ms	Hard	7.6 dB
OD Vocals	6:1	Peak	7 ms	250 ms	Soft	12 dB
Sound Pusher	6:1	RMS	50 ms	1000 ms	Soft	12 dB
Subtle Pump	1.5:1	RMS	50 ms	1000 ms	Soft	6.5 dB

The stored Knee is listed for completeness; it affects clipping only in Soft mode. Technique names suggest uses, but you can apply any recipe to any source.

An asterisk beside the Technique name means a recipe-owned setting has changed. Choose Reapply Technique to restore those settings while retaining the main fader values and other settings outside the recipe.

Custom means the settings have no recognised Technique origin. It is a status display, not another recipe; Reapply Technique is unavailable in that state. Choose a named Technique to establish a new recipe.

4. Split-band processing

Split Band separates the signal into Low and High bands so you can use different Uplift, tube and Downlift settings on each region.

Low uses amber/orange; High uses light blue (cyan). These colours identify the bands in the crossover display. The coloured control accents, Uplift/Downlift gain meters and readout colours follow the selected band, helping you see which band you are editing.

Split-band crossover and controls

Split mode with High selected, a 102 Hz crossover, Linear Phase and High output gain at −10.1 dB. Each band has its own processing and tube selection.

Set up the bands

Enter Advanced view and turn on Split Band.
Set the crossover frequency by dragging the vertical dividing line, or click its readout and type a value such as 250 Hz or 2 kHz.
Choose the crossover slope.
Select Low to edit its controls, then High to edit the other band.
Use Solo to check a band in isolation, then turn Solo off to judge the combined sound.
Adjust the band output gains to balance the result and check final output headroom.

Selecting Low or High changes the controls you are editing. Solo changes what you hear. Click the active Solo badge again to hear both bands.

Split-band hover

The pointer highlights the High region, while Low remains selected and its controls stay amber. Hovering alone does not select a band.

Crossover frequency and slope

Frequency ranges from 50 Hz to 10 kHz, with a default of 1 kHz. Slope choices are 12, 24, 36 and 48 dB/oct, with 24 dB/oct as the default. A steeper slope separates the bands more sharply around the crossover.

The crossover acts before each band's processing. Tube saturation and clipping can generate harmonics beyond a band's original frequency region, so a band's processed output is not confined by a brick-wall boundary at the crossover frequency.

Minimum and Linear Phase

The phase control and Linear Phase: Uplift/Downlift + Crossover in Settings edit the same choice.

Minimum Phase is the default. Linear Phase changes the crossover and the oversampling filters used by Uplift and Downlift, and adds latency. The Uplift/Downlift part of this choice also applies in single-band operation.

Turning Split off does not remove all of Linear Phase's delay: single-band Linear operation retains the crossover-equivalent delay. This setting does not change the tube emulation's own oversampling-filter type.

Band output gain

Drag a band's horizontal gain line or handle to adjust its output, from −12 to +12 dB. Double-click its gain line to return to 0 dB.

This gain follows the band's Downlift processing and is separate from Downlift's ceiling compensation. Band output gains apply only while Split is on. Their stored values are retained when you return to single-band operation, but they are not applied there.

Reading the meters and spectrum

Metering and active spectrum

Active spectrum and meters with the Low band selected. The table below identifies the input, added-lift, tube-output, reduction and final-output displays.

Display	What it measures
Uplift inner level strips	Level entering the band's upward compressor
Uplift outer coloured strips and positive dB readouts	Gain added by that band's Uplift
Tube Drive level strips	Level after that band's tubes, before Downlift
Downlift outer coloured strips and negative dB readouts	Reduction from that band's clipping stage
Downlift inner level strips	Final plugin output, shared between the Low and High control views
Spectrum	Final plugin output, including the combined bands and Dry / Wet result

The main fader readout is a setting. The nearby moving meter readouts describe processing activity. For example, a Downlift reduction readout is not the final output level.

The mono bus display reflects the DAW's input format, not simply the number of tubes selected. Mono metering can be mirrored across the two displayed sides.

Output headroom

Both bands contribute to the combined output. Even with each band output gain at 0 dB, their sum can exceed 0 dBFS. There is no final combined-output limiter in FreqLift.

Watch the final output meters and your DAW's meters while adjusting either band. If you need less level before recombination, reduce the band output gains. Use a suitable downstream level control or limiter when your delivery needs a specific output or true-peak limit.

5. Tubes and Analog hardware

Tube types and members

FreqLift provides two tube pairs:

Tube type	Members
E83CC	Tubes 1 and 2
12AT7	Tubes 3 and 4

Digital uses these selections for emulated tube processing. Analog requests the corresponding tubes from the selected hardware unit.

Tube selection states

Link off	Link on

Analog Unit A: one E83CC tube selected with Link off on the left; the E83CC pair selected with Link on on the right. Tilt is dimmed for the single-tube selection.

An engaged tube is lit. An available, unselected tube is dim. In the large single-band tube view, tubes occupied by another instance are hidden. In the compact Split selectors, unavailable tubes appear dark and cannot be selected. Other dim controls can also be disabled because of the current tube type, Link setting or mono bus. Hover for the reason when a selection is unavailable.

Tube glow indicates the selected tube's visual state and responds to drive settings. It is not a substitute for the audio meters or proof that audio is flowing.

Link, mono and stereo

With Link on, clicking a member selects or deselects its pair together where a two-tube selection is allowed. With Link off, select members individually. The Link setting is shared by both bands in Split mode.

On a stereo bus, you can use one tube or both members of a same-type pair. Using one tube routes the stereo signal through a mono tube path; use the pair when you want separate left and right tube paths. A mono bus permits one tube per band.

You cannot combine members from the two different tube types within one band's selection. Deselect the currently engaged type before choosing the other type. Deselecting every tube bypasses the band's tube stage, rather than bypassing the entire plugin.

Tube sharing in Split mode

Low and High have independent selections, but they cannot use the same tube member at the same time. For two stereo tube paths, use a different pair for each band. A member assigned to one band is unavailable to the other.

In Analog mode, other plugin instances can also occupy tubes. If Link prevents choosing a pair because its other member is occupied, unlinking may allow an available single member, with the mono processing implications described above.

Connect through AnalogHub

Analog Hub overview

AnalogHub showing freqtube A and B as Active, alongside another connected product. Unit letters identify the hardware; slot numbers describe this example connection layout.

Open AnalogHub and check that the intended FT1 hardware is connected. You can open the application from FreqLift's gear menu using Open AnalogHub.

Analog mode and Unit selector

The Analog mode switch, explicit Unit selector and track identity in FreqLift.

Choose Analog, then select the intended Unit A, B, C or D. Check the displayed letter against AnalogHub and the hardware before making a tube selection. Selecting a letter does not establish that the corresponding unit is connected or available.

Wait for connection and tube warmup to complete. If a warning remains, follow its message and the troubleshooting tables in the final chapter. Choose an available tube or pair and check the signal at a comfortable listening level.

Identify instances and occupied tubes

Analog Hub instance/tube assignment

Unit B expanded: both E83CC tubes show Ok and the track name “3-Amp Bmin 150”; both 12AT7 tubes show OFF. Slot order can differ between sessions.

Give each instance a useful track name and colour, such as a recognisable instrument or bus name. This makes it easier to identify the instance and its tube assignments in AnalogHub.

If the tubes you want are already occupied, use an available selection, deliberately free the tubes in the instance that owns them, or choose another connected unit. Do not assume that a saved preset or DAW session can make an occupied or disconnected tube available. Saved settings and current hardware availability are separate.

Pro Tip: To free a tube for another instance, switch the plugin using it to Digital mode, then wait for AnalogHub to show the tube as available.

6. Presets, recall and settings

Presets and Techniques serve different purposes

A Technique changes a defined set of settings for one band. A preset recalls a broader sound, including the band's main controls, tube selections, Split/crossover settings and Dry / Wet. Save a preset when you want to keep the complete sound you have built.

Preset browser and file controls

Provisional preset-browser example showing Factory and User groups, with previous/next, Save and Open controls in the header. The factory bank is not final; replace this image before publication.

Open the preset browser to choose from Factory and User entries. The arrows load the previous or next preset in the available list. An asterisk beside the preset name means sound settings differ from the saved version.

Factory presets provide starting points for shaping a sound. Presets can change several controls at once, so compare at an appropriate monitoring level.

Save and open

Use Save to write the current sound to a .preset file. Give it a descriptive name. If the chosen file already exists, FreqLift asks before replacing it.

The default user library is Documents/Freqport/FreqLift/Presets/User. Saving there makes the preset available to the user-preset browser. Open lets you load a preset file from another location.

The bundled Factory entries are separate from your user files. Save an edited factory sound under a user filename to keep your own version.

What recall preserves

Recall method	Behaviour
Native FreqLift preset	Recalls the sound while retaining this instance's Digital/Analog mode, selected hardware unit, track identity, Tilt, Bypass and Solo context. It retains the single-band tubes/spectrum display choice.
DAW session recall	Restores the saved sound together with instance context, including mode, unit, track identity and display state. Hardware still has to be connected and available.

Native presets include tube selections, Link, the Digital tube oversampling choice, phase setting, view metadata and Dry / Wet. A preset with Split enabled uses Advanced view. Because a preset can change topology and tube selections, preserving instance context does not mean that every recall will sound the same before and after loading.

The Technique asterisk and preset asterisk track different changes. Moving Tube Drive can mark the preset as modified without changing the Technique's recipe status.

Settings

Open the gear in the FreqLift header to access product settings.

Product Settings popup

Digital tube oversampling, the shared phase setting and Open AnalogHub.

Digital tube oversampling runs the emulated tube stage at a higher internal rate. The normal on/off choice switches between 2× oversampling and no tube oversampling; it defaults to on. It applies to Digital tube processing. Turning it off does not disable the separate oversampling used by Uplift and Downlift.

Linear Phase: Uplift/Downlift + Crossover selects the same phase mode as the crossover panel. Off is Minimum Phase; on is Linear Phase. It affects Uplift and Downlift even when Split is off. It does not switch the tube emulation's own oversampling filters. Consider the added latency when deciding whether to use it while recording or monitoring live.

Open AnalogHub launches the installed Hub application. If it cannot be found, check the AnalogHub installation before troubleshooting tube assignments.

7. Practical workflows and troubleshooting

Bring quieter detail forward

Start in Digital, Simple view with Clean Master and a low Uplift setting. Raise Uplift until tails or quieter notes become easier to hear. Keep Tube Drive near its starting value while judging the lift, then add tube colour if needed.

If the result feels too active, open Advanced and try a longer Release or a lower Ratio. Check pauses as well as notes: upward compression can reveal recording noise along with useful detail. Blend back some dry signal if that better suits the track.

Add tube colour without changing everything at once

Start with little or no Uplift. Compare available tube types using the same passage, then raise Tube Drive gradually. Explore Bias in Advanced after choosing a drive level. Try +18dB only after you understand the unboosted response.

Use Downlift if the resulting peaks need shaping. Compare the result with Bypass at a similar listening level. Tube selection changes can also change stereo routing when you move between one member and a pair.

Process the upper band more strongly

Enter Advanced and enable Split. Place the crossover where you want the two treatments to separate. Solo each band briefly to understand what it contains, then switch Solo off.

Keep the Low band restrained and try more Uplift or Tube Drive on High. Adjust the two output gains while listening to the full signal. Recheck both bands after changing the crossover, since it changes the material reaching their processors.

Stay in Advanced when comparing this Split sound. Switching to Simple turns Split off and applies the High settings to the full signal.

Pro Tip: On a stereo bus, try a crossover around 100–150 Hz, one tube for Low and a pair of the other tube type for High, with Dry / Wet at 100% wet. This gives the Low band a mono tube path while keeping the High tube path stereo. The crossover regions overlap; blending in dry signal also brings back the original stereo information.

Troubleshooting

Connection and availability messages

An example of the Unit A tube-warmup message in Analog mode. Wait for warmup to finish before judging the audio path.

In-product messages

Bold text quotes the message title. Unit … uses the selected letter A–D. Connection overlays appear only in Analog mode. The FreqLift presets dialog uses different message text for the cases listed below.

In-product message	What to check
AnalogMode needs Hardware	Make sure AnalogHub is installed and the FT1 hardware is connected. Use Digital if you want to work without hardware.
Unit … please wait	The message says “Connecting to AnalogHub.” Allow connection to complete. If it persists, check that AnalogHub is running and the selected unit is connected.
Unit … analog mode	FreqLift is not connected to AnalogHub. Open AnalogHub and check that the intended FT1 unit is connected. Use Digital to work without hardware.
Unit … - Tubes warming up	Wait for initialization to finish before judging the audio path.
Unit … not detected	Compare the selected letter with the connected units in AnalogHub. Connect the intended unit or explicitly choose the correct available one.
None Available	The tubes are occupied by other instances. Check their assignments in AnalogHub and choose or free resources deliberately.
DAW Buffer Too Large	Reduce the DAW's buffer setting to a range supported by the connected hardware setup.
AnalogHub Not Found	The Settings menu could not find or launch AnalogHub. Check that it is installed and can be opened directly, then try again.
FreqLift presets: a preset will not open, or the user library cannot be read	Read the message for the cause. Check that the file still exists, is readable, is not empty and does not exceed the supported file size. Select a FreqLift .preset file; for library errors, check the user-preset folder.
FreqLift presets: a preset cannot be saved	Check the filename and write permissions for the destination and Documents folder. Try a local disk. If the name already exists, choose another name or save again and confirm replacement only if intended.
FreqLift presets: incompatible or invalid preset, or a newer state load superseded it	The load was not applied. Let any other preset or session load finish, then try the intended file again. If it remains invalid or incompatible, use a compatible FreqLift preset.
FreqLift presets: a factory preset or Technique cannot be applied, or the current sound cannot be encoded	Try the action again. If the error persists, report the exact message, the selected preset or Technique and your FreqLift version.

Symptoms

Symptom	What to check
A tube cannot be selected	Check occupancy, the other band's selection, Link, mono/stereo format and whether another tube type is already selected in this band.
Tube Drive, Bias or +18dB is disabled	Check whether a tube is engaged for the band you are editing.
Knee is disabled	Select Soft to use Knee. Hard has a fixed sharp transition; Off bypasses clipping.
The signal appears unprocessed	Check Bypass and Dry / Wet, then the selected band's Amount, tube selection and Downlift mode.
Silence or a blank spectrum	Check source playback and DAW routing, connection/warmup messages, Solo and the output meters. A blank spectrum by itself does not identify the cause.
The sound changed when switching to Simple	If Split was active, Simple disabled it and applied the High band's settings to the full signal. Re-enable Split in Advanced to return to two-band operation.
Extra frequencies appear beyond a crossover	The spectrum shows final output. Nonlinear tube and clipping stages can generate harmonics after the split; their presence alone does not establish aliasing or a crossover fault.
Output exceeds the expected ceiling	Downlift is per band and precedes output compensation and recombination. Check band gains, the dry blend and final output level.
Timing changes after mode or phase adjustments	Analog processing and oversampling contribute latency. Linear Phase adds delay, including in single-band mode. Allow the host's delay compensation to update and use Minimum Phase when it better suits live monitoring.
A saved sound recalls with a hardware warning	Saved settings do not guarantee that the same physical unit or tubes are currently available. Check the requested unit and resources.

When reporting a problem, include the FreqLift version shown beneath the wordmark, your DAW, operating system, Digital or Analog mode, the selected unit when applicable, whether Split is on, and the exact message. A screenshot showing the affected controls and message helps identify the state.

Freqport FreqLift Porduct Manual

FreqLift 1.0.0 Manual (EN)

1. Getting started