Interface Controls

Hearth's interface is organized around the order in which the audio is shaped: input and emphasis first, density lanes second, adaptive tone control third, and final blend/output controls last. The labels are intentionally plain because the device should be playable in a Live set without asking the user to think like the implementation.

The controls are also grouped by risk. The left side contains source preparation and the main warmth macro. The center contains the more characterful nonlinear lanes. The right side contains the adaptive guard rails, wet/dry blend, output level, and safety-oriented options that keep the device usable on full tracks and buses.

• Input dB: sets the level entering the analysis and nonlinear core, making gain staging explicit before saturation.
• Hearth: acts as the main macro, raising drive, emphasis, and relaxed saturation behavior together while staying inside the warmth-first operating range.
• Body dB: biases the compensated emphasis toward low-mid density so the nonlinear stage generates body instead of only post-EQ volume.
• Bias: trims asymmetry in the tube lane, adding controlled even-order color while the downstream DC handling prevents drift.
• Bloom: controls transient-only parallel saturation for attack rounding and perceived size without flattening the whole signal.
• Flux: sets the quasi-hysteretic memory lane amount, adding path-dependent density and subtle return behavior.
• Patina: adds optional texture and stays at zero by default so clean bus processing remains safe.
• Adapt: controls Warmth Servo authority; higher values let brightness and roughness analysis steer drive and de-emphasis more strongly.
• Dyn: sets program-dependent relaxation so the saturation responds to level instead of behaving like a fixed clipper.
• Recovery: controls the return time for dynamic relaxation and memory behavior.
• Velvet: increases upper-band softening, reducing glare when harmonic content starts to feel sharp.
• Detail: restores controlled presence after the warm path so the output stays intelligible instead of merely darker.
• Stereo: protects the center image and side balance when the device is used on stereo material.
• Quality: selects the local anti-aliasing depth for the tube lane: Eco, Live, or High.
• Mix, Output dB, and Auto: handle final parallel blend, level matching, and loudness-bias control while auditioning.