Effect Rack

Effect Rack is a host for Soundtoys effects inside one plug-in instance. Processors are dragged from the Gear List into the Rack, where their top-to-bottom order determines the signal path. Their own controls remain available, but the upper Control Panel manages the chain as a whole.

Its most distinctive global control is Recycle, which feeds some rack output back into the input. That can make a chain behave very differently from the same processors inserted once in a DAW: echoes can repeatedly pass through distortion, filtering, and modulation, accumulating new tone on every cycle. This also makes gain staging important, particularly when high-gain effects are involved.

Build the chain with Recycle down, balance each processor's output into the next, and use the rack's final Mix and Output to place it in the arrangement. Save the complete setup as a rack preset while retaining individual effect presets for reusable components. The linked manual describes up to six rack slots and explains that availability of added effects such as SuperPlate depends on licensing.

Manual, The Basics, p. 4; Control Panel, pp. 5–7; The Rack, pp. 8–9; Adding Effects, pp. 10–11.

Global Control Panel

• Tempo / Tap / MIDI sync establish the shared timing reference. Follow the project tempo, tap a feel, or enter a BPM value in the display for effects that use tempo-based processing.
• Input sets the level into the first rack processor. Output sets the level after the last one. They do not replace gain staging between individual processors: an overloaded middle stage remains overloaded even if rack Output is reduced.
• Recycle feeds part of the complete rack output back into its input. Raise it from a low setting while monitoring levels. Distortion and resonant effects inside the loop can make feedback grow rapidly.
• Mix blends the dry source with the complete processed chain. For an ordinary auxiliary-return setup, use fully wet and set the amount with the host's send and return levels.
• Show Gear opens or hides the Gear List. Size chooses Auto, Full, or Small interface presentation.

Building and managing the Rack

Drag an effect above or below an existing unit to insert it, or over the middle of a unit to replace it. Drag a unit back to the Gear List to remove it. The linked guide specifies a maximum of six processors at once.

Each unit has an Effects Preset Menu for that processor's own presets, distinct from a full-rack preset. Power bypasses the unit without deleting its settings. The manual notes that processing continues internally while bypassed, so re-enabling can expose an existing delay tail. Solo helps isolate an individual rack element for inspection.

Automation and availability

The rack assigns loaded controls to 128 generic automation parameters, named with slot number, effect, and parameter. Reordering or replacing processors can change those names; verify host automation after editing the rack structure rather than assuming the old lane still describes the same target.

The Gear List reflects available effects and licenses. In the documented SuperPlate case, an unlicensed item is visibly marked and cannot be edited like an activated processor. Do not treat every listed preset as proof that its effect is licensed.

Manual, Control Panel, pp. 5–7; The Rack, pp. 8–9; Adding Effects to Effect Rack, pp. 10–11; Automation, pp. 12–13.